WYCE has chosen two dozen regional acts — indie-rock to blues to jazz and way more — to play the 15th annual Jammie Awards show at The Intersection on Feb. 21.
Vincent Hayes is nominated for “The Grind.” (Photo/Anna Sink)
With 130 albums nominated for the Jammie of the Year as the best regional album of 2013, it’s no surprise that WYCE-FM’s annual celebration of local music covers the gamut of styles, genres and boundary-pushing approaches.
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Dante Cope
Much of that eclectic charm gets put on display Feb. 21 at The Intersection in Grand Rapids with what’s become the live West Michigan music event of the year as two dozen acts perform on two stages throughout an evening that culminates in the album-of-the-year presentation.
WYCE (88.1 FM) today announced the lineup of bands for the 15th annual Jammie Awards show and it’s an impressive lineup that includes everything from nationally recognized acts such as The Bangups, Hank Mowery and Vincent Hayes to emerging artists Brad Fritcher + trois, Dante Cope and Antrim Dells to local pack-the-house faves Afro Zuma, Rick Chyme and The B-Sides.
Hank Mowery
“It is really a great event and we are honored to be nominated and getting a chance to play,” says Mowery, who’s nominated for “Account to Me,” his riveting and touching tribute to late blues harmonica player Gary Primich. “This event makes you realize just how much talent is coming out of Michigan and especially West Michigan. We are really looking forward to it.”
(Mowery’s album also is a finalist for 2013’s best self-produced CD at the 30th International Blues Challenge hosted by The Blues Foundation in Memphis on Jan. 25.)
Although the schedule of Jammie Award night performances hasn’t been finalized, the following acts have been booked to perform at this year’s free, all-ages Jammie Awards show that begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21:
Red Tail Ring (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Afro Zuma, Antrim Dells, The B-Sides, The Bangups, Brad Fritcher + Trois, Chain of Lakes, Dante Cope, Filmloom, Hank Mowery, Jake Stilson, Jim Alfredon’s Dirty Fingers, Jim Shaneberger, Joel Mabus, Joshua Davis, Lasso, Red Tail Ring, Ribbons of Song, Rick Chyme, River Rogues Jazz Band, Root Doctor, Splice, Wallace Collective, Who Hit John? and Vincent Hayes.
Even veteran players concede this sort of recognition never gets old.
“The cliché is that an artist is never recognized in his/her hometown but WYCE makes sure that isn’t the case with The Jammies,” says primo Hammond B3 player Jim Alfredson, nominated for his Jim Alfredson’s Dirty Fingers’ “A Tribute to Big John Patton.”
“It’s always fun to see so many of my fellow musicians perform in one place on one night and I’m humbled to be a part of it.”
Ben Scott-Brandt of folk-pop’s Ribbons of Song called the Jammies “a great way to publicly congratulate fellow artists on jobs well done. It’s a great way to meet the producers, engineers, artists, songwriters and fans that make our scene click.”
Get more information online at the WYCE website, where listeners have until Feb. 1 to vote online for the Listeners’ Choice Awards (for best album by a new artist and best regional album).
And just to whet your appetite, here’s the Local Spins recap of last year’s big Jammie Awards show, including video highlights and photos.
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2013, Spins on Music
