By Larry Nager
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The ballots have been tallied. The ballot-stuffing entries have been discarded. For the seventh year, Enquirer readers have spoken.

The nominees for the 2003 Cincinnati Area Pop Music Awards (the Cammys) have been decided by reader votes.

IF YOU GO

What: Seventh annual Cammy Awards ceremony When: 4 p.m. March 9 Where: Jillian's Warehouse, Covington Tickets: $12.50 in advance at Ticketmaster outlets, phone 562-4949; online at www.ticketmaster.com. $15 at the door. Tickets available with no service charges at Jillian's, the Aronoff Center and Music Hall ticket offices.

Now the nominees move on to an extended panel of several dozen judges, ranging from journalists to talent bookers to local radio personalities to concert promoters.

Winners will be announced at the seventh annual Cammy Awards ceremonies, a concert event scheduled for March 9 at Jillian's in Covington.

Performers include July for Kings, Pay the Girl, Oval Opus, the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers and the Kelly Richey Band with the Queens of Rhythm.

You can support your favorite nominees at two showcases for Cammy judges. Beginning at noon today and running into the evening, more than a dozen nominees will perform at the BarrelHouse Brewing Co., 22 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, 421-2337. On Feb. 9, the showcase will be held at Jillian's (859) 491-5388). Showcase admission is $3. Here are the nominees by category:

Jazz Band

Pavilion Music Company

Pete Wagner Orchestra

Triage

Jazz Instrumentalist

Bill Larkin

Lou Larson

Phil Willis

Jazz Vocalist

April Aloisio

Shauna Snyder (Pavilion Music Company)

Mary Ellen Tanner

Blues/R&B Band

Leadfoot Johnny

P. Ann Everson Price & her All Star Band

Sonny Moorman Group

Blues/R&B Instrumentalist

Sonny Moorman

Kelly Richey

David Stewart

Blues/R&B Vocalist

Peter Hall (Worldwide)

P. Ann Everson Price

Kelly Richey

Garage/Rock/Power Pop Band

Buckra

8 Feet

Spindle

Roots Rock Band

Kevin Fox Band

Messerly & Ewing

Stapletons

World Beat Band

Mohenjo Daro

Tropicoso

Worldwide

Hard-Rock Band

Premium

Prizoner

Semi Automatic

Punk Band

Bottom Line

Deceiving Ralph

16-Piece Bucket

Rock Instrumentalist

Paul DeNu (Crosley/Clabbergirl)

Jacob Heintz (Buckra)

Lance Stapleton (Stapletons)

Rock Vocalist

Grant Arnow (Spindle)

Amy McFarland (Gamut)

Dylan Speeg (Buckra)

Country Band

Thomas Michael & Longhorn

Dallas Moore

Wild Blue Yonder

Country Instrumentalist

Scotty Anderson (solo)

Chuck Morpurgo (Dallas Moore Band)

Scott Sprague (Wild Blue Yonder)

Country Vocalist

Todd Henry (Todd Henry Band)

Thomas Michael Krimmer (Longhorn)

Jake Walz

Folk/Bluegrass Band

Jake Speed & the Freddies

No Strings Attached

Venus Mission

Folk/Bluegrass Instrumentalist

Jess Johnston

Steve Kistner

Steve Sigsbee (Chris Collier, others)

Folk/Bluegrass Vocalist

Katie Reider

Andrea Rosenthal (Venus Mission)

Jake Speed

Urban/Hip-hop Band

Abiyah

Animal Crackers

IsWhat?!

Urban/Hip-hop Instrumentalist

DJ DQ (Animal Crackers)

Matt Anderson (IsWhat!?)

Freekbass

Urban/Hip-hop Vocalist

Abiyah

Nepoleon Maddox (IsWhat?!)

Carol Walker (Walker Project)

Songwriter

Kevin Fox (Kevin Fox Band)

Andrew Geonetta

Dave Purcell (Pike 27)

Producer

Ashley Shepherd

Brian Lovely

Chris Schmidt

(Note: Favorite Band and Live Musical Event are determined by reader vote.)