Published: 17th November, 2012
On independent music's
biggest night of the year, Record of the Year
nominated album "What The Funk? takes home two
awards at the Avalon Theater in Hollywood.
 (L-R)
Dustin Quick, Stevie and Tamara Henry
Photo courtesy of Shoestring
Concerts
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The Avalon in
Hollywood was filled with anticipation
and excitement as the 40 foot red
carpet closed, and the nominees made
their way inside to find who would be
the winner of the coveted Record of the
Year award.
There were five
albums contending for Record of the
Year in the 22nd Annual Los Angeles
Music Awards that left voters and the
panel of judges with a tough decision
to make. From the soulful Stevie
Hawkins' "What The Funk?",
the chart-pop of Katie Cole's
"Lost Inside A Moment", the
deep funk of John Heintz, George
Clinton and P-Funk's "Big Ol Nasty
Getdown Vol 1.", Jimmy Young's
strong AC record "Great
Spirit", and Aoede's fine
"Skeleton's Of The Muse",
each record brought something fresh and
new to the table.
As the saying
goes, there can only be one winner. As
expected by many, Stevie Hawkins'
"What The Funk?" took home
not one, but two Record of the Year
plaques. One going to Stevie Hawkins,
the record's artist, producer and
engineer, the other to Charlotte
Hannon, executive producer and co-lyric
writer of "What The Funk?,"
placing the cap on a brilliant night
that saw the rising Georgia star earn a
standing ovation for his performances
with Miles Grayson on
"Procrastination" and
"Everything Is Subject To
Change". The presenters of the
awards were actress Dustin Quick, TV
personality Tamara Henry, and LA Music
Awards producer Al Bowman.
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Ballot votes from
the combined fan bases of all nominees,
along with the ballots cast by the
industry professional panel members,
who objectively evaluate melody,
composition, lyric and commercial
potential, determine the winning
nominees. According to Al Bowman,
"By a unanimous choice for this
award by both fans and panel members,
Stevie Hawkins and Charlotte Hannon
were the recipients for the Record of
the Year Award, an accolade that
recognizes the work of the producers of
an album and not the artist. The Record
of the Year is the top and most
prestigious award given at our annual
event."
When asked how he
felt about winning the award, Hawkins
replied, "It's a very unique
emotion I'm feeling right now. I think
it's called humility. When you're
completely not used to this, I mean
winning awards, wrapping the head
around it takes some time and is in
fact very humbling. On that note, I
would like to graciously thank God,
Charlotte Hannon, the fabulous
musicians who contributed their
inner-most talents to the record, the
fans, the judges panel, Al Bowman and
Susanna Griffie, ShhhMedia my event
sponsor, and my label Emphasis Records.
The combination of all those are the
reason the Record of the Year award
happened."
After blazing the
Soul and Funk radio stations and charts
around the world this year, the
popularity of the album is
comprehensible and is not
diminishing.
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 (L-R)
Dustin Quick, Charlotte Hannon, Al Bowman
and
Tamara Henry
Photo courtesy of Shoestring
Concerts
|
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 2012
LA Music Awards Highlight Reel
Click on the image to watch the
reel
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The focus on the melodic, lyrical
and authentic musical elements of
this record makes Hawkins and
company a refreshing change. “What
The Funk?” is in all respects a
modern Funk/Soul album, but it’s
one with a strong sense of history.
The influence of James Brown, Sly
and the Family Stone, P-Funk, and
Al Green is clear on the record.
While listening to “What The
Funk?," it plays like an album
from the prodigious archives,
Hawkins voice is huge and the
arrangements are tight, an
intentional throwback to the mystic
‘70s, yet sustaining a brand new
sound and vibe.
By winning at the LA Music Awards,
and earlier in 2012 winning awards
at the Artists In Music Awards -
Hollywood, and Indie Music Channel
Awards - Hollywood, things are
shaping up to be an interesting and
accelerating career for Stevie
Hawkins.
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