Another busy year for music gave fans much to celebrate, with Local Spins spotlighting a fast-growing scene that’s producing stellar talent – some of it basking in the national spotlight.
Shining On: A Local Spins story about May Erlewine, who played Wealthy Theatre with The Moonlighters and whose song was performed on “The Voice,” topped the 2015 list. (Photo/Anna Sink)
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West Michigan music fans had much to celebrate in 2015, embracing the gift of music amid a fast-growing scene that continues to produce high-caliber talent – some of it finding the national spotlight.
So not surprisingly, the top stories of the year at Local Spins focused on prime-time network TV attention accorded a pair of beloved Michigan artists, the rollout of an ever-popular outdoor concert series, a parting of the ways for a jaw-dropping duo and a roundup of emerging West Michigan bands.
Hollywood Makeout: One of 15 bands to watch. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Here are the Top Five postings for 2015, with links to the original stories that captivated readers.
1. Sawyer Fredericks gives May Erlewine’s “Shine On” gleaming treatment on “The Voice” – Joshua Davis of Traverse City made an impressive run on NBC’s “The Voice,” but fellow contestant – and eventual winner – Sawyer Fredericks also gave Michigan’s music scene and the Earthwork Music collective a boost when he performed a classic by May Erlewine during the competition. It ended up being a huge hit with judges and fans.
2. 15 West Michigan acts to watch: The fall 2015 Local Spins list of buzz-worthy bands – There’s such an eclectic mix of talented acts worth recognizing that this roster compiled by Local Spins writers merely scratched the surface. But with help of audio samples, it also highlighted some compelling music.
3. Meijer Gardens pumps up 2015 series with Tony Bennett, Grand Funk Railroad, Harry Connick, Vince Gill, Umphrey’s McGee – In retrospect, the numerous sellouts and brisk ticket sales for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual summer concert series demonstrated why this announcement got so much attention.
Building His Audience: Joshua Davis finished third on NBC’s ‘The Voice.’ (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
4. “The Voice” and singer Joshua Davis: A positive ‘out of the box’ experience and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Joshua Davis’ Local Spins Guest Playlist – These two postings – a profile of the Traverse City singer-guitarist and a separate Guest Playlist that Davis provided to Local Spins – were published during the early rounds of Davis’ march to third place on “The Voice.” Along the way, his performances earned hundreds of thousands of view on YouTube.
5. Billy Strings and Don Julin to part ways in 2016; bluegrass duo salutes ‘incredible’ two-year run – It signals the end of a short but spectacular era: Young guitarist Billy Strings and seasoned mandolinist Don Julin have made a splash on the bluegrass scene and crisscrossed the country playing major festivals. But with Billy’s move to Nashville, the duo plans to play its final shows in early 2016.
Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC
