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San Diego Music Awards announce nominees for 2017 event

Since 1991, the San Diego Music Awards have recognized the work of San Diego musicians in a variety of categories - and will do so again on March 21.
San Diego Music Awards announce nominees for 2017 event

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) — Since 1991, the San Diego Music Awards have recognized the work of San Diego musicians in a variety of categories - and will do so again on March 21. For its 26th edition, the awards will be held in the music hall of House of Blues San Diego, according to organizers.  

In addition to honoring award winners, the SDMAs also showcase San Diego bands with live performances throughout the show. This year's performers include reggae-pop group Hirie, psychedelic-rock band The Verigolds, and a special opening set by singer-songwriter Steph Johnson and the Voices of Our City Choir - a choir formed by Johnson and Nina Leilani (another local musician) "for people experiencing homelessness and those who support the cause." 

Hirie-BandPhoto1.jpg

The band Hirie are nominated in two categories and scheduled to perform at the San Diego Music Awards on March 21

The artists performing at the show represent the diversity of the local music scene and are also nominated for several San Diego Music Awards. Hirie are up both for Best World Music Album ("Wandering Soul") and Song of the Year ("Renegade.") The Verigolds are nominated for Best Indie/Alternative Album ("For Margaret"). And Steph Johnson is up for Best Jazz Album ("Music is Art") and Artist of the Year.  
 
Nominees for the awards are determined by the San Diego Music Academy, which includes members of the local music community, music media, talent buyers and others. [A full list of nominees appears below.] 

Voting for nominees in each of the genre categories is open to the public from Jan. 16 – Feb. 26 online. The album categories are voted on by members of the SD Music Academy only. 

Voice of our city choir

Steph Johnson (back row center) will perform with the Voices of Our City Choir for a special opening set to the awards show.

Proceeds from the event benefit the San Diego Music Foundation's Taylor Guitars for Schools program.  

The San Diego Music Foundation states its mission is "to enrich San Diego’s diverse and creative music community through music education for youth, professional development for current and emerging industry professionals, live performances for the San Diego public, and recognition for San Diego artists of exceptional merit or service." 

The 2017 San Diego Music Awards nominees are: 

Best Singer-Songwriter 

Nina Francis 
Lady Rogo 
Sierra West 
Raelee Nikole 
Savannah Philyaw 
Tolan Shaw 

Best Country or Americana 

Berkley Hart 
Brawley 
Morgan Leigh Band 
Nancarrow 
Sara Petite 
The Moves Collective 

Best Jazz 

Gilbert Castellanos 
Ian Tordella 
Joshua White 
Patrick Yandall 
Peter Sprague 
Allison Adams Tucker 

Best Blues 

Chet & the Committee 
Mercedes Moore 
Michele Lundeen 
Robin Henkel 
Whitney Shay 
Tomcat Courtney 

Best Hip-Hop/Rap 

Main Flow 
Parker Edison 
South Psycho Cide 
Odessa Kane 
Tall Can and Generik 
Lyrical Groove 

Best Indie/Alternative 
 
Grizzly Business 
Prayers 
Big Bad Buffalo 
Rob Crow's Gloomy Place 
The Bassics 
Wild Wild Wets 

Best Pop 

Birdy Bardot 
Dani Bell & the Tarantist 
Pony Death Ride 
Normandie Wilson 
KI 
Sister Speak 

Best Rock 

Amerikan Bear 
Black Market III 
Dead Feather Moon 
Roni Lee 
The Farmers 
Schizophonics 

Best World Music 

B-Side Players 
Brogue Wave 
Mariachi Garabaldi 
Quel Bordel 
Todo Mundo 
Tribal Theory 

Best New Artist 

Casey Hensley Band 
Elektric Voodoo 
Hexa 
Spitfire Torpedo 
Skyterra 
Spooky Cigarette 

Artist of the Year 

Andra Day 
Gilbert Castellanos 
Little Hurricane 
Steph Johnson 
The Redwoods Collective 
Tribal Seeds 

Best Live Performer 

Jason Hanna & the Bullfighters 
Joshua White 
Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact 
Schizophonics 
The Creepy Creeps 
The Little Richards 

Best Country or Americana Album 

Country Rockin' Rebels - Ride Rebel Ride 
Eve Selis - See Me with Your Heart 
Shadowdogs - Tangerine 
The Midnight Pine - self-titled 
Trouble in the Wind - Lefty 
Ypsitucky - New Old Lady 

Best Jazz Album 

Danny Green Trio - Altered Narratives 
Lori Bell - Brooklyn Dreaming 
Sue Palmer - The Thunderbird Sessions 
Nathan Hubbard - Furiously Dreaming 
Natural Sounds Trio – self-titled 
Steph Johnson - Music is Art 

Best Blues Album 

Give Me Back My Wig Band - Big Wigs 
John Meeks - On A Sea Darkly 
The Fremonts – Alligator 
Wayne Riker Brotherhood - Blues Convocation 
The Holla Pointe - Down The Road A Piece 
Chickenbone Slim - Gone 

Best Hip Hop/Rap Album 

Bloodstone - Street Ammunition 
The Knee Highs - We Put The Function in Dysfunction 
Vokab Kompany - In Good Company 
Dre Cat - Californ-IPA 
Gonjasufi – Callus 
Def Shon - Hypebomb University 

Best Indie/Alternative Album 

Imagery Machine - self-titled 
Le Chateau – Brutalism 
Mrs. Magician – Bermuda 
The Verigolds - For Margaret 
The Dabbers - I Am Alien Now 
Silent - A Century of Abuse 

Best Pop or Rock Album 

Bit Maps - You, Me and Dystopia 
Daddy Issues - self-titled 
Mittens - self-titled 
The Donkeys - Midnight Palms 
The Phantoms - self-titled 
The Routine - Black Tropics 

Best World Music Album 

Doornob Collective - Standing Tall 
Dubest - Live at the Belly Up Tavern 
Fluid Foundation - self-titled 
Hirie - Wandering Soul 
Jet West - Wake Up 
E.N. Young - Call On Me 

Best Local Recording 

Ass Pocket Whiskey Fellas - Second Pint 
Authentic Sellout - Take Back the Streets 
Euphoria Brass Band - Live & Loud 
Soft Lions – XOXO 
Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Out on the Coast 
The Sleepwalkers - Roots Rockin' with the Sleepwalkers 

Song of the Year 

blink-182 - She's Out of Her Mind 
Hirie – Renegade 
Little Hurricane - Bad Business 
Switchfoot – Float 
Pierce the Veil – Circles 
Slightly Stoopid - Hold it Down 

Album of the Year 

Andra Day - Cheers to the Fall 
blink-182 – California 
Cattle Decapitation - The Anthropocene Extinction 
P.O.D. - The Awakening 
Pierce the Veil – Misadventures 
Switchfoot - Where the Light Shines Through 

For information and voting visit sandiegomusicawards.com.

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