This week on Tap'd In, we're discussing the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards, which return to Milwaukee Sunday, Oct. 17, at Turner Hall Ballroom. It's an unusual year for the event, which was postponed last year amid the pandemic. If this year's list of nominees and WAMI Hall of Fame inductees sounds familiar, that's because it's the exact same list as the event announced for last year's canceled event -- which means some of the Album of the Year nominees are a little dated at this point, and a few bands that have since broken up are up for awards. But that's life under the pandemic for you; nothing is quite as seamless as it used to be.
As usual, the event will feature a stacked lineup of live performers, which this year includes Kevn Kinney, Semi-Twang (playing one of their final shows), The Docksiders, The Esquires II, Bad Boy, Kim Zick’s A Salute To Viola Smith, Betsy Ade & The Well-Known Strangers, TAE, Almost Vinyl and Big Spoon.
You can hear Piet and I discuss the event, the nominees and the Hall of Fame inductees on this week's episode below.
Here's the complete list of 2021 WAMI nominees:
Artist of the Year
Zach Pietrini
Unity The Band
Rose of The West
Them Coulee Boys
The Jimmys
Trapper Schoepp
Klassik
Chicken Wire Empire
Album of the Year
Black Belt Theatre – “Power Petting”
Stulo – Thiel – “Ghosts Around Here”
Chicken Wire Empire – “What Moves Mountains”
Goran – “Under A Nashville Sky”
Testa Rosa – “Testa Rosa IV”
Klassik – “Quiet”
Wisconsin Vinyl Collective – “Volume Three”
Kurt Gunn – “Northern Town”
Song of the Year
The Keystones – “2010”
Bascom Hill – “Our Love Burning”
Nickel & Rose – “Another Man’”
Betsy Ade & the Well-Known Strangers – “Light Up My Summer”
Zach Pietrini – “Like the Pain”
Zed Kenzo – “Not Froze Yet”
Krestfall – “Where Do I Belong?”
Rose of The West – “Loves Lies Bleeding”
New Artist of the Year
PH!L
Boy Bjorn
The Last Bees
Ben Harold and The Rising
The Midnight Purchase
Laura Jean Bomber
7000apart
The MilBillies
Male Vocalist of the Year
Rich Hoffman
Ben Mulwana
Stephen Cooper
Bobby Rouse
Mike Wendland
Dave Adler
Andrew Balistreri
Vincent Black
Female Vocalist of the Year
Katie Mack
Tae
Genevieve Heyward
Michele McCarthy
Jackie Brown
Jennifer Schafer
Betsy Ade
Sammy Ray Marshall
Singer/Songwriter of the Year
Phil Norby
Kurt Gunn
Chris Haise
Cullah
Goran
Mark Croft
Barbara Stephan
Kyle Megna
Rising Star of the Year
The Waxlips
Twisted Chords
Parker Collar
Lilie Fouts
Cherry Punch
Amelia Hopfensperger
Mackenzie Moore
Negative/Positive
Alternative Rock/Rock Artist
NO/NO
The Keystones
Dreamhouse
Flat Teeth
Lovanova
Carbellion
Jamie Fontaine & The Level
Marielle Allschwang & The Visitations
Bluegrass/Americana Artist
Dig Deep
The Honeygoats
Trapper Schoepp
Chicken Wire Empire
The Whiskeybelles
Them Coulee Boys
Feed The Dog
The Mascot Theory
Christian/Gospel Artist
The Band Eden
Brendan Brooks
Danen Kane
Samuel Elias
Branches Band
Steadfast
Night Divine
WithoutExcuse
Blues Artist
Dirty Deuce
Altered Five Blues Band
Reverend Raven and The Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys
The Jay Stulo Band
Blind Fiction
Jake’O
Cash Box Kings
Jimmy Crimmins
Country Artist
Tangled Lines
Grand Union
Bella Cain
Madison County
Buffalo Gospel
Gregg Hall & The Wrecking Ball
Jay Matthes
Rebel Grace
Cover Artist
Face For Radio
Johnny Wad
Almighty Vinyl
The LoveMonkeys
Five Card Studs
The Presidents
The Cougars
Radio Radio
Folk/Celtic Artist
The Roving Scallywags
Derek Byrne & Paddygrass
Blackthorn Folly
Nickel & Rose
Killarney Blarney
Reilly
Jesse Voelker
WarPiper
Hard Rock Artist
The Homeland Conspiracy
Black Belt Theatre
Sir Real
Leading The Blind
Amberstein
Slowburn
Last Crack
Sacred
Metal Artist
Imperial Fall
Conniption
These Fading Visions
Under Aegis
QuietKind
Morta Skuld
Thrasher
Lords of The Trident
Punk Artist
Platinum Boys
Size 5’s
Indonesian Junk
The First Rule
Fox Face
Bad Year
BUD
IfIHadAHiFi
Jazz Artist
Mark Thierfelder & Janet O’Mahony
Mr. Chair
Match Stick
Erin Krebs
The Meade Street Collective
Harmon Brothers
Jamie Breiwick
Randi Fay
Polka Artist
SugarBush Boys
The November Criminals
Ralph Thull The Goodtime Dutchmen
The Squeezettes
Val Sigal
Alpine Blast
Steve Meisner
Stas Venglevski
Pop Rock Artist
Rose of The West
Testa Rosa
Telethon
Fuzzy Surf
Laurel Sulfate & Her Ladies of Leisure
Rocket Cat
Xposed 4Heads
Doozey
Hip Hop/Rap Artist
Genesis Renji
Kaylee Crossfire
WebsterX
Zed Kenzo
Klassik
Von Alexander
Shle Berry
JuiceBoxxx
R&B/Soul Artist
The Style
Bryon Cherry
Lex Allen
Barbara Stephan Band
Charles Walker Band
Ms. Lotus Fankh
Cigarette Break
The Pocket Kings
World/Reggae/Ska/Latin
Brewtown Beat
Unity The Band
Pegasis
King Solomon
Something To Do
Kojo
The Carlos Adames Group
In Black ‘n White
Club/DJ/Dance/Electronic Artist
Immortal Girlfriend
LUXI
MC Whitehorse
DJ Shawna
Crystal Knives
DJ Bizzon
DJ King James
DJ Milo
Horn/Big Band Artist
Stephen Cooper and The Nobody Famous
Extra Crispy Brass Band
Hot & Dirty Brass Band
Cold Sweat & The Brew City Horns
FBI & The Untouchable Horns
Big Band Reunion
Mama Digdown’s Brass Band
The Jimmys
Tribute Artist
The Prince Experience
The Salford Lads Club
The Docksiders
Aces High – A Tribute to Iron Maiden
The Glam Band
Steely Dane
METAL MEN
The Rush Tribute Project
Bass
Nick Smith
Dave Maurer
John Wartenweiler
Cedric LeMoyne
Matt Hammen
Craig Neuser
Ben Titus
Andy Mertens
Drummer
Candy Dax
Dan Cable
Devin Drobka
Patrick Wydeven
Kim Zick
Steve Vorass
Mike Malone
Mike O’Hara
Guitarist
Angie Swan
Sean Williamson
Pat Stillman
Raine Stern
Tom Raspanti
Dean Arndt
Matthew Schroeder
Rodney Zimmerman
Keyboard
Dan Palmisano
Samuel P. McClain Jr.
Joe Hite
Kristopher Crow
Shawndell Marks
Jamie Fletcher
Josh Becker
Mitch Cooper
Reeds/Brass
Matt Ostlund
Pete Ross
Katie Del Giacco
Michelle Jerabek
Matt Antoniewicz
Kevin Van Ess
Nick Zoulek
Peter Neumer
Strings
Cameron Fair
Tim Mcilree
Holly Rognstad
Marisa Rose Sheppard
Ernest Brusubardis IV
Chauntee Ross
Tony Sturino
Corinn Bonkalski
Best Studio Engineer/Producer
Shane Hochstetler
Kevin Arndt
Eric LaBrosse
Ian Olvera
Marc Golde
Gary Tanin
Aaron Zinsmeister
Tom Washatka
Best Recording Studio
Howl Street Recordings
Steel Moon Recording Studio
Kneeverland Productions
The Exchange Recording Complex
Cherry Pit Studios
National Recording
Subsidized Housing Records
Tanner-Monagle, Inc.
Best Live Club/Venue
Short Branch Saloon
The Saloon on Calhoun
Lyric Room
Cactus Club
High Noon Saloon
Deja Vu Martini Lounge
Paulie’s Pub & Eatery
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co.
Best Live Engineer Sound/Lights
Craig Vetrone
David Dec
Steve Wiegert
Trevor Powers
Justin Abuya
Steve Funke
Tim McClutchy
Michael Grassman