Winners of the 2003 OUTMUSIC AWARDS (OMAs) will be announced Sunday, June 1 at the Knitting Factory in New York City. The event will be co-hosted by women’s music legend Alix Dobkin and singer/songwriter Jamie Anderson and will honor gay music pioneers Ron Romanovsky & Paul Phillips with the OUTMUSIC Heritage Award. The 2003 Outstanding Support OMA will be presented to journalist Gregg Shapiro, who is the senior music and cinema writer for Windy City Times and is a co-host on Windy City Radio.Chicago-based Shapiro is also a contributing writer to more than a dozen queer publications from coast to coast and in Canada, including Gay & Lesbian Times (San Diego), OutSmart Magazine (Houston), Between The Lines (Detroit), Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco), OutFront Colorado (Denver), Outlook News (Ohio) and Philadelphia Gay News, among others. In 1999, Shapiro was inducted into Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.Special Recognition Awards will also honor Amazon Country—the first and longest-running U.S. lesbian radio program—and LGBT hip-hop activist Judge “Dutchboy” Muscat. Live performances by selected nominees will be featured.In addition, OMACon—the first annual OUTMUSIC Conference—will take place at The Center Saturday, May 31, bringing together LGBT musicians and industry pros to discuss issues including coverage of queer music in the media and questions of image and identity. These events —plus a special Open Mic at The C-Note June 2—make this weekend a must for members of the LGBT music community.The OMAs celebrate excellence in LGBT recording, songwriting, and cultural activism. Designed to encourage the participation of musicians from all around the world, an online process welcomed submissions from artists in 12 categories. Nominees were chosen in a combination of judging by industry pros and members’ choice ballots.More than 70 artists submitted more than 300 songs to this year’s OMAs. Entrants hail from the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and include veteran performers as well as debut artists working in a wide range of genres including jazz, rock, folk, country, classical, spoken word, R & B, synth-pop, and hip-hop.OUTMUSIC is a worldwide network active for the past 13 years supporting the work of LGBT musicians.See www.outmusic.com.
2003 OUTMUSIC AWARD NOMINEES
OUTSTANDING NEW RECORDING – FEMALEMary Lofstrom: Ginger Comes to StayDoria Roberts: Alive and WellLorna Vallings: If Wishes Were Horses
OUTSTANDING NEW RECORDING – MALEReuben: DuskJay Spears: Boy HowdyMark Weigle: Out of the Loop
OUTSTANDING NEW RECORDING – DUO, GROUP, OR BANDAll the Pretty Horses: CreatureSuper 8 Cum Shot: Super 8 Cum Shot – Volume 1 (Chicago-based)Wishing Chair: Crow
OUTSTANDING NEW RECORDING -CHORUS OR CHOIRIn aChord: For All We KnowSan Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: SFGMC Does Queen!Vox Femina Los Angeles: Simply …
OUTSTANDING PRODUCERNamoli Brennet – Boy in a DressMark Weigle – Out of the LoopAllison Tartalia – Ready
OUTSTANDING SONGWRITERGarrin Benfield: Songs from Nowhere is BrighterEmber Swift: Songs from StiltwalkingMark Weigle: Songs from Out of the LoopWishing Chair: Songs from Crow
OUT SONG OF THE YEARAaron-Carl – Bring it OnLisa Jackson & the Girl Friday Band – Beautiful FreakIrina Rivkin – Ya Eyo Lublu (I Love You)Doria Roberts – Black PearlJustin Tranter – Blend InMark Weigle – In the Last 5 Minutes
OUTMUSICIAN OF THE YEARRandy JonesThe Kinsey SicksDoria RobertsMark Weigle
