It seems impossible to believe that three decades have passed since the very first presentation of this ceremony took place at Saginaw’s legendary historic Fordney Hotel, which was the center-hub venue for a burgeoning regional musical scene that featured dozens of clubs on both Saginaw’s Hamilton Street & Bay City’s Midland Street Entertainment districts that were featuring live music six-nights per week.

At that ceremony we featured one of the first performances by a then unknown GM worker named Larry McCray, the jazz band Silk (who’s member Felton Sparks actually did musical arrangements for the Tonight Show’s Doc Severinson; a country outfit named Romeo Ridge that at the time were making a big splash in Nashville; and The Mick Furlo Band whom were setting the pulse of original rock ‘n roll and also featured a drummer named Donny Brown, who later went on to international fame with The Verve Pipe.

Over the years this event has traveled many halls & theatres throughout the Tri-cities; and on Sunday, April 23^rd from 5:00 PM – Midnight the public is welcomed to attend and celebrate the talents of hundreds of regional musicians at our 31^st Annual Review Music Awards Celebration at LumberBaron’s Brewery in their beautiful Genevieve Ballroom, which is located at 804 E. Midland Street in Bay City. Doors will open at 4:00 PM.

This annual celebration is focused upon celebrating the creative, talented and committed musical artists & individuals who cultivate the creative spirit and nurture the musical soul that defines and distinguishes the unique musical sound of our region. And for me what remains eternally exciting is the fact that the music we value and honor with this event has reached and branched out in so many amazing directions, solidifying the stature of talent we are fortunate to feature and cultivate here in the Great Lakes Bay Region.                 

Obviously, many changes have occurred and evolved in the Music Scene over the past 30 years; some good and some disappointing; but one thing that remains consistent is the need for artists to receive feedback and praise for the commitment and passion they invest into their creative endeavors, which is why this annual celebration was created as a means to invest them with a well-deserved recognition from both peers & fans.                 

The Review Music Awards is the oldest and most unique ceremony of its kind in the Tri-cities, pre-dating and inspiring such offshoot endeavors as Saginaw On-Stage and The All Area Arts Awards. It is the only awards ceremony of its kind that connects people, audiences and artists together insofar as the public at large determines the honorees & recipients.         

The single purpose of this ceremony is to bring greater community, statewide, and national recognition to local talent, which we feel has a rich history of being one of the strongest in the state, and giving it the proper notoriety and attention that it deserves. Guest personalities, cultural, and community leaders will assist in handing out awards the night of the ceremony, while a strong list of regional performers will headline this year’s show with live performances.

Tickets for this year’s 31^st Annual Review Music Awards are only $15.00 in advance, and $20.00 at the door, or you can purchase a block of six table tickets for $60.00. A dining menu will be available for all attending and advance tickets are now on sale at the following locations:

SAGINAW: Review Magazine, White's Bar, Records & Tapes Galore, Oppermann's Cork 'n Ale, The Listening Room, Mid Michigan Music.

BAY CITY: Lumberbaron's Brewery/The Stables, Herter Music, The Empire Bar and Electric Kitsch.

MIDLAND: Boychuck's State Farm Insurance • Lil' Bighorn Music and Radio Wasteland.

Tickets are also available online through EVENTBRITE.com

31^st Annual Review Music Awards Schedule & Itinerary

4:00 – 5:00 PM – Video Highlights • Journey Through the Past

A retrospective of musical history in the making that spans performance highlights and special moments from the past 30 years of The Review Music Awards.

5:00 - 5:10 PM – Opening Remarks

Review Magazine Publisher & Editor Robert E. Martin welcomes nominees and attendees and recaps the voting procedure utilized for this year’s celebration.

5:10 – 5:40 PM • Jacob Wiesenbach & The Straight Eights

Trumpeter Jason Wiesenbach – a member of The Standard Session, voted Best Jazz Combo in last year’s 30^th Annual Review Music Awards, joins guitarist Scott Vandell & The Straight Eights for a fluid taste of instrumental jazz compositions.

5:40 – 5:55 PM • Jazz Awards

Best Jazz Video • Best Jazz Songwriter • Favorite Jazz Club • Best Male Vocalist • Best Jazz Musician • Best Small Combo • Best Big Band

5:55 – 6:10 PM • Joe Kidd & Sheila Burke

2017 marks this duo’s third consecutive year of nominations at The Review Music Awards. Joe & Sheila share a common heritage of Irish & Native American traditions that comes from the Appalachian region of Kentucky and West Virginia. They have used their experiences and to articulate a perfect blend of Universal and Timeless Americana, Folk, & World music with powerful lyrics and beautiful voices. Their debut CD release Everybody Has A Purpose was released in late 2015.

6:10 – 6:25 PM • Michelle O’Neil & Mel Curry

Vocalist Melissa Curry and singer/songwriter/guitarist Michelle O’Neil possess talents that converge well as a musical duo. Together their voices register with a solid unity to their harmony, shimmering with a resonance that both augments the power of their musical delivery, but also offers living proof to the notion that two voices do indeed speak louder as one. 

6:25 – 6:45 PM • Cornpone

Consisting of Nate Callison -Yodelin' & Pickin'; Jon Potrykus - Fiddle, Guitar, Steel; Jeff Schrems - Dog House Bass; James Nelson - Accordion, Keyboards and Harmonica; and percussionist Dan Wall, Cornpone is the adopted son of Hank Williams & James Brown. Collectively they are the Kings of Midwestern Swing! 

6:45 – 7:05 PM • Miscellaneous Awards

Best New Artist of the Year • Best Band Website • Best Duo • Best Solo Artist • Best Music Video • Best Videographer • Best Radio Station • Best Music Festival • Best Live Event of the Year

7:05 – 7:35 PM • Tweed & Dixie

Last year the newly formed Alt-Country-Rock quartet Tweed & Dixie managed to gain substantial traction thanks to top-notch musicianship, engaging showmanship, and a steady string of original songs difficult to categorize, resulting in the group walking away with eight trophies at the 30^th Annual Review Music Awards. This year we are pleased to be able to present them as one of our key featured performances.

7:35 – 7:50 PM • Country Awards

Best Country Video • Favorite Country Club • Best Country Musician • Male Country Vocalist • Female Country Vocalist • Country Songwriter • Best Band

7:50 – 8:15 PM • The Mongrels

The Mongrels are a Modern/Old School Punk Rock band from Saginaw. They have toured the United States several times, including a performance at the legendary CBGB's in New York City, Hard Rock Cafe in Buffalo NY and a 17-city west coast tour last year in support of their album "4383". Currently they are getting set to record a new album followed by an east coast tour.

8:15 – 8:35 PM • Misc. Awards Continued

Best Videographer • Best Folk Band or Duo • Best CD Release • Best Concert Album or Project • Most Innovative Artist • Best Sound Technician • Best Waitress • Best Bartender • Best Recording Studio

8:35 – 9:10 PM • The Legal Matters

The Legal Matters are Chris Richards, Andy Reed, and Keith Klingensmith.  They recorded their debut release at Reed Recording in Bay City in 2014.  The positive response from that record turned the side-project into a full time concern.  The boys recorded their 2nd record, "Conrad", in Bay City in 2016.  "Conrad" was released by Omnivore Recordings towards the end of 2016 to rave reviews. Tonight’s performing line-up consists of: Chris Richards - guitars and vocals; Andy Reed - bass and vocals; Keith Klingensmith - guitar and vocals; Scott VanDell – guitars; Mike Thomas – keyboards; Donny Brown drums.

9:10 – 9:30 PM • Blues Awards

Best Funk Band • Best Blues Club • Blues Songwriter • Female Blues Vocalist • Male Blues Vocalist • Blues Instrumentalist • Best Blues Band

9:30 – 10:00 PM • Monique Ella Rose Band

Monique Ella Rose is a singer/songwriter whose style blends with Soul, R&B, Blues, Jazz & Funk. She is quickly earning a reputation as one of Michigan's most exciting new talents. Born in Saginaw, raised in Detroit she was immersed in music at a very young age. Voted ‘Best Female Jazz Vocalist’ at last year’s 30^th Review Music Awards, she released her first single, "Move On" in 2014. Her second single, "Hustle & Grind" was released later that year on her label, Soul Blend. "Rather being placed in any genre, I consider my music to be life music. That may come out sounding like funk one moment, classic R&B the next or even gospel. I write and sing what I feel."

10:00 – 10:15 PM • Rock Awards

Favorite Rock Club • Rock Female Vocalist • Rock Male Vocalist • Rock Drummer • Rock Bassist • Rock Keyboardist • Rock Guitarist • Rock Songwriter • Best Rock Video • Best Rock Band

10:15 – 10:45 PM • DAB (David Asher Band)

Bassist Seth Payton is the former front man of the Popular Michigan Ska group Stamp'd. Drummer Derrick Davis played many years in the Reggae scene in Atlanta before joining DAB. Guitarist Pete Metropoulos has won regional music awards, and is proficient in a variety of styles.Saxophonist Dennis Lewandowski is a 30-year veteran of the regional music scene.  Percussionist Kevin Collins is proficient in African and Reggae drumming. Vocalist David Asher is a 12 time ASCAP award winner popular division and has won numerous Detroit Music Awards and Review Music Awards as the founder and vocalist of the rock reggae group The Process. Asher has worked with Adrian Sherwood, Lee Scratch Perry, Little Axe, Dub producer the Scientist and others.

10:45 – 11:00 PM • Hip Hop Awards & The Final Four

Best DJ • Best Mixtape/Release • Best Producer • Best Performer • Best Promoter • Rap Hip/Hop Artist of the Year • Best Rap Hip-Hop Video • Best Songwriter • Best Alternative Band • Best Metal Band • Best Original Band • Best Variety Band

11:00 – 11:45 PM • The Barbarossa Brothers

This remarkably gifted collective of talent consists of core members Drew Pentkowski, Loren Kranz and Ryan Fitzgerald and have been described as ‘Americana wrapped in a brown paper bag’, possessing a unique blend of musical acumen and harmony-laden folk-rock.  As a duo of Resonator guitar and cajon drum, Drew and Loren began sharing songs in the spring of 2012. Soon they sought to expand to a full band with the addition of mutual friend Ryan on upright bass. They are constantly evolving and always full of musically creative surprises.