WAMI Celebrates 40 Years of Wisconsin Music at Awards Ceremony

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Sunday night at Turner Hall Ballroom, the 40th Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards show recognized winners as well as Hall of Fame inductees. Taking a break in the year when everything changed, the ceremony resumed, recognizing winners and featuring live performances.

Among the winners were Album of the year: Power Petting by Black Belt Theatre shepherdexpress.com/music/artists-beating-covid-19/black-belt-theatre-releases-ep-and-video-to-start-2021/ 

R&B/soul artist: Bryan Cherry shepherdexpress.com/music/artists-beating-covid-19/bryan-cherry-balances-parenting-and-creativity-during-lockdo/ ;

 Guitarist: Sean Williamson shepherdexpress.com/music/artists-beating-covid-19/sean-williamson-s-hybrid-sounds-and-alter-ego/

Best recording studio: Kneeverland Productions  shepherdexpress.com/music/music-feature/milwaukees-music-producers/

Sunday’s show also recognized 2021 Hall of Fame Inductees drummer Viola Smith, R&B group The Esquires youtube.com/watch?v=wnQ8yQJROCI and  Milwaukee expatriate Kevn Kinney co-founder of  X-Press, the publication that merged with the Crazy Shepherd to become Shepherd Express. He gained international notoriety after moving to Georgia and forming Drivin N Cryin. Kinney plays at Shank Hall on Tuesday.

Also recognized was Semi-Twang, the band who performed its final show on Saturday. The City of Milwaukee declared Sunday John Sieger & Semi-Twang Day shepherdexpress.com/music/music-feature/john-sieger-does-not-believe-in-writer-s-block/

A full list of the 2021 WAMI Award winners is here wamimusicwi.com/post/winners-from-the-40th-wami-awards-show