Sean Rowe, Buggy Jive, Girl Blue, Jocelyn & Chris win big at 4th annual Eddies Music Awards

Sean Rowe, Buggy Jive, Girl Blue, and Jocelyn & Chris were the big winners at the 4th annual Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards Sunday night at Proctors. Each received two awards; 42 plaques in all were awarded.

Rowe won an Eddies Music Award for Record of the Year for “Squid Tattoo” and Album of the Year for “The Darkness Dressed in Colored Lights.” Girl Blue won Solo or Duo Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. Buggy Jive won RnB/Soul/Funk Artist of the Year and tied for Music Video of the Year for his “Tiptoes” with Jocelyn & Chris’ “Sugar and Spice.” Jocelyn & Chris also received a Merit Award for their marathon Couch Concert Series during the pandemic, which consisted of over 400 virtual shows presented free to their fans.

Eddies founder/producer Jim Murphy acknowledged during the show that it had been a long two years professionally and personally for everyone in the music community gathered. “It feels much better now. Our goal tonight – and over time – is to shine a light on as many of you as possible… and to have fun in the process. Let’s celebrate one another.”

The awards show returned to the MainStage at Proctors after trimmed-down affairs during the pandemic, including one virtual awards show and one live event at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga.

Special merit awards were given to John Griffith, DJ Hollyw8d and Jocelyn & Chris. Griffith’s Facebook page, Bar People, has supported local musicians and venues with daily regional live music calendars since 2016. Mario Johnson – aka DJ Hollyw8d – launched a series of live music shows to help communities suffering from street violence to heal. Jocelyn and Chris were recognized for their Couch Concert Series, live streaming music and more free to their fans over 400 times during the pandemic.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Solo or Duo Artist of the Year
Girl Blue

Solo or Duo Performer of the Year (Covers) – tie
Steve Candlen
Rich Ortiz

Party Cover Band of the Year
Off The Record

DJ of the Year
Intell Hayesfield

Country/Bluegrass Artist of the Year
Jim Gaudet and The Railroad Boys

Country Cover Band of the Year
Skeeter Creek

Americana Artist of the Year
Sara Milonovich & Daisycutter

Rock/Pop Artist of the Year
Super 400

Alt/Indie Artist of the Year
The Sea The Sea

Folk/Traditional Artist of the Year
Carolyn Shapiro

Hip Hop/Rap Artist of the Year
JB!! aka Dirty Moses

Jazz Artist of the Year
Hot Club of Saratoga

Punk/Hardcore Artist of the Year
Candy Ambulance

Metal/Hard Rock Artist of the Year
Bad Mothers

Jam Band of the Year
Let’s Be Leonard

Blues Artist of the Year
Mark Tolstrup & Jill Burnham

RnB/Soul/Funk Artist of the Year
Buggy Jive

Electronica Artist of the Year
Madeline Darby

Classical Artist/Ensemble of the Year
Albany Symphony Orchestra

World Music Artist of the Year
Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra

Best Venue Small (up to 299 people)
Caffé Lena

Best Venue Medium (300-999 people)
The Egg

Best Venue Large (1,000 people and up)
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Presenter of the Year
Super Dark Collective

Radio Station of the Year
WEXT

Radio DJ of the Year (terrestrial or streaming)
Andy Gregory

Record Label of the Year
Upstate Records 

Live Production Crew of the Year
High Peaks Sound Inc.

Music Recording Studio of the Year
NRS Recording

Arts Publication of the Year (print, TV or new media)
Nippertown

Music Journalist of the Year – tie
Indiana Nash (Daily Gazette)
Liam Sweeny (Xperience Monthly)

Music Photographer of the Year
Jim Gilbert

Songwriter of the Year
Girl Blue

Music Video of the Year – tie
Buggy Jive – “Tiptoes”
Jocelyn & Chris – “Sugar and Spice”

Record of the Year
Sean Rowe – “Squid Tattoo”

Album of the Year
Sean Rowe – “The Darkness Dressed in Colored Lights”

MERIT AWARDS
John Griffith
Bar People

DJ Hollyw8d
More Music, Less Violence

Jocelyn & Chris
Couch Concert Series