[FM] The Value of Awards

[Larry Hoyt]

Seegar W. Swanson wrote:
> No big deal. We haven't booked anyone 'cuz they won one, or not booked
> anyone 'cuz they haven't. Afterall, it's the music that matters. But if
> I'm unfamiliar with an artist, and they've won Kerrville, that gets my
> attention. If they've won a WAMMIE or two, that doesn't get my attention.
> Not that you can compare the two, but you get the idea.

I agree with the first part of what Seegar has to say here - it is the
music that matters.  But I disagree with Seegar's discounting the value
of the WAMMIES. 
I believe artists' awards, including the WAMMIES, have merit and help
most artists establish initial credibility when dealing with folks not
familiar with those artists.

I'm curious - how many awards are given out at the Boston Area Music
Awards, or the (San Francisco) Bay Area Music Awards?  And no one can
probably count all the different music awards given out in Nashville
(Music City) these days to so many different artists.  
In my opinion, an award given to a musician by one's peers is a badge of
honor, maybe a token of esteem.  It's a way of saying "You've arrived,
you've proved yourself".
When I looked at the list of folks who won WAMMIES this year, I thought
about the artists on that list whose music I already know, and I
thought: yupe, they're all a talented bunch of folks who deserve all the
recognition they receive.
If there are lots of very talented hard working musicians in the D.C.
area, then hey, let there be lots of WAMMIES.    

That's my two cents - Larry Hoyt