2020 SAMMYs Nominees and Hall of Fame Class Revealed

Nominees for the 2020 Syracuse Area Music Awards, affectionately known as the SAMMYS, were announced Tuesday morning at the Palace Theater in Syracuse. Also announced Tuesday was the 2020 SAMMYS Hall of Fame class.

The two-day event takes place on March 5 and 6 with the SAMMY Hall of Fame induction ceremony taking place Thursday, March 5 Upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on Willow Street. The awards ceremony takes place Friday, March 6 at the Palace Theater on James Street. Tickets for the event are available starting Tuesday at the SAMMYS website.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include the Camden-based Mossback Mule Band, Syracuse television journalist Tim Fox, Syracuse hip hop artist Seth Marcel and Syracuse musician and sound engineer Judy Mareiniss.

Music Educator of the Year is Casey Vanderstouw, director of the Baldwinsville Marching Band and Plan Bee; and singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys was named the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

Below is the list of nominees in the 16 categories that will be awarded on March 6 at Syracuse’s Palace Theater.

Best Pop:

Stephen Phillips – Big Eyes & Rosy Cheeks

Jenna Cunningham – Seizing Self

Best Hip-Hop or Rap:

Slick Fashion 2 – Purple

315 CA$H – A Rough Start#RELOADED

Coughlin – #TheHeat

The Real Raw Breed – No Excuse

MBK Richy – RSZ

Best Americana:

Mike Powell – The Full Nelson: Live at the Odeon

The Ripcords – Last Dance

Coffee & Beer – Leap

Off the Ground – Cleared for Takeoff

Ghost Town Ramblers – Outlaw Highway

Best Alternative:

Late Earth – Eleventh Hour

Keep Up – Up In Flames

The Action! – 20 Years Alive

Mandate of Heaven – Least Concern

Devinne Meyers – Silver Line

Best Rock:

Atkins Riot – Too Much Whisky

Underwater Bosses – Aqua La Vista

Chris Eves and the New Normal – One Spark

Slow Train – In Between

Mike Powell & The Black River – Gypsy Winnebago

Ronnie Dark – Sky

Best Hard Rock:

Kris Wiechmann – The Heaviest Tenderness

Cry to the Blind – Deliver Me

Ecliptic Vision – Ecliptic Vision

Murder in Rue Morgue – Endless Cycles

Killaton – My Abyss

Best Other Style:

Mark Nanni – Towns & Spaces In Between

Josh Dekaney – All the Americas

Leo Crandall & Hymie Withthoft – Unknowable & Studding Thing

Spotlight Studios – A Holiday Spotlight

O’Connor & Dunn – Which Way to Neverland?

Best Jam Band:

Big Sexy & The Scrambled Eggs – Road Less Traveled

Vaporeyes – Vaporeyes

Best Singer/Songwriter:

Dale Randall – All the Love I Know

Andrew VanNorstrand – That We Could Find a Way to Be

Cam Caruso – Up Above & Down Below

Sydney Irving – The Greene EP

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers – Live and Listening

Best Blues:

Sean McLeod – Harriet Tubman Freedom Music Festival-Live! Vol. 4

King Kool and His Royal Blues – Train Wreck

Diana Jacobs – What She Needs

Chris Terra Band – Lady Luck

Earl Slick & The West Side Social Club – The West Side Social Club

Best R&B:

Gary Carpentier – LUCID

Barroom Philosophers – Digital Demise

Jaquiel – Changes

Alani Skye – Alani Skye

Best Country:

The Cadleys – Duets & Ballards

Whiskey Hollow Rush – True Stories

Jon Rogalia – A Little Too Country

Emalee Herrington – Plans Change

D. Dusk Rogers – Pounded Down By Christmas

Best Jazz:

London McDaniel – Masterpieces

Melissa Gardiner – Empowered

Best Electronica:

Ruby C. – Ruby C.

Empires in Orbit – Doom City Limits & Singles

Founder’s Award:

U A D
James ‘Saul’ Brown
Rick Linzy
Hollis ‘Larry’ Mathis
Isaac Wynn

Jack O Bocchino Spirit of the SAMMYS Award:

Marge Nolan

Comments are closed.