Jeffrey Tribble Jr., Executive Director of The MusicianShip, addresses the Butterfly Bash in 2017. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
The MusicianShip, a nonprofit dedicated to providing music education to DC youth, sponsored its first Wammie Awards, recently choosing “the best of the best” among DC musicians for recognition to continue the mission of the dissolved Washington Area Music Association.
As editor of Parklife DC, I was a judge and a presenter for the 2019 Wammie Awards at the Lincoln Theatre on March 31, and I’m pleased to provide the full list of winners.
On stage with storied producer Marco Delmar, I presented the award for best R&B Artist or Group to Mannywellz, who had a breakout year with his album Soulfro.
Here are the rest of the winners. Parklife DC has reviewed quite a few of them in the past, and we look forward to reviewing the live performances of the others as opportunities provide. (In cases below where a best artist or group includes a song or album, those are the latest works provided for listening to judges by the Wammies.)
Wammie Award Winners
Best Acapella Artist/Group
Pitches Be Crazy (PBC) Vocal Band
Best Bluegrass Album
Two Ton Twig, Fairydust & Rattlesnakes
Best Bluegrass Artist/Group
Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, If You Can’t Stand the Heat
Best Blues Album
Bobby Thompson, The Acoustic Sessions EP
Best Blues Artist/Group
Sol Roots, “Forgiveness” (feat. Phil Wiggins)
Best Children’s Music Artist/Group
Rocknoceros, Happy Song
Best Country/Americana Album
Eli Lev and the Fortunes Found, Way Out West
Best Country Americana Artist/Group
Karen Jonas, Butter
Best Electronic/Techno Artist/Group
Will Eastman, Everything at Once
Best Folk Album
Dom Flemons, Black Cowboys
Best Folk Artist/Group
Mackenzie Fisher, Gravelly Point
Best Funk Album
Aztec Sun, In the Name of Everyone
Best Funk Artist/Group
Aztec Sun, In the Name of Everyone
Best Funk Song
Fort Knox Five, “Jinglin’ Janglin'”
Best Gogo Album
Michelle Blackwell, Body of Work
Best Gogo Artist/Group
Rare Essence, Live PA #21
Best Gogo Song
The Jogo Project, “Dear Draylen”
Best Gospel Album
Da Flame, God Answers Prayers
Best Gospel Artist/Group
Da Flame, God Answers Prayers
Best Gospel Song
CVRTER, “Amazing”
Best Hard Rock Album
Black Dog Prowl, Fine Lousy State
Best Hard Rock Artist/Group
Black Dog Prowl, Fine Lousy State
Best Hard Rock Song
Black Dog Prowl, “The Hill You Die On”
Best Hip Hop Album
Innanet James, Keep It Clean
Best Hip Hop Artist/Group
Beau Young Prince, Groovyland (Deluxe)
Best Hip Hop Song
Beau Young Prince, “Kill Moe” feat. Shy Glizzy
Best Jazz Album
Jack Kilby and the Front Line, Love Is a Song Anyone Can Sing
Best Jazz Artist/ Group
Kayla Waters, Coevolve
Best Jazz Song
Phyllis Domingue, “Please Stay”
Best Latin Artist/Group
Empresarios, Cambumbeo EP
Best Pop Album
Be Steadwell, Queer Love Songs
Best Pop Artist/Group
SHAED, Melt EP
Best Pop Song
SHAED, “Trampoline”
Best Punk Album
The Split Seconds, Counterfeit Reality
Best Punk Artist or Group
The Split Seconds, Counterfeit Reality
Best R&B Album
Alex Vaughn, The Shift
Best R&B Artist/Group
Mannywellz, Soulfro
Best R&B Song
Sydney Franklin, “Make It Hurt”
Best Rap Album
Rico Nasty, Nasty
Best Rap Artist/Group
Rico Nasty, Nasty
Best Rap Song
Innanet James, “Keep It Clean”
Best Reggae Album
Feelfree, Define the Free
Best Reggae Artist/Group
Shamans of Sound, Shamans of Sound
Best Rock Album
Flasher, Constant Image
Best Rock Artist/Group
The Messthetics, The Messthetics
Best Rock Song
Fellowcraft, “Hold the Line”
Best Soul Album
Cecilly, Songs of Love and Freedom
Best Soul Artist/Group
Mannywellz, Soulfro
Best Soul Song
Saint T, “IDK”
Best World Music Album
Hailu Mergia, Lala Belu
Best World Music Artist/Group
Dogo, Soke Wo
General Interest Awards
Do Good Award
DC Legendary Musicians Inc.
Educator Award
Mr. John Newson
Music Media Award
DC Music Rocks
Best Music Studio Award
Innovation Station Music
Advocacy Award
Aaron Myers
Best Music Venue Award (Sponsored by Yelp)
9:30 Club
For more information on the Wammie Awards and to stay tuned for news on the 2020 Wammies, visit the Wammies website.