Updated: Apr 6, 2021
MILWAUKEE, WI -- The Wisconsin Area Music Industry is pleased to announce that a date has been scheduled for the long awaited 40th WAMI Awards Show. Winners and nominees will be honored -- along with a remarkable slate of Hall of Fame inductees -- at Milwaukee’s Turner Hall Ballroom on Oct. 17, 2021.
Tickets are available at the Pabst Theater/Riverside Theater/Turner Hall Box Office (check for hours of operation) or at www.pabsttheater.org. Ticket prices are $25 for general admission. Individual VIP tickets are $45 and include table seating.
The awards show, which had originally been slated for April 2020, was postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though typically held in spring, an autumn date was chosen for 2021 based on capacity restrictions and in the interests of health and safety as cases persist and vaccination continues.
The show will provide honors in 36 music categories. It will feature People’s Choice honors as well as inductions to the Hall of Fame and newly created Wall of Honor.
“In addition, the show will celebrate the return of Wisconsin music and its resilience after a difficult year for musicians, venues and many others associated with the industry,” WAMI President Zoy Begos said.
WAMI, meanwhile, invites music fans to browse through its new website. The website, long in planning and construction, features biographies of its Hall of Fame and Wall of Honor inductees, videos from prior award shows, photos, news and more. The website, which will receive regular updates, can be found at www.wamimusicwi.com.
With a show date in place, WAMI also released its list of nominees for the 2021 People’s Choice Awards. The nominees, who were chosen by votes from the general public, are as follows:
Southwest:
Band: Rising Phoenix, Blue Steel Band, The Homeland Conspiracy, Cherry Pie, The Rotation
Teacher: Sierra Calabara, Tara Imhof, Corinn Bonkalski
Radio station: 94.1 WJJO, Z104, 101.5 WIBA
Venue: Fawn Creek Winery, Hollyrocks, Bowl-A-Vard Lanes
Fan: Kati Schirmer, Jeff Burmeister, Tricia Ruhs
Northwest:
Band: Them Coulee Boys, Spicy Tie Band, The Dweebs, Bear Creek Band, TeawhYB
Teacher: Brian McLaughlin, Victoria Shoemaker, Tony Bessen
Radio station: WHYS 96.3, 92.9 The X, 101.9 WDEZ
Venue: The Mousetrap Tavern, Schuggy’s, The Plus
Fan: Chris Evanson, Myranda Geiger, Angela Poling Owen
Northeast:
Band: Stricken, That 90s Band, Grand Union, BoomBoxx, The Fabulous Rugburns
Teacher: Phil Smyth, Renee Millard, Jake Crowe, Mark Budwit, Matt Gieseke
Radio station: Code Zero Radio, 101 WIXX, 105.7 WAPL, 103.1 WOGB, 94.7 Razor
Venue: Phat Headz, Headliners, Stone Toad Bar & Grill, The Train Station, Capitol Centre
Fan: Doris Budwit, Bill Dafoe, Leanne Booher, Nick James, Ian Hanley
Southeast:
Band: Big Spoon, Ten Feet Tall, The Playlist, Smart Mouth, Tangled Lines, Almighty Vinyl
Teacher: Daniel Faustman, Jim Kube, Derek Machan, Marty Morgan, Dave Zettle
Radio station: 102.9 The Hog, FM 106.1, 96.5 WKLH, 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, 95.1 WIIL Rock
Venue: Cue Club of Wisconsin, X-Ray Arcade, The Saloon on Calhoun, Rock Country MKE, Paulie’s Pub & Eatery
Fan: Brenda Blackhalo, Bradley John, Roosevelt McCarter, Ben Slowey, Dan Goretski
The Wisconsin Area Music Industry is a volunteer organization with a purpose to
educate and recognize the achievements and accomplishments of individuals in the
Wisconsin music industry. The group also provides opportunities for youth to perform in
an annual Youth Music Showcase, while encouraging students and emerging artists by
awarding scholarships to assist with their music education.
