Go HERE!!
YOU choose who will be on the ballot....so put your favorite bands, solo artists, recording studios, music stores, live venues, music and much more!
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Thursday, November 6, 2025
The Future of the Lexi Awards
"Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else."
In a nutshell, I hope to get a long-term dedicated sponsor for an annual cash donation to a different school each year (and perhaps another for an under 18 music student each year).
-- Fred Rogers
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| New executive director Angelee with David & Bill. |
Wow....its been a great 11 years so far, and open ballot for the 12th Lexi Music Awards is just days away as I write this.
When I started this project, I never dreamed we'd start at the beautiful Lyric Theatre, and until we were there, I never dreamed we'd be at the gorgeous Singletary Center on UK's campus.
But I did dream other things.....
Elsewhere on this blog, I wrote about WHY WE DO IT as well as HOW WE DO IT, but right I'd like to talk about WHO is doing it.
For 11 years I've been the executive director and producer of the Lexi Music Awards, a job I couldn't have done without dozens of other talented people, from Angelee Feltner, who has variously handled stage management, merchandise, front end, & more, to Ange Canessa securing the presenters and their organization, to fashion icon Edd MacKey & his models making us look like the Real Thing, to Bill Meck sailing the ship with class and style every single year, to every member of the crews (sound, lights, house, etc.) and every sponsor we've ever had the pleasure to partner with, and many, many more.....NO ONE pulls off this sort of thing alone, and I am eternally grateful for every single one of you.
WHO:
That said, it is time to hand the torch over to someone who has the skills and drive and intelligence to take this ride to the next level. Don't get me wrong - I'm proud of what I managed to accomplish. But it is obvious I've taken things as far as my abilities can take it, and Angelee is the obvious choice to take the wheel.
Forthwith, let it be known that David M. McLean is stepping down as executive director of producer of the Lexington Music Awards, and that, effective immediately, Angelee Feltner is the new executive director and producer of the Lexington Music Awards.
WHY:
I will remain as co-producer for a time (primarily focusing on the performers and such) but plan to transition to Lexi Music Awards' Ambassador-at-Large, so to speak, as I work on ancillary and adjacent projects - most to be discussed in the future, but the one closest to my heart and stated in the "Why We Do It (item 7)". To wit: I hope to properly develop the educational scholarship for musical excellence discussed on this blog and elsewhere.
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| The new logo! |
HOW:
We've had positives & negatives with the way we've managed things so far (especially the voting process) and have tried to tweak to process for fairness and access. Angelee has had MANY great ideas on how to improve the process and those changes are well under way.
She'll be speaking about those as we go.
Give her your feedback - good or ill - but be sure to give her your full support. This is largely a game of experimentation in real time and in the public eye. Victories will be achieved AND mistakes will be made. Angelee is both smarter and more capable in this arena than me - she'll build on what goes right and she'll fix what goes wrong. So lend a hand or at least a kind word!
And with that, I'll wrap this up.
More on everything (including my other dream projects) later. Right now, a celebration is in order! Grab a glass, pour a beverage, and a hearty CHEERS to Angelee!
Take the wheel, Angelee!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
11th Awards Wrap-Up
Amazing evening!! Our first time at Singletary Center for the Arts on the beautiful UK campus!
Outstanding crew to work with, from administration to sound to lights to security to the ticket office and more!
Our awards team was on point: my partner in crime Angelee Feltner, Max Corona (stage management - presenters), Edd MacKey (stage management - presenter guides), Jay Hamon (video), Luke Francis (graphics & photography), and everyone's favorite emcee Bill Meck.
We had a couple of hiccups with our performances, but got it fixed on the fly, because that's what musicians do! All hail Dr. Raleigh Dailey, Tiffaney Nesbeth & Jaidon Smith, Cody Lee Meece, the UK Percussion Ensemble (director Matthew Gieger), Tony Wavy, and our incredible house band, Mojo Tones!
Extra salute to Raleigh Dailey who, with no rehearsal and all of 40 seconds to figure out his approach, stepped in to perform the national anthem (with some of the most beautiful reharmonizations you'll ever hope to hear)!
None of this would be possible without YOU for your involvement and support, and without our amazing sponsors: The Botany Bay, Highbridge Springs Water, Ale-8, UPS store, Goodwood Lexington, WLEX TV-18, and Never Say Die bourbon!
11th Lexi Music Awards
March 9, 2025
INDUSTRY AWARDS
Venue of the Year
Bluegrass Barrel House
Music Store of the Year
Drum Center of Lexington
Music Company of the Year
Off the Cuff with Adam Banks
Recording Studio/Engineer of the Year
Jason Groves/Sneak Attack
Live Sound Technician of the Year
Mike Hulliger
Radio DJ of the Year
Deadair Dennis Dillon
Instrument Repair of the Year
Frazzell Guitars
Jay Flippin Music Educator Award
Vanessa Davis
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PERFORMANCE AWARDS
Female Vocal of the Year
Savannah Dean Reeves
Male Vocal of the Year
Jeremy Zeller
Bassist of the Year
Dave Medley
Brass/Wind Player of the Year
Jacob O'Donnell
Drummer of the Year
Jeff Frohlich
Keyboardist of the Year
Lee Carroll
String Player of the Year
Lucy Becker
Ben Lacy Award for Guitar Excellence
(tie)
Stephen Lynch
Jim Gleason
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STYLE AWARDS
Americana/Folk of the Year
Jeremy Zeller
Bluegrass of the Year
Mama Said String Band
TeeDee Young Blues Excellence Award
Rachel Crowe
Classical of the Year
EKU Guitar Ensemble
Country of the Year
One More Round
Funk/R&B/Reggae of the Year
Boogie G and the Titanics
Hip-Hop/Rap of the Year
Tony Wavy
Jazz/Latin/Big Band/World of the Year
Bigg Sugg & the Jazz Funkers
Metal of the Year
Graveyard Romeos
Pop of the Year
Rags and Riches
Punk of the Year
Sempervivi
Rock of the Year
Five Below Band
Singer-Songwriter of the Year
Jeremy Zeller
Cover/Variety of the Year
Five Below Band
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Song of the Year
Its Hard to Be Young - Jeremy Zeller
Album of the Year
Love Ain't Worth the Trouble - Cody Lee Meece
Critics Choice
RadioLex WLXU
Community Service Award
Five Below Band
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Pam Perry
Gene Brock
Mark Girkey
Renee Collins-Cobb
-++++--
See y'all next year!!
--
David M. McLean
Lexi Music Awards
Skinny Devil Music Lab
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Nominees 11th Lexi Music Awards
For immediate release:
The nominees for the 11th Lexi Music Awards are listed below!
The winners will be announced at the event on March 9, 2025, 6pm-8pm at UK's beautiful Singletary Center!
Upcoming announcements include LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENTS, performers list, after-party details, and more!
And here are your nominees:
The nominees for the 11th Lexi Music Awards are listed below!
The winners will be announced at the event on March 9, 2025, 6pm-8pm at UK's beautiful Singletary Center!
Upcoming announcements include LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENTS, performers list, after-party details, and more!
And here are your nominees:
All "....of the Year":
(Industry Categories)
Venue
Bluegrass Barrel House
Manchester Music Hall
The Burl
Twisted Cork
Music Store
Doowop Shop Lexington
Drum Center
Willcutt Guitars
Willis Music
Music Company
Off the Cuff w/ Adam Banks
Hollar N Kentucky
Green Room Confessions
CD Central
Engineer/Studio
Austin Jones / Burgundy Box
Jason Groves / Sneak Attack
Danny Micoff / Mill Springs Studio
Tommy Shafer / Lazy Entertainment & Frazzell Studio
Live Sound Tech
Camryn Shaffer
Mike Hulliger
Matthew Florez
Tommy Shafer
DJ
Adam Banks WLXU
Deadair Dennis WBVX
Loretta Friend WIRV
MistiDawn WLXO/WBVX
Instrument Repair
Bob Davenport / RS Guitars
Don Brandenburg / Don's Guitar Salon
Frazzell Guitars
Willcutt Guitars
Music Educator
Paulie Felice
Vanessa Davis
Trish Torline
Kevin Holm-Hudson
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(Performance Categories)
Female vocal
Taylor Hughes
Dolly Burnett
Savannah Dean Reeves
Abby Hamilton
Male vocal
Jeremy Zeller
Shawn Black
Tanner Whitt
Trey Bryant
Bass
Cleveland Smith
Dave Medley
Justin Conn
Tristan Lambert
Brass/Winds
Matthew Polashek
Paul Osborne
Tommy Cate
Jacob O'Donnell
Drums
Jeff Frohlich
Jerry Baker
Ned Bellau
Peyton Whitt
Keys
Andrew Moore
Steven Miller
Raleigh Dailey
Lee Carrol
Strings
Ella Webster
Seth Murphy
Lucy Becker
Dave Rich
Guitar
Jim Gleason
Colin Michael
Connor Wilson
Stephen Lynch
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(Style Categories)
Americana/Folk
Jeremy Zeller
John Thomas Moore
Melissa Beth Deaton
Trippin' Roots
Bluegrass
Adalyn Ramey
Goodwin Brothers
Mama Said String Band
Pam Perry
Blues
Bryan Hines
Jaidon Smith
Joshua Altier
Rachel Crowe
Classical
Whit Whitaker
Lexington Philharmonic
EKU Guitar Ensemble
Tedrin Blair Lindsay
Country
Blacktop Rodeo
One More Round
Trey Bryant
Taylor Hughes
Funk
Boogie G & the Titanics
Honeychild
VSP Band
Deep Nourished Roots
Rap
Tony Wavy
Hybrid the Rapper
Kevin Kross
JK "JK-47" Wyche
Jazz/Latin
Bigg Sugg & the Jazz Funkers
Osbourne - Tolly
Univibes
No Rulez Banda
Metal
Crop
Gravel Switch
Graveyard Romeos
Taylor Road
Pop
Mom's Mad
Rags & Riches
Wesley Saylor
Vinyl Ritchie
Punk
Sempervivi
Small Steps
State Law
Molly's Midnight Villains
Rock
Bedford Band
Five Below Band
Four Shots In
Gravel Switch
Singer-Songwriter
Jeremy Zeller
John Thomas Moore
Taylor Hughes
Todd Campbell
Cover-Variety
Five Below Band
Canvas
Four Shots In
Vinyl Ritchie
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(Specials)
Song of the Year
"Daywalker" - Unky Bones
"It's Hard to be Young" - Jeremy Zeller
"Make it to Nashville" - Trey Bryant
"Up to No Good" - Todd Campbell
Album of the Year
"Love Ain't Worth the Trouble" - Cody Lee Meece
"Breakthroughs/Breakdowns" - Small Steps
"The Show" - Melissa Beth Deaton
"Artists of the Moon" - Andrew Moore & Hooch
Critics Choice
Tom Martin (WEKU)
Jeremy Zeller
RadioLex (WLXU)
Savannah Dean Reeves
Community Service
Five Below Band
Devine Carama
Michael Johnathon
Ned Bellau
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