WammiesTM to Lisner
12th Annual Awards Show Scheduled

Nominations and voting come from the WAMA membership. The Wammies nomination ballot is included in this edition of WAMA News. The WAMA membership encompasses music industry professionals including: musicians, songwriters, agents, managers, recording studios, lawyers, promoters, club owners, record companies, and etc.

The Wammies were created to recognize career achievements of our region's musical talent. Awards are presented in a broad range of categories including: Blues, Pop/Rock, Classical, Folk, Jazz, Children's, Urban, Latino, World, and etc.

Tickets are $15 for WAMA members and $20 for the general public and will go on sale January 6 at all ProTix by calling 703-218-6500, all Waxie Maxie stores in the Washington and Baltimore areas, at all Record & Tape Traders stores in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Nominees are entitled to up to six tickets at $1 each and up to 10 additional tickets at $10 each. Gold Corporate Sponsors are $550 include 10 reserved seats, a full page ad in the Wammies Program, invitations to a special reception, and recognition in the program. Silver Corporate Sponsors are $300 and include 4 reserved seats, a half page ad in the Wammies Program, invitations to a special reception and recognition in the program.

Click here for a list of the 1997 Nominees

Wammies Correction

During the Wammies notification process, singer/songwriter, Suzanne Michele was mistakenly told that she had been nominated for a Wammie. To add insult to injury, an unofficial list of nominees (including the error) was then circulated by e-mail. Although Suzanne Michele did receive votes in this cateogry, she did not have enough votes to be on the final ballot. WAMA sincerely regrets any inconvenience or embarassment this may have caused.

Workshops

Everything You Always Wanted to Know...

Four symposiums on music industry topics are scheduled for the Winter/Spring, 1998. The events will be co-sponsored and funded by WAMA and BMI. The first seminar "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Music Publishing will take place at George Washington University School of Law in late January.

The first program will feature presentations by a representative from a major publishing company, a representative from BMI, a prominent music attorney specializing in publishing administration, an independent publisher, and a prominent songwriter. A major emphasis will be placed on music publishing issues and cyberspace.

The second event, tentatively scheduled for late February, is entitled "The Rap Hearings, Part II- What the Government Did Not Let You Hear." It will focus on the very controversial issue of censorship of rap music, and will be presented in coordination with Black History Month. The site most likely will be the George Washington University School of Law.

The third event, tentatively scheduled for mid-March, will focus on recent legislative activity on Capital Hill, and will most likely be sponsored in conjunction with the Recording Industry Association. The fourth event, tentatively scheduled for April, will be entitled "Music Business 101." This will be an all day event at the Georgetown School of Law focusing on the basic legal and business issues facing new artists and songwriters. This event will be cosponsored with the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts.

The finalized dates, time and speaker list will be sent to the membership in the near future. A fee will be charged for each event, but a discount will be available for WAMA members and those wishing to attend all the events.

• The Legendary Orioles, Ruthie & the Wranglers, Red Letter Day, and Lox and Vodka performed at the "First Look" pre-opening of the new MCI Centre. WAMA was given special thanks for assistance in selecting the talent.
• Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda of Groovelily are finalists in the 1997 Fast Folk Cafe Song Contest.
• Ney Mello performed at the fourth annual Brasa International Conference at the Washington Marriott Hotel. The conference featured an instrumental panoramic view of Brazil's classic popular composers.
• Scott Brotemarkle, bassist and vocalist of Fairfax-Based Smartbomb, performed the National Anthem at RFK Stadium for DC United's first game of the major league soccer playoffs.
• The Excentrics and fellow locals The Huge performed at the Philadelphia Music Conference kick-off party. Soul Purpose welcomes new members Chris Werger (drums & vocals) and Ed Leopold (rhythm guitar).
• Venus Rising says farewell to Nancy Dougherty as she pursues a solo musical career. The remaining members, Margaret Wolfe and Susan Waldrip, are currently looking for a third member to complete the group (see classifieds).
• SuperSonic BOOM, an Arlington, VA based company, was recently featured in Billboard's Beats + Bytes section.
• M.U.S.I.C. (Musicians United for Strong Internet Copyright) is a grassroots coalition in support of protecting music on the internet and the ratification of the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) treaties. M.U.S.I.C. also includes high profile artists. For more information, call Joel Flatow at 1-800-223-2328.
• Marge Calhoun has had one of her songs picked by New Country Magazine for inclusion in the December 1997 issue of their CD.
• Gengis Angus changed management to Kim Jensen of Straightaway Artist Management and David Galinsky.
• Carey Colvin's e-mail address was inadvertently misspelled in the last Newsletter. It should have read Sngrtr@aol.com. Colvin hosts the Luna Park Grille Songwriter's Showcase the first Thursday of each month in Arlington, VA.
• The Michael Sheppard Group shot a live video at The Courtyard Concert Cafe in Falls Church, VA in September. The sold-out show was hosted by Buddy Rizer (DC101). A recording of the show will be available next year.
• Singer/songwriter and former Sister band member Lisa Taylor spent two weeks in July touring France as the drummer for the Hots Jazz Orchestra.
• ASCAP and WPAS (Washington Performing Arts Society) recently awarded a scholarship towards enrollment at Interlochen Arts Academy to Gerald Johnson, a 17 year old violinist.
• Eva Cassidy's posthumously released Eva by Heart album outsold the Rolling Stones' new Bridges to Babylon album at Olsson's Books and Records in the week that the Stones were in town. The album was #3, after Elton John and Bob Dylan.
• Verbogen, a new band led by former Urban Verbs guitarist Robert Goldstein and featuring former radio personality Xyra as lead singer, performed at the Philadelphia Music Conference in November. Verbogen's first album will be released this winter.
• You may have seen Clarence Greenwood, otherwise known as Citizen Cope, at the '96 Wammies. The group has been signed by Capitol Records.
• Jennifer Cutting was one of 12 Maryland composers awarded a 1997 Individual Artist Award in Composition from the Maryland Arts Council.
• Chris Alastair will receive a young songwriter award from the National Academy of Popular Music (NAPM) when he performs in the NAPM Songwriter Showcase in New York City.
• Hot Soup (Sue Trainor, Sue Ribaudo and Christina Muir) were selected to perform in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in New York.
• Becky Dukes recently received the ASCAP award in the Pop Category for the fourth year in a row. She also received the Billboard Honorable Mention award in 1996.
• Mike Auldridge and Dudley Connell were among the nominees included in artists and recordings affiliated with Sugar Hill Records that received a total of 26 nominations for the Eighth Annual Bluegrass Music Awards, sponsored by the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Mail Room
From the Executive Director of DC NARAS Branch

Dear WAMA members:

It is my pleasure to announce that the Washington, D.C. branch of the National Academy of the Recording Arts & Sciences' has arrived. The creation of this new branch confirms for the rest of the country what we all know here—the Washington/Baltimore area is a major music center, with some of the most talented singers, songwriters, producers, engineers and musicians around.

As the Executive Director of the new branch, I look forward to working with you to support our creative community. Before joining NARAS' I was at Wolf Trap, so I had the pleasure of promoting many WAMA members in the Filene Center and Barns. For those of you whom I don't know, I hope to meet you soon.

There is much common ground shared by WAMA and NARAS which I look forward to cultivating with Mike Schreibman and the WAMA board. As the branch becomes established, NARAS will produce a number of educational, social and musical events, as well the local implementation of our noted music programs for children. The branch will also join forces with other national cultural organizations to fight for legislation that affects the creative community.

While I search for a permanent office in the District, I can be reached by phone (703/715-2503), fax (703/715-2504), or email daryl@grammy.com. I invite you to contact me with your questions and ideas.

Finally, thanks to Mike Schreibman for making this space available to share this information with you, and thanks to the numerous WAMA members in Washington and Baltimore whose hard work with the NARAS national office helped establish this branch.

Sincerely,
Daryl P. Friedman
Executive Director, Washington, D.C. Branch
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc.

Maye Day
Memorial for Michael Maye

Friends and fellow musicians gathered Oct. 10 to remember bassist, singer and songwriter Michael Maye, who died Sept. 30 after having been diagnosed with cancer in January. Michael was 45. Those who were lucky enough to see him perform in recent years with Danny Morris or Johnny and the Headhunters, or as a special guest of Bill Kirchen's at the Sunset Grille, will never forget that voice, those facial expressions, the Howlin' Wolf renditions. As Michael's dear friend Linda Parker put it in her eulogy: "You always sang from the heart, loud and on key."

Billy Hancock, Dave Chappell, Evan Johns, Jim Stephanson and Don Oehser played guitar and sang at the service, which was held at the Cherry Hill Farmhouse in Falls Church, where Michael grew up. Many of his hometown friends were among the 90 or so people there. Evan sang a song he and Michael had collaborated on this past summer while Michael was in the hospital, "Angels Must Be Everywhere."

Michael had begun recording a number of original songs at Shuman Studios in Falls Church, including the haunting "Voodoo Doll." Many of his friends and fans would like to see these recordings released. In addition, an effort is afoot to collect studio and live performances of Michael's work for a compilation project. Anyone with this kind of material should contact Linda Parker.

As a bass player, Michael's work in this area was steady and wide-ranging. He toured Europe with Billy Hancock, was an original member of the H-Bombs and the original bass player for the Dynettes. He worked briefly with Danny Gatton, Catfish Hodge and the Starland Vocal Band, and he also spent some time in Austin, where, among other bands, he was in Ballad Shambles, which had a recording deal with Skyclad Records.

Michael was surrounded by friends and loved ones in his last year during his battle with cancer, which involved three major surgeries between January and June, plus chemotherapy. A benefit was held for him in early March at the Twist & Shout featuring Tom Principato and Big Joe & the Dynaflows and many others. This was a tremendous boost to Michael, Linda says—not just financially—"but just a great showing of support and affection from the music community, that made him feel good."

At Michael's memorial service, Tina Oehser, a longtime friend and one of many who stood and shared their thoughts about him, spoke of an "essential Michael Mayeness, which we all can understand and only hope to emulate: Sometimes ornery, always true."

The Washington, DC area was well represented at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Confererence held in the Poconos in November. Official Showcase artists included Magpie, Lisa Moscatiello, and Tom Prasada-Rao (Sherpas); Informal and other Showcase artists included: Venus Rising, Debi Smith, Steven Gellman, Julie Sanderson, Pete and Maura Kennedy, Lisa Jones and Bill Bromfield, Barbara Martin, Andrew McKnight, Lisa Taylor, Jerry Bresee, Sara Landymore, Bill Parsons, Randy Thompson, and Kengmo.

Panelists included Pete and Maura Kennedy, Barbara Martin, McShane Glover, Tony and Joyce Sica, Steve and Sherry Panzer, and Andrew McKnight. Exhibitors included: Shenandoah Acoustics, SLF Management, Susan Clark Artist Management, Venus Rising, Big Bear Productions, Dizzy Sparrow, Hidden Poet Music, Oasis CD and Cassette Duplication, Sara Landymore, and Vic's Music Corner. Presenters included Maureen Harrigan, Frank Allen Philpot and Marti Campbell, Scott and Paula Moore, Jeff Nuttle, and Peter and Allison Lattu.