It's all good. Any one volunteering their name, efforts and art should question everything. The Motor City Music Foundation isn't as much a charity as it is a good, old-fashioned "cause." For the record, our purpose is "to honor Detroit area musicians working on a national, regional and local level, to nurture music that is being made in the Detroit metropolitan area, and to create a sense of music industry community that cuts across genres and styles." To paraphrase that, we’re out to create a forum that reminds and re-reminds the metro area that Detroit is a hotbed of scores of vastly entertaining, incredible original music acts capable of rocking the house and making your backbone slip at a moment's notice.
Controversy? We love it. No, we don't go out of our way to cause it, but if musicians, journalists and industry folk weren't arguing about these awards, or concerned on any level, we wouldn't be doing our job ... which is to get everyone listening to and talking about local music. We want to cause discussion, to instantaneously pry so many bands from so many bars, stick a few of 'em on the big stage, and offer scores and scores of acts recognition and exposure the likes of which most haven't enjoyed before. We’re out to create an event that causes all of the papers, news outlets and radio stations to stop and take notice ... and spread the gospel (and blues, jazz, techno, rock, etc.). We’re here to remind Joe Public that local music stretches way beyond the corner karaoke joint. On April 6, there will be no mistaking it ... local original music is the art form that colors Detroit.
All the hoopla is starting to work. We can't remember a time in which local music has garnered more media attention, especially from the press (OK, radio, it's time to catch up). So again, thanks to the Blowout bands. You've collectively taken this sonic metropolis to incredible levels of respect and credibility.
One of the few changes the MCMF executive board made for this years' awards involves making sure there's a constant flow of new and previously unrecognized acts on the ballot. Officially, here's the new twist: (taken from this years' ballot): "Artists who have won the same category for three years in a row have been designated Special Honorees for the current award year. These artists are not eligible for nomination in the same category for this year only.
Special Honoree artists for 2001 are:
Outstanding Studio: Tempermill
Outstanding Rock Vocalist: Jill Jack
Outstanding Funk Artist: Howling Diablos
Outstanding World Vocalist: Jonathan Pettus [Immunity]
Outstanding World Instrumentalist: Bill Koggenhop [Immunity]
Outstanding Blues Vocalist: Thornetta Davis
Outstanding Country Vocalist: Scott Forbes
Outstanding Country Instrumentalist: Dennis Forbes
Outstanding Country Artist: Forbes Brothers
Outstanding Community Orchestra: Birmingham Bloomfield Symphony
Outstanding Classical Ensemble: Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings"
Congratulations to the above acts. Achieving "Special Honoree" status means, among other things, that these acts are among Detroit's' most honored, professional and popular, standing accused and found guilty of perennially creating and releasing incredible songs, CDs and performances. Find some of these acts in other categories of this years' awards, and most-assuredly, all over next years' contest.
See you at the State!
Jim Cohen, President, Motor City Music Foundation
MCMF History
MCMF was started in 1988 as the Motor City Music Award Foundation. The fledgling group held its first award show in 1992 at Detroit's Music Hall. In 1996, the organization merged with the Metro Times-sponsored Detroit Music Awards. Now, the Motor City Music Foundation is a single entity presenting the Detroit Music Awards each spring.
MCMF awards are similar to the Grammy Awards presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Award winners are determined by local musicians and music-industry professionals in the Detroit area in a wide variety of music genres.
Previous award shows have featured outstanding performances by some of Detroit's top music legends: Was (Not Was), Kid Rock, The Clark Sisters, Thornetta Davis, Alexander Zonjic, Martha Reeves, The Miracles, Grand Funk Railroad, George Clinton and Parliament, and Ted Nugent, among many others. The award show also spotlights outstanding up-and-coming local musicians.
Special achievement awards are presented by the board of directors each year. Previous recipients include: Smokey Robinson, George Clinton, Bob Seger, Rosalie Trombley, Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong, The Romantics, the Funk Brothers, Carl Thom, Glenn Frey, Dave Dixon, the Frost, the Contours and Diversified Management Agency.
Proceeds from fund-raisers and the award show are used to present seminars, showcases, and MCMF projects. Past donations have been made to the Music Hall renovation and Wayne State University Art Start program, among others.
MCMF was proud to receive the Spirit of Detroit Award from the City of Detroit in 1993.
Motor City Music Foundation
Detroit Music Awards
P. O. Box 56
South Lyon, Michigan 48178
Join the Motor City Music Foundation
Call the hotline: 248-554-9939
Suggestions, Questions, Feedback? Want to volunteer? Need sponsorship info? Meeting info? Call the hotline or email [email protected]
The Motor City Music Foundation executive board is:
Jim Cohen, president
Al Wilson, vice president
Howard Hertz, vice president
Karen Koski, secretary
Walt Barnowski, treasurer
Gary Graff
Howard Abrams
Larry Gabriel
Jim Edelman
Peter Shorn
Teri Koggenhop
Martin Davidson
