Winners of the 30th Annual Review Music Awards Ceremony & Celebration

Over 325 people filled the Genevieve Ballroom at Lumber Barons in Bay City on the evening of April 20^th  to honor top musicians in 60 categories of Rock, Country, Jazz, Blues & Miscellaneous divisions at the 30^th  Annual Review Music Awards Ceremony. A total of 8001 votes were cast by music fans over a 3- month period from January through March of this year, with 948 musicians nominated throughout the Great Lakes Bay region.

Especially significant at this 30^th anniversary celebration was the fact that big winners of this memorable landmark celebration were dominated by newer creative forces. Country/Rock fusion artists Tweed & Dixie individually & collectively walked away with eight awards; while the original rock quartet ADABOY! took away two trophies in the pivotal categories of Best CD Release and Best Alternative Band.

The annual Parkapalooza Festival won Best Live Event of the Year and Best Music Festival; while the evolving trend towards the musical fusion of genres was witnessed with the Hairbilly Festival securing Best Concert Album or Project for showcasing a blend of musical voices from the worlds of Rock & Country.

Similarly, the newly formed acoustic duo of Melissa May & Brian Coonan walked away with honors for Best Female Rock Vocalist, Best Rock Songwriter and Best Rock Guitarist. Particularly significant is the fact that Melissa May now stands alone as the only nominee in the 30-year history of the Review Music Awards to win Best Rock Songwriter – a category that has always been dominated by men.

The evening also featured exceptionally breathtaking and powerful performances by Matt Besey & Larry McCray, who brought the house down with their expressive tandem lead guitar duels; Brush Street with an expanded line-up that showcased songwriter Michael Brush’s catalog of material drawn from the past three decades; Americana with Jen Cass & the Luck Nows; and stirring all-original sets from ADABOY!, The Chase Engel Band, Melissa May & Brian Coonan and Andrew Kitzman; and a powerful end-of-night performance from Rock/Hop artist REDBURN.

A complete listing of all the winners from each division is noted below.

For more on the performances, winner profiles, and photos from the evening’s festivities, check out our 30^th Annual Review Music Awards Special Edition which will be available both in print & online on April 28^th.

MISCELANEOUS AWARDS

Best Radio Station • WKZQ-93

Best Music Festival • Parkapalooza

Best Recording Studio • Reed Recording Company

Best Videographer • Bub Fish

Best CD Release • ADABOY!

Best Concert/Album or Project • HAIRBILLY Festival

Best Metal Band • Polychromic

Best Band Website • Tweed & Dixie

Best Music Video • The Mongrels ‘Saginaw’

Best Waitress • Erin – The Log Cabin

Best Bartender • Alex – The Log Cabin

Best Folk Band or Duo • Tweed & Dixie LiTe

Best Variety Band • Jedi Mind Trip

Most Innovative Artist • Andy Reed

Best Sound Technician • Carey Limberg

Best Solo Artist • Joe Gibson

Best New Artist of the Year • Tweed & Dixie

Best Alternative Band • ADABOY!

Best Live Event of the Year • Parkapalooza

Best Duo • The Rick-Tones

Best Original Band • Tweed & Dixie

ROCK AWARDS

Best Rock Video • Big Brother Smokes - In The Mood

Favorite Rock Club • Bemo’s

Female Rock Vocalist • Melissa May

Male Rock Vocalist • Rick Maida

Rock Keyboardist • Dave Banks

Best Rock Songwriter • Melissa May

Best Rock Bassist • Rick Maida

Best Rock Band • The Hipakritz

Best Rock Guitarist • Brian Coonan

Best Rock Drummer • Justin Clifford

RAP/HIP-HOP

Best Promoter • Sarah Parker

Best Mixtape / Release • Kill Em All Social Club

Rap/Hip Hop Artist of the Year • Mike Spitz

Best Rap/Hip Hop Songwriter • Mike Spitz

Best Producer • Adam Santoya

Best DJ • DJ Junior PeepShow Ent.

Best Performer • Astray

COUNTRY

Best Country Video • Steve Armstrong - Her Tail Lights

Favorite Country Club • Willew Lounge

Country Female Vocalist • Mandi Layne

Country Male Vocalist • Steve Armstrong

Country Songwriter • Mandi Layne & Greg Kevorkian

Best Country Band • Tweed & Dixie

Best Country Musician • Ronnie James

JAZZ

Favorite Jazz Club • Brooklyn Boyz

Best Big Band • Baytown Big Band

Female Jazz Vocalist • Monique Ella Rose

Best Small Combo • The Standard Session

Jazz Songwriter • Bryan Rombalski

Best Jazz Musician • Darin Scott

BLUES

Favorite Blues Club • Bemo’s

Best Funk Band • Soul Xpress

Blues Songwriter • Bob Charlebois

Blues Instrumentalist • Larry McCray

Female Blues Vocalist • Sharrie Williams

Male Blues Vocalist • Eric Johnson

Best Blues Band • Larry McCray Band