Organizers for the fourth annual Madison Area Music Awards announced the local musicians who will be playing at the 2007 ceremony, which will be held at the Barrymore Theater on Saturday, May 12.
These performers include The Midwesterners, Yid Vicious, The Getaway Drivers, Lynette with Jane Reynolds, Felicia Alima, and Clear Blue Betty with The Fountain of Life Worship Center Gospel Choir, each of which will take the stage briefly in between the presentation of awards for the local music scene in more than 40 categories.
One guest has yet to be determined, though. That is the winner of the Madison regional semifinals at this year's Launchpad Wisconsin music contest for high school students. The band will be determined this Friday, Apr. 13 through the course of a concert competition at Stoughton High School.
Organizers also announced the winner of the MAMAs Lifetime Achievement Award this year, which will be given to Jonathan Little. A legend in Madison radio broadcasting, Little has 45 years of experience on the local airwaves. Getting his start on the dorm-only signal of WLHA in 1962, he made his name on WISM (an AM news and music powerhouse in the '60s and '70s that has since become WTDY) and WZEE (now known as Z104) as a music and program director.
The local radio dean currently hosts Lunch with Little on The Lake 93.1. "In the history of Madison radio, nobody has been more connected than Jonathan W. Little," begins the description for his radio raconteur program. "For decades, whenever the big names in music visited Madison, they'd also visit with Jonathan, often on his radio shows, sometimes backstage before a concert."
The music won't end with the awards, though. Two more Madison bands -- Sleeping in the Aviary and The Dorothy Heralds -- will play at an after-party at the Barrymore to wrap up the night.
Tickets for the awards show are $20 for general seating and $50 for preferential seating and access to the VIP pre-party. More information can be found in the press release in the related downloads at right.
The MAMAs are holding their next benefit for the show and their program to provide music instruments for Madison area schools on Sunday, Apr. 15 at The Bean in Fitchburg. The performers there will include Jessi Lynn Band, Wild Heart, Rachelle & the Red Hot Rattlers, The Midwesterners, and Jim the Mule in a local honkytonk extravaganza.
