While we had their attention during the voting process for Best Of 2024, we asked readers who they thought was the best in our assorted music categories. We were not disappointed. From albums to vocalists, there were smart suggestions in all 27 categories. Great job! Now, we need your help narrowing the field down by voting for your favorite in each category. How? Glad you asked.
Thru midnight on Sun, Nov 17, go to https://www.fwweekly.com/music-awards-ballot-2024/, complete an online ballot, and choose your favorite contenders and selections from each category below. The Top 5 will make it to the finals and become our official nominees. We will announce the Top 5 for each category in our Wed, Nov 20, issue and open up the final ballot that day thru the end of the month. (Each phase is limited to one ballot per person.)
And the contestants are …
Album
The selections for Best Album are Baddie (Dave Cave), Better Than a Dream (Theo Carracino), Bloodveins (Broke String Burnett), Book of Hermes VIII (BLKrKRT), Calm in the Storm (SageModeWrex), The Edge of April (Rachel Gollay), Face to Face (Toxic Madness), FORSAKEN (Hermez the God), The Golden Crystal Kingdom (Vincent Neil Emerson), Moral Law (LABELS),  Rodeo Fortune (Spring Palace), Seminary Gates (Stem Afternoon), Steady (Black Tie Dynasty), There’s More (Cory Cross & The Burden), and Unraveled (Cut Throat Finches).
Song
The selections for Best Song are “Calling Me Out†(Cut Throat Finches), “Chubby Thighs†(Darstar), “The Garden†(Henry the Archer), “Heart With a Hole†(Dustin Massey), “Keeping Up with the Joneses†(Ex-Regrets), “Kites†(Hannah Owens), “Laundry Freestyle†(Hermez the God), “Maladjusted†(Black Tie Dynasty), “Maybe Baby†(Flying Beets), “Optimistic / Time Is Running Out†(Rachel Gollay), “Psycho Killer†(Toxic Madness), “Secrets We Keep†(A Dangerous Affair), “Take†(Sheprador), “Trainwreck†(Broke String Burnett), and “Wrong Direction†(Vintage Yell).
Open-Mic Night
The selections for Best Open-Mic Night are Atlas, Avoca Coffee, Birdie’s Social Club (TRND Music), Del Norte Tacos (Zak Webb), Gustos Burger Bar + More (Denver Williams), Home Plate (Tyrel Choat), Kung Fu Saloon (John Carter & Honky Tonk Traditions w/Trenton Tebow), Magnolia Motor Lounge (Songwriter Nights), McFly’s Pub (Tommy Luke), Pouring Glory (Fort Worth Roots), Rhinestone Saloon, River Bottoms Pub, Scat Jazz Lounge (Black Dog Jam), and Tequilera Bar & Kitchen (Ray Quezada).
Place to Hear Live Music
The selections for Best Place to Hear Live Music are Billy Bob’s Texas, The Boiled Owl Tavern, The Cicada, The Chat Room Pub, Electric Starship Arcade, Fat Daddy’s, Fort Brewery & Pizza, Growl Records, Haltom Theater, Heim Barbecue on the River, Horus Hall, Magnolia Motor Lounge, Martin House Brewing Company, Pouring Glory, Ridglea Theater, Southside Preservation Hall, Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall, and Tulips FTW.
Americana Band
The contenders for Best Americana Band are Broke String Burnett, Cut Throat Finches, David Tribble Band, Denver Williams & The Gas Money, Dustin Massey, Gabby Minton, Late to the Station, Marfa Lights, Sheprador, and Vintage Yell.
Avante Garde/Experimental Band
The contenders for Best Avant-Garde/Experimental Band are BLKrKRT (Phil Ford), Genini, Goisagi, The Go-Go Rillas, The Liquid Sound Company, O-D-Ex, The Rage Out Arkestra, T.E.F. (Texas Expeditionary Force), and Total Sweetheart.
Bassist
The contenders for Best Bassist are Wayne Abney (Life of Scars), Andy Boyd (Freeze Sucka), Josh Brantley (Jaybirds), Joseph Fisher-Schramm (Court Hoang & The Love Children), Marcus Gonzales (Royal Sons), Cyrus Haskell (Stem Afternoon), Aaron Haskin (Keanu Leaves), Kris Luther (Arenda Light), Blake McWhorter (Black Tie Dynasty), Tony Newman (Darstar), Aidan Reed (Toxic Madness), Tyler Lee Ryan (One-Eyed Monsters), Maxwell Smith (Quaker City Night Hawks), Joe Tacke (Mean Motor Scooter), and Wyatt Webb (The Troumatics).
Blues Artist/Band
The contenders for Best Blues Artist/Band are Arlington Jones, Ashmore, Aurora Bleu, Blind Dog Cooley, Blues Champs, Dirty Pool, The Fender Benders, Darrin Kobetich, Larry Lampkin, Playtown, Holland K. Smith, and The Steve Hill Trio.
Country Artist/Band
The contenders for Best Country Artist/Band are Cory Cross & The Burden, Broke String Burnett, Summer Dean, Jessi England, Ghost Roper, Ginny Mac, Ryan Turner, Squeezebox Bandits, Matt Tedder, and Two Guys Walk Into a Bar.
Drummer
The contenders for Best Drummer are Breaun Bell (A Dangerous Affair), Matt Calderon (Squeezebox Bandits), Eddie Dunlap (The Rage Out Arkestra), Dave Freeman (Poo Live Crew), Javier Garza (Royal Sons), Austin Green (Son of Stan), Matt Mabe (Arenda Light), Josh Pitts (Darstar), Jordan Richardson (Quaker City Night Hawks), Eddie Rubalcaba (Toxic Madness), Draya Ruse (Cut Throat Finches), Mike Surdel (Mean Motor Scooter), Anthony Walker (Life of Scars), and Andy Weaver (Chasing Rent).
Folk Artist/Group
The contenders for Best Folk Artist/Group are Bosque Brown, Clint Niosi, Jacob Furr, Jaybirds, Katsuk, Late to the Station, The Matthew Show, Simon Flory, Summer Lane, and Tipps & Obermiller.
Guitarist
The contenders for Best Guitarist are Sam Anderson (Quaker City Night Hawks), Chad Beck (Royal Sons), Rowdy Carter (Arenda Light), Noah Dial (Toxic Madness), Morris Holdahl (Cameron Smith, Simon Flory), Sammy Kidd (Mean Motor Scooter), Darrin Kobetich (Rage Out Arkestra), David Ohearn (The Spectacle), Rick Perry (Iron Jaw), Scott Shelby (Rotting Corpse), Braedon Ward (Jaybirds), and Cory Watson (Black Tie Dynasty).
Hip-Hop/R&B Artist
The contenders for Best Hip-Hop/R&B Artist are 4 Ya Soul, BrewedUp J/O/E, Ben C Jones, Complete the Emcee, Con the Baptist, DJ Pibb, DJ TeK, Enchanting, ItsErnie, Legacy 4, MykFresh, Retrophonics, SageModeWrex, Walkemdown Kayo, and Willie Trimmer.
Keyboardist
The contenders for Best Keyboardist are Stephanie Benjamin (Big Heaven), John Davis (Poo Live Crew), Steve Hammond (Matt Tedder Band), Matt Hansen (Clint Niosi), Brian McCorquodale (Black Tie Dynasty), Justin Pate (Dirty Pool), Calan Rawl (Broke String Burnett), Katie Robertson, and Eric Webb (The Nancys).
Latin Music Artist
The contenders for Best Latin Music Artist are Veronica y Avance, Carolina Imperial, Latin Express, Mariachi Espuelas de Plata (North Side High School), Mariachi Real de Alvarez, QUIMIKOZ, Monica Saldivar, Tejano Outlaw Band, Tejas Brothers, and Trinity Rio.
Metal Band
The contenders for Best Metal Band are Astyanax, Creeping Death, Fugitive, Iron Jaw, Life of Scars, One-Eyed Monsters, Ox Combine, OZONE, Prophecy TX, Rotting Corpse, The Spectacle, and Wolvera.
Pop Artist
The contenders for Best Pop Artist/Group are Big Heaven, Dave Cave, Cherry Mantis, Darstar, House of Figs, Jaybirds, Hayden Miller, Simone Nicole, Phantomelo, The Plum Boys, and Yokyo.
Producer
The contenders for Best Producer are Blake Barker; Josh Block, Austin Jenkins, and Joel Raif (Niles City Sound); Clint Niosi (Orange Audio); Rodney Parker; Mark Randall and Nick Tittle (Blackstone FW); Jordan Richardson; Joe Tacke; and Taylor Tatsch.
Punk Band
The contenders for Best Punk Band are A Dangerous Affair, Antirad, Ex-Regrets, Hotcake Hand Grenade, Itchy Richie & The Burnin’ Sensations, Kaiju Queers, LABELS, Lost in the Wash, Mean Motor Scooter, and Toxic Madness.
Regional Act
The contenders for Best Regional Act — meaning they are located in North Texas but beyond our circulation area — are Ricky Derek, Flickerstick, Helium Queens, Grant Morrison Band, The Hope Trust, Carlos Ramos, Shiny Around the Edges, Sunny Disposition, and The Wee-Beasties.
Rock Band
The contenders for Best Rock Band are Arenda Light, Black Tie Dynasty, Caftan, Court Hoang & The Love Children, The Grae, The Kubes, The Me-Thinks, Novakain, Oh Sleeper, Quaker City Night Hawks, Royal Sons, Spring Palace, and Trauma Ray.
Singer-Songwriters
The contenders for Best Singer-Songwriter are Theo Carracino, Christian Carlos Carvajal, Vincent Neil Emerson, Rachel Gollay, Keegan McInroe, Gabby Minton, Clint Niosi, Garrett Owen, Hannah Owens, Colton Sanders, Cameron Smith, and Jazz Zemire.
Sound Engineer
The contenders for Best Sound Engineer are Clay Anderson, Blake Barker, Andre Edmondson, Brian Garcia, Joshua Jones, Mark Randall, and Peter Weirenga.
Tribute/Cover Band
The contenders for Best Tribute/Cover Band are Barbara & The Dirty Shirleys, Bikini Whales, Chasing Rent, Chixie Dix, The Dick Beldings, Girl Can’t Help It, Guttersluts, Hazard County, Oatmeal Pizza, and Poo Live Crew.
Video
The selections for Best Video are “Back to Form†(O-D-Ex), “John’s Songs†(Keegan McInroe), “Hated by Most†(Hermez the God), “Let It Ride†(Denver Williams & The Gas Money), “The Stupid Way You Breathe†(The Flying Beets), “People Make a Place†(Henry the Archer), and “Trainwreck†(Broke String Burnett).
Female Vocalist
The contenders for Best Female Vocalist are Bethany Franco (House of Figs), Bethany Doolin (Generational Wealth), Mandy Hand (Big Heaven), Lisa Hardaway (Darstar), Claire Hinkle (Tiny Giants), Summer Lane, Ginny Mac, Gabby Minton, Simone Nicole, Katie Robertson, and Jenna Walsh (Jaybirds).
Male Vocalist
The contenders for Best Male Vocalist are Sam Anderson (Quaker City Night Hawks), Uriel Avila (Trauma Ray), Court Hoang (The Love Children), Taylor Jordan (A Dangerous Affair), Dylan Kain (Novakain), Diogenes “DJ†Negron-Forsythe (Toxic Madness), Todd Pack (Iron Jaw), Blake Parish (Royal Sons), Levi Ray, Sean Russell (Cut Throat Finches), Nick Tittle (Arenda Light), and Cory Watson (Black Tie Dynasty).
Art by Ryan Burger
