Slightly Stoopid, Schizophonics top SD Music Awards
Jam-band favorites Slightly Stoopid and the hard-rocking group Schizophonics were the two biggest winners at Monday’s 25th annual San Diego Music Awards. The Grammy Award-wining band Switchfoot was voted Artist of the Year, while Little Hurricane’s “Heart Skips a Beat” took the prize for Song of the Year. The awards fete was held at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay on Shelter Island.
Slightly Stoopid, which performed in September at the KAABOO Del Mar Festival, won Album of the Year honors for “Meanwhile…Back at the Lab” and the Best Music Video by a San Diego Band award for “The Prophet.” The Ocean Beach-bred group has headlined seven times at the nearly 20,000-capacity Sleep Train Amphitheatre, more than any national or international act that has performed at the Chula Vista venue.
Schizophonics was voted best Live performer and also won in the Best Hard Rock category. The self-described “cholo-goth” duo Prayers, which entered the night with a field-leading five nominations, won just one award, for Best Alternative.
Jazz guitar great Peter Sprague, who counts such legends as Chick Corea and Sonny Rollins among his past collaborators, received the Country Dick Montana Lifetime Achievement Award. He also performed Monday with singer Leonard Patton. Their new duo album, “Dream Walkin’,” was nominated in the Best Jazz Album category, which was won by the Danny Green Avenue.
In a pre-awards show interview, Sprague quipping that his Lifetime Achievement Award means “I’m still alive!”
He grew more serious.
“I think it’s cool thing,” said Sprague, 59, who moved here from Colorado when he was in first grade. “I kind of thought you had to be older to win a Lifetime Achievement Award, but it’s a great honor. And it’s neat to be recognized by a San Diego organization, because I feel so connected to this place and so enjoy living here.”
2015 San Diego Music Awards: Official Winners List
25th annual San Diego Music Awards winners, complete list:
Lifetime Achievement Award - Peter Sprague
Album of the Year - Slightly Stoopid - Meanwhile...Back at the Lab
Artist of the Year - Switchfoot
Best Live Performer - Schizophonics
Best Music Video by a San Diego Band - Slightly Stoopid - The Prophet
Song of the Year - Little Hurricane - Heart Skips a Beat
Best New Artist - The Bassics
San Diego Music Industry Award - Deering Banjos
Best Club DJ - DJ Claire
Best Singer/Songwriter - Sierra West
Best Jazz - Gilbert Castellanos
Best Jazz Album - Danny Green Trio - After the Calm
Best Blues - Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact
Best Blues Album - Sure Fire Soul Ensemble by Sure Fire Soul Ensemble
Best Americana - Sara Petite
Best Americana Album - Nancarrow - Simple Things
Best Cover Band - Lady Dottie & the Diamonds
Best Hip-Hop - Vokab Kompany
Best Hip Hop Album - 1019 & J. Treel - Treel Tales of Number Running
Best Pop - Gayle Skidmore
Best Pop Album - Tolan Shaw - Chin Up
Best Alternative - Prayers
Best Alternative Album - Wild Wild Wets - 14th Floor
Best Rock - The Routine
Best Rock Album - Barbarian - Night Blooms
Best Hard Rock - Schizophonics
Best Hard Rock Album - Joy - Under the Spell of Joy
Best World Music- Todo Mundo
Best World Music Album - B-Side Players - Dos Generaciones
Best Local Recording - G. Burns Jug Band - The Southern Pacific & the Santa Fe
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