TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Musician of the Year & Live Band of the Year.

So the Musicians of the Year nominees did not get lost in The Party List post, I chose to combine them with Live Band of the Year.

Musician of the Year
Musicians keep the artist on track and often get to showcase their own style. Many have gone on to solo careers - or are the musician and the lead artist in one.

Here are the nominees for Musician of the Year:

Mitch Connell

for Alive and Well

Mark Allan Atwood & Brimstone

Mark LaFon

for The Awakening

Chapter 11

JT Pinkham

for Revolution

Jason Helms Band

Mark Searcy

for Hazepipe

Mark Searcy

David Stockton

for Beautiful Sin

Scott Taylor Band

Live Band of the Year

Listening to the music of our favorite artists on the radio or from our various player devices is great. But nothing beats being at a live show. You feel every vibrating chord, every pulsing beat and know that every word is speaking to you. The band that can do this has earned their place in this category.

Ben Morris

& The Great American Boxcar Chorus

College Station TX

Jason Helms Band

Hope AR

Mark Allan Atwood

&Brimstone

Burnet TX

Push Water Band

Jewett TX

Scott Taylor Band

Victoria TX

LIVE BAND OF THE YEAR nominees

WOW!

If there was ever any doubt about the music coming out of the great state of Texas, this category will set you straight. Five extremely talented bands spread their Texas Love!

Ladies first with the beautiful voice of Aubrey Lynn Rose and Yellow Rose. Americana at it's finest. This little lady puts it all out there. Her RAISIN' HELL  dishes out 11 tracks with a bit of soul undercurrent. If you listen close, you hear a little Joan Baez coming through on 'Pourin' Whiskey on My Broken Heart'.

 

Sammy Fox & The Intervention have been here before, having won the award in 2012. I love his EP - THE INTERVENTION. Don't let the hard-rocking image on the album cover fool you. This man has a voice 'slow and genuine' just like a track on the EP claims.

Jerry Audley and his band are pure country... with a bit of southern rock to liven up the place. Their album, AUDLEY ENOUGH, won Album of the Year at the TMAs in 2009. They were also nominated in this category in 2010. When I listen to Jerry and his band, I think of John Michael Montgomery.

If you're only as good as the people who back you, then the Jason Helms Band have all the pieces of the puzzle in place. are off to a kickin' start! With a total of three nominations in the TMAs this year, they are a band to watch... and learn from. If you don't believe me, check out their REDEMPTION CD.

Here's a mouthful of Texas you'll want to savor for a long time. Ben Morris & The Great American Boxcar Chorus.  These guys are not new to the Texas Music Awards. In the past they've been nominated in a variety of categories four times since 2009. They won this category in 2009 as well as Musician of the Year 2012 by guitarist Coby Tate (for his performance on There is No Fun in Funeral - title track from their most recent CD)

There you have the five nominees for Texas Music Awards Live Band of the Year - 2013. I have to tell you, voting was T-O-U-G-H!

Good Luck & Country Blessings!