Monday, March 13, 2000
Cammys carry on
Sold-out crowd packs Electra for 4th annual ceremony
BY JIM KNIPPENBERG
and CHRIS VARIAS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Backstage at the Cammys, amid the usual flurry of air kisses, pre-show jitters and lost guitar picks, P. Ann Everson Price was hugging a Cammy and squealing, “It's a joooooooy. It's such jooooooy.”
The Comet Bluegrass All-Stars, who won the Cammy for Best Folk/Bluegrass Band, entertain Sunday at Electra.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
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P. Ann Everson-Price, who won the Cammy for Best Urban/Hip-Hop Vocalist, accepts her award.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
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She had just won Best Vocalist in the Urban/Hip-Hop category and was “so excited because after many, many years in this business, it's such a pleasure to find out that people appreciate you. After going around the world and to Japan twice, there's nothing like coming home and being honored by people you respect.”
Sunday's fourth annual Cincinnati Area Pop Music Awards (Cammys), benefiting the Michael W. Bany Scholarship Fund, packed a sold-out crowd of 900 into Electra, Over-the-Rhine, for an afternoon of comedy, music and awards in 29 categories.
Finalists in each category were selected from 3,608 nominations sent in by Enquirer readers. A panel of judges selected winners.
Categories covering everything from folk to bluegrass, hard rock, jazz, hip-hop and Lifetime Achievement Awards to blues pianist Big Joe Duskin and country rockers Pure Prairie League.
Kieth Little performs Sunday at Electra, backed up by and all-star "Shades of Blue" band.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
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“It's great. One of the greatest achievements that could have happened to me,” Mr. Duskin, 79, said. “I've been doing this for quite some time and it's a great recognition before I go to the great beyond.”
Between awards, local bands hit the stage for a wail, including a rare local appearance by the original members of Pure Prairie League, pioneers of country rock.
PPL bassist Mike Reilly couldn't have been happier. “This is great for us. The fact that we're here, we're all here ... Craig Fuller came up from Nashville, Michael Connor came from Florida, I came from L.A.
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CAMMY WINNERS
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Best Large Jazz Group: Blue Wisp Big Band
Best Small Jazz Group: Phil DeGreg Trio
Best Jazz Instrumentalist: Steve Schmidt
Best Jazz Vocalist: Liz Antony
Best Blues Band: Sonny Moorman Group
Best Blues Instrumentalist: Greg Schaber
Best Blues Vocalist: Sonny Moorman
Best Alternative Rock Band: Oval Opus
Best Roots-Rock/World Beat Band: Big in Iowa
Best Hard Rock Band: Circus of the Sun
Best Cover/Party Band: Elaine & the Biscaynes
Best Rock Instrumentalist: Rick House
Best Rock Vocalist: Bob Burns
Best Country Band: Dallas Moore Band
Best Country Instrumentalist: Chuck Morpurgo
Best Country Vocalist: Dallas Moore
Best Folk/Bluegrass Band: Comet Bluegrass All-Stars
Best Folk/Bluegrass Instrumentalist: Taylor Farley
Best Folk/Bluegrass Vocalist: Katie Reider
Best Urban/Hip-Hop Band: Freekbass
Best Urban/Hip-Hop Instrumentalist: Chris Sherman
Best Urban/Hip-Hop Vocalist: P. Ann Everson-Price
Best Solo Act: Katie Reider
Best New Artist/Group: Grace in Gravity
Best Songwriter: Dallas Moore
Best CD: Dallas Moore Band Live at the Saddle
Best Musical Event: Pepsi Jammin' on Main
Favorite Nightspot: Borders Books & Music
Favorite Band: Oval Opus
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“When I think about the Cincinnati days, I think this all started 35 years ago — 35 years of good times. It feels good because we're Cincinnati natives and we've always played music that comes from this area. The blues of Lonnie Mack, the jazz of Rosemary Clooney and the bluegrass and country of the area.
“It feels great to be embraced by Cincinnati, because we've always embraced Cincinnati.”
Other bands that performed included Comet Bluegrass All-stars, who won for Best Folk/Bluegrass Band, the hard-rocking Fairmount Girls and Steve Schmidt, who won for Best Jazz Instrumentalist and accepted another for the Blue Wisp Big Band, (for Best Large Jazz Group).
“Everything but opera,” emcee Blair Shannon quipped before belting out a few lines from Figaro. “I'll tell you why I love the Cammys,” he said, “It's because they're recognizing people who get out there and do it every night. We always see the national awards, but people at our level, it's such a thrill for us.”
Lord knows it was a thrill for Dallas Moore of the Dallas Moore Band: “By God, this is cool as hell” he shouted from the stage.
He had reason to celebrate. He was the day's big winner with four Cammys — Best CD, Best Songwriter, Best Country Vocalist and Best Country Band; his guitarist, Chuck Morpurgo, also won for Best Country Instrumentalist.
His only regret for the day was that “the rest of my band couldn't be here because of a bizarre folding couch accident.
“No, seriously, we took off special for this. We played 286 dates last year and we're going to match it again this year. We took off, because this is such a big gig.”
Like last year, Katie Reider was a multiple winner — Best Folk/Bluegrass Vocalist and Best Solo Act. Unlike last year, she couldn't be there. But her dad, singer Rob Reider, was in a front-row seat and kept her up to date via cell phone.
“She's at Ohio State, studying for exams. And anyway, last year she won the awards and then couldn't think of anything to say. So, she sent me with a script. But I have to tell you, I am one proud papa.”
Winner Steve Schmidt was pretty proud, too, if a little sheepish: He had just won for Best Jazz Instrumentalist and admitted, “I'm starting to feel a little guilty for winning. I guess because I'm Catholic.”
In Cammys' four years, Mr. Schmidt has won five personally and four more for groups he plays in.
Jane McBrain (left) and Chris Fairmount of the Fairmount Girls perform at the Cammy Awards Sunday.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
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A member of Freekbass who uses the stage name Ward reacts as the band accepts its Cammy for Best Urban Hip-Hop Band.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
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Big Joe Diskin, who won a Lifetime Achievement Award, takes the stage, with Ricky Nye on piano.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
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Best Urban/Hip-Hop Instrumentalist Chris Sherman, in a velvetyblack-and-red pantsuit, and his band Freekbass sandwiched the Cammys in between a Saturday night date in Chicago and dates later this week in Austin. “It's a stretch, running around like this, but we had to be here. It feels so great to be supported at home. We're gone so much, it just feels good to get this kind of a homecoming.”
Freekbass, also won for Best Urban/Hip-Hop Band, a win that brought a plea from Swift, the group's drummer: “Please support local music. Even it we don't all win local awards, we're all doing our thing.”
Heaven knows Leap Skyward was doing its thing. The hard-rockin' four-piece band had three nominations (Jim Miller, Best Vocalist, Bill O'Neil, Best Instrumentalist, and Best Hard Rock Band).
They didn't win, but had the distinction of being the only band introduced by a guy wearing nothing but a cowboy hat and his underpants. “The band didn't even know,” Mr. Miller said, “but just for the heck of it I got the Naked Cowboy to introduce us. Nobody knows he's going to do it except me. Thought it would be good for a laugh.”
It was. Big time.
Even though they didn't win, band members were hopeful right to the end. As Skyward guitarist Mr. O'Neil said early in the program, “I want to win in all three categories so we can get in the headline. We did win the last two years, you know.”
Backstage, the bands were treating the day like a party, sipping beer, eating ham sandwiches and demolishing several dozen bags of potato chips.
Make that more like a high school reunion, because even though they all know each other, they don't get together much: “We all work at the same thing at the same time so we don't see much of each other” is how Mr. Moore put it. “Makes for some big fun.”
Out in the audience, fan Kris Kamp of Mariemont was having big fun, too. “I think it's great. All different types of people from the community who enjoy all different types of music.
“I came because of knowing the money raised goes to the Michael Bany fund. I used to go listen to him at different bars.”
The late Mr. Bany, murdered outside an Over-the-Rhine bar in 1995, is one of the reasons original PPL-er George Powell came too: “I think it's really incredible. I was fortunate to know Mike. I think it's nice that the award is associated with his foundation. It's a real honor to be here.”
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