Madison Area Music Awards

press release: The Madison Area Music Association will honor and showcase area musicians of all ages and genres at the 2018 MAMA Awards on Sunday, June 17, in the Capitol Theater in the Overture Center. Madison's version of the Grammys will kick off at 5:30pm with a Red Carpet celebration where musicians and fans can mingle until the show begins at 7pm.

There will be seven musical performances from emerging and well-established Madison-area artists, including Julia McConahay with performers from Underground Aerial, Trilogy, Bosky Point (formerly known as Late Harvest), Shawndell Marks with the Luminous String Collective, Stackhouse, Grupo Candela, and the Lower 5th with members of the Madison Youth Choir.

The MAMA will be presenting awards in musical styles ranging from classical to punk for Song, Performer and Album of the Year, as well as other categories such as Instrumentalists, Vocalists, and non-musician awards for Best Local Music Venue, Record Store, Recording Studio, and more. Awards will also be given for Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year.

To highlight the organization’s mission of providing musical instruments for kids and funding youth music programs in the greater Madison area, there will be several youth recognitions, including awards for youth performers, vocalists, instrumentalists and recording. Scholarships will also be awarded to a Student and a Teacher of the Year.

This year, Randy Green, legendary local recording engineer and producer, will join esteemed company as the recipient of the Michael St. John Lifetime Achievement Award. That gallery includes Clyde Stubblefield, Jan Wheaton, Ben Sidran, Jonathan Little, Richard Davis, Marvin Rabin, Jim Fleming, Pro Arte Quartet, Doc DeHaven, Michael Leckrone, Leotha Stanley, Butch Vig, Susan and Jonathan Lipp and most recently Herb Frank.

Tickets are on sale through the Overture Center box office. Tickets for the show are $25 ($15 for students and teachers) and $40 for VIP (T-shirt and show poster included) and can be purchased in advance or day of the show through the Overture Box Office and online.

Fans who are unable to attend in person will still be able to be a part of the MAMAs via the Facebook Live Event, starting at 5:00pm.  Hosted again by Madison’s favorite trio, Cooper Talbot, Tulin Waters and Aaron Jai, viewers can get access to the red carpet pre-show commentary. At 5:30pm, the theater doors will open and Facebook Live viewers will be treated to interviews with their favorite local Madison artists and celebrities. 

Then starting at 7 pm, Facebook Live viewers will be able to watch the entire Madison Area Music Awards ceremony for free, however donations will still be accepted and encouraged. The Facebook Live video will be available via the MAMAs Facebook page.  Viewers and attendees alike can follow #MAMAs2018 via Twitter and Instagram to interact with the event.

Proceeds benefit the MAMAs charitable mission of supporting local music education programs. You can Donate to the MAMAs via themamas.org.