MAMA is HERE!
By Chris Murphy
This is the 17th Year of the MAMA Awards. This is so very exciting. We have been celebrating live music and the local music scene and this year you can learn about some incredible musicians, singers, songwriters and so much more. Friends, this is an amazing event where all genres of music are all in the same place all celebrating one thing – Live Music.
In 2000, Chris Ricci and I decided that we want to help show the community how important live music for our area, get people out to the shows, support the artists and encourage people to buy local music. We have celebrate many amazing moments, honoring the founder of Rockabilly, Modesto’s own music Don Maddox of the Maddox Brothers and Rose, the late Chester Smith and Ernie Bucio, Kent Whitt and the Downbeats, Modesto’s first rock band, and other people that have made a permanent positive impact on our music community. This year, we are celebrating one of the hardest working bands for the last 40 years, Silvermoon.
Live music makes a city vibrant, exciting and makes it a place where people want to live and work. The MAMAs are more than just an award show, they are a night where we all work together to build our live music system, encourage the support of our city and county and make a statement that Modesto USA is a creative musical city.
Please take time to vote, please check out the local bands, please go to places that host live music and we want you to be a friend of live music.
The MAMAs will be presented at the fabulous historic State Theatre on October 11. This is a free event for the invited nominees and is presented by Chris Murphy, Chris Ricci and the State Theatre. The MAMAs will be livecast on ModestoView at www.modestoview.com by Carlos Rodriguez of Central Valley Reports. Here is a list of all categories that will be honored at the MAMAs. Vote now!
Best Pop Rock
Best Unplugged / Acoustic
Best Metal Rock
Best Jazz & Blues
Best Americana
Best Rock
Best Latin
Best Punk
Best Reggae
Best Urban
Best Blue Collar
Best Rockabilly
Best Youth Band
Best Alternative
Best Comedy
Best Café/Restaurant w Live Music
Best Venue
Best Large Event
Best Small Event
Best DJ
Best Music Promoter
