And the 2020 Winners Are.....(& Wrap Up)

WHAT AN AMAZING EVENING! The flu struck down 4 presenters, one team leader, several guides, and one performer.....so the incredible Chester Grundy opened the show with a few words, Kristy Beers stepped in on hours notice to perform an incredible flute piece in Whit's absence, Caroline & Autumn stepped in to organize the backstage madness, Greg Francis and Kat Green even climbed the rafters (literally) and pulled their best Macyver to hang the banners, the Lyric tech crew did their magic in record time, Teresa Moberly, Marcie Timmerman, & Angelee Feltner took up all my slack, our presenters did double duty....and it all came together!

Dr Everett McCorvey - Lifetime Achievement recipient!

Probably the rowdiest crowd yet - haha! - and the Mojo Tones fed that with their raucous brand of the blues as our house band! We also had stunning performances from Kailie Settles, Phoebe White, Liza Binford & Vanessa Davis, Ivy Rye, Kristy Beers (as mentioned above) the LaFayette HS Drum Line, who marched in from the back of the theater and played in the aisles!

Bill Meck and Angie Beavin of WLEX did an incredible job, as always, giving the event equal parts class and humor, with an array of fabulous presenters (Drew Curtis of Fark.Com fame, Max Corona & Jay Alexander from WBVX & WBTF, David Helmers of Railbird Festival, Deadair Dennis & Beerman, Autumn Barber of Lex Community Orchestra, Pamula Hounchell of Fashionable Measures, Twitch & MJ from Z-103, Leigh Roach & Tamara Schneider of KY Tastebuds) that even saw Drew bringing out his daughter to read the names of nominees!

RIP Tony Briggs

 It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of Tony Briggs, one of 4 recipients of the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Lexington Music Awards, and it is the deepest of condolences we extend to his wife Kelli, his daughter Sarah, his musical comrades, and friends.

Tony was a musician, a promoter, an absolute connoisseur of music (especially punk) with encyclopedic knowledge of music history and music culture. Starting in the 1980s, Tony sang in bands from Vale of Tears to No Excuse and also was instrumental in bringing many cutting edge bands to Lexington; was instrumental in building what became a massive underground music scene in the entire region; was instrumental in spreading kindness and knowledge and making music a force for positivity and light. Stories of his impact on individuals as a human being are as legend as his musical endeavors.

This Monday I spoke to Tony. It was the day we announced the Lifetime Achievement recipients for 2020, and I called to tell him he had been selected (recipients are selected by both pro panel and popular vote) after Steve Baron (CD Central) had connected us. He sounded fabulous and never mentioned his illness or hardships. He was, as always, kind and gracious and, whatever he thought of the very concept of music awards, was thoughtful and complimentary, and then turned the conversation from the logistics of the event (arrival time, tickets, acceptance speak parameters, etc) to ask how I was doing and how wonderful the area musicians were and, well, everyone else rather than making the conversation about him.

I didn't know Tony personally at all - we had only crossed paths a couple of times many years ago. But I know those who voted for him for the Lifetime Achievement Award (and there were clearly many) spoke passionately and vehemently about how deserving he was and how much he had done (often at great personal expense) for the music scene. And none more vocal than NP Presley, who is also a tireless student and proponent of music & music culture, and who sang Tony's praises and argued his case in a manner that would make Daniel Webster proud.

So it with heavy heart that we all learn of Tony's shuffling off this mortal coil.

But it is with happy heart that we remember him and the immeasurable legacy he leaves.

2020 Lifetime Achievement Recipients, Performers, & After-Party

The 6th Lexington Music Awards show will be held Sunday, January 26, 2020, at 6pm at the Lyric Theatre in downtown Lexington, KY, and MCed brilliantly by again Bill Meck and Angie Beavin of WLEX-TV.

The show typically lasts about 2 hours, and the 2020 show will feature stellar musical performances, celebrity presenters, presenter guides from the Lexington Fashion Collaborative, and over 30 categories covering music industry, performance, style, and a "specials" section (Critics Choice, Lifetime Achievement, Album and Song of the Year, & more).

Following the event, the after-party will be hosted by Ranada's Bistro & Bar at 400 Old Vine (bring your dancing shoes!). Ranada will have a few surprises lined up, so don't miss it!

Performers include:

Mojo Tones (the 2020 Lexi Awards house band)
Phoebe White
Liza Binford & Vanessa Davis
LaFayette HS Drum Line
Ivy Rye
Whit Whitaker
Kallie Settles (pre-show)

And the 2020 Lifetime Achievement recipients are:

LaFayette HS Marching Band

Tony Briggs (Vale of Tears, & more)

Ed Commons (Red Barn Radio)

Everett McCorvey (UK Opera)

Congratulations to our 2020 Lifetime Award recipients and ALL of our 2020 Lexi Award nominees!

Hope to see y'all there!