TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Shake Russell - Entertainer of the Year nominee

Our final nominee for Entertainer of the Year is Shake Russell

Shake comes to this year's awards with a list of honors in his guitar case. From the Texas Music Awards alone he's won:

Palmwood Award (2003)

Entertainer of the Year (2004)

Founders Award (2007)

Entertainer of the Year (2008 & 2011)

Vocal Group of the Year /w Shake Russell Trio (2008 & 2010)

Lifetime Achievement Honors (2013)

The Americana style of music is as hot today as it was in the 1960s and has been a part of who Shake is for over three decades. His songwriting talents have empowered artists like Waylon Jennings, Jessi Coulter and Ricky Skaggs. There's a lot of reasons Shake Russell belongs on this list.. but the biggest reason is SOUL. 

Shake Russell - My Texas Music

TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Freddie Steady Krc - Entertainer of the Year nominee

With only two days left until the big reveal, this week we spotlight Freddie Steady Krc

Freddie is a member of the Austin Music Hall of Fame. He has earned that honor and then some. Like most artists, he is a multi-accomplished musician. He feels every note he plays to a depth that it reverberates to the audience like few can accomplish. He is a legend.

Freddie Steady Krc - My Texas Music 

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TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Dave Fenley - Entertainer of the Year nominee

Our third nominee this week is known not only in Texas but nation-wide thanks to America's Got Talent.

Showcasing his amazing ability, Dave Denley made it through Week 1 of the Semi-Finals with tons of fan support.

Dave has won Male Vocalist of the Year with the Texas Music Awards in 2010, 2011, 2012.

Dave Fenley - MyTexasMusic

TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Aubrey Lynn England - Entertainer of the Year nominee

Today we highlight a very busy and very motivated woman in Texas music. Not only is Aubrey Lynn England a talented solo artist, but team her up with another artist like Mark Allan Atwood or Sean Franks from Chapter 11 and the result is nothing short of amazing. As if she doesn't have her own career to keep her busy, Aubrey has started her own booking agency - Texas Songbird Entertainment. Aubrey knows what is required in this business and shares her experience with new artists on a daily basis. 

Aubrey Lynn England - My Texas Music

TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Duo of the Year & Group of the Year

A single artist has power over an audience. When you add a partner or more members to form a band, the effects are amazing! Let's meet the nominees for Duo of the Year and Group of the Year.

Duo of the Year

Aubrey Lynn England & Sean Franks

for The Awakening

Chapter 11

Sherman TX

Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay

for Before the World was Made

Brennan Leigh & Noel McKay

Austin TX

Byrd & Street

for Words & Music

Byrd & Street

Austin TX

Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus

for The Great Unknown

Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus

Austin TX

Ordinary Elephant

for Dusty Words and Cardboard Boxes

Ordinary Elephant

Houston TX

Group of the Year

Junior Gordon Band

for Big

Junior Gordon

Liverpool TX

Luke Adair & The Big Bills

for In Here On the Outside

Luke Adair & The Big Bills

Giddings TX

The Captain Legendary Band

for TCLB LIVE

The Captain Legendary Band

Humble TX

The Grievous Angels

for The Grievous Angels

Houston TX

Scott Taylor Band

for Beautiful Sin

Scott Taylor Band

Victoria TX

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

TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Singer/Songwriter of the Year

NOTE: Due to a blog scheduling snafu, this is a repost of one that ran out of sequence earlier in the month. 

There's a special magic between the words a Songwriter pens to what a Singer conveys in a performance or on a recording. The moment is just as special when the Singer and the Songwriter are one in the same.

SONGWRITER/ SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

BOB CHEEVERS

Austin TX

 DANNY EVERITT

The Woodlands TX

 DANNY SANTOS

Austin TX

 JACK SAUNDERS

Houston TX

 RICHARD DOBSON

Dierssenhoen Switzerland

TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Song of the Year!

TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Record of the Year - Album of the Year

Record of the Year

Junior Gordon - "Big"

Mark Allan Atwood & Brimstone - "Loser"

Scott Taylor Band - "Marlboros & Merle"

Cameran Nelson - "Reckless in Texas"

Chapter 11 - "Whiskey & You"

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Alive and Well - Mark Allan Atwood

Beautiful Sin - Scott Taylor Band

I'll Be Fine - Saints Eleven

Smoke & Mirrors - Bob Cheevers

TCLB Live - The Captain Legendary Band

TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS - Producer of the Year

Next on our list of categories for the Texas Music Awards is Producer of the Year. Producer's have a tough job. They have to be able to see the same vision the artist sees for the project. If you have ever tried to get in someone's head for any reason you know how tough that can be. But aside from seeing the vision, they have to make the dream a reality - to give birth to a conceptual idea. To make things more difficult, sometimes the artist is not sure what they want - except to play good music. These are good reasons why sometimes, you'll find the artist acting as their own producer. Did you know that Buddy Holly was one of the first to produce his own vision professionally?

Here are the nominees for Producer of the Year and the album they breathed life into:

John David Kent

Gus Samuelson

 Dustin Hendricks

Luke Adair & The Big Bills

Amanda Mora