Best Avant-Garde
RUNNERS-UP: The Pool, Trained Ants, Dan Del Santo & His Professors of Pleasure, Dino Lee and the White Trash Revue, Glass Eye, B-Complex, Butthole Surfers, Brave Combo, Secret Six
Best Acoustic Guitar
RUNNERS-UP: Gretchen Phillips (Meat Joy), Will Indian (Rhythm Rats), Mike Landschoot, Dan Del Santo, Greg Schilling (Stagger Lee), Tom Shaka, Willie Nelson, Chris Duarte, Mark Luke Daniels
Best Local Music TV Show
RUNNERS-UP: Austin City Limits, Segway City, VidEot’s Choice, Dynasaur Tracs, Hymns for Heathens, Citizens of the Fifth Millenium, River City Jazz, Jam City, Meat Joy Variety Hour
Best Bluegrass
RUNNERS-UP: Tex Sweeney and the Grassmatics, Alfalfa Brothers
Best Bass Guitar
RUNNERS-UP: Sarah Brown (Lou Ann Barton, the Antones); Steve Zirkel (Fairlanes, Mitch Watkins); Chris Gates (Big Boys); Brian Beattie (Glass Eye); Brad Taylor (K-Tels); Keith Ferguson (Tail Gators); Doug Keyser (Watchtower); Spencer Starnes (Fairlanes, Joe Ely); Bruce Hughes (Pool, Skank)
Best Music Store
RUNNERS-UP: Danny’s Guitar Shop, Tommy’s Drum Shop, Lightning Music and Sound, Musical Exchange, Guitar Resurrection, J.R. Reed, Guitar Store, Stevens Guitars
Best Blues
RUNNERS-UP: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Angela Strehli Band, W.C. Clark Blues Revue, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Kathy and the Kilowatts, Bobby Mack and Night Train, Lou Ann Barton, The Antones, Poison 13
Best Drums/Percussion
RUNNERS-UP: Steve Meador (Joe Ely, Eric Johnson); George Raines (Angela Strehli Band); Glenn Benavides (Doctors’ Mob); Joe McCreary (K-Tels); James Fenner (Trickle Down, Christopher Cross); Rey Washam (Big Boys, Scratch Acid); Rusty Trapps (Rhythm Rats); Rick Colaluca (Watchtower); Mike Buck (LeRoi Brothers)
Best Music Writer
RUNNERS-UP: Ed Ward, Brent Grulke, Jody Denberg, Michael Corcoran, Michael Point, Margaret Moser, No such thing, Jeff Whittington, Jay Trachtenberg
Best Country
RUNNERS-UP: Alvin Crow & the Pleasant Valley Boys, Willie Nelson, True Believers, Hickoids, Tex Thomas & the Danglin’ Wranglers, Billy Joe Shaver, George Strait, Toshio Hirano, Al Dressen
Best Electric Guitar
RUNNERS-UP: Eric Johnson, Mitch Watkins, Denny Freeman (Angela Strehli Band), Bobby Mack, Jimmie Vaughan (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Dan Del Santo, Rick Winking (K-Tels), Bill Jones (Kathy and the Kilowatts), Van Wilks
Best Radio DJ
RUNNERS-UP: Phillippe LaVere (KUT-FM), Paul Ray (KUT-FM), Jody Denberg (KLBJ), Rocket Bob Moore (KTXZ), Dan Del Santo (KUT-FM), Sammy Allred (KTXZ), Dave Jarrott (KEY-103), John Aielli (KUT-FM), C.K. Carman (KUT-FM)
Best Folk
RUNNERS-UP: Bourree Texane, Butch Hancock, Townes Van Zandt, Nina Katrina, Nanci Griffith, Meat Joy, Walter Hyatt, Jimmie Gilmore, Austin Lounge Lizards
Best Female Vocals
RUNNERS-UP: Angela Strehli, Elouise Burrell, Marcia Ball, Kim Longacre, Nanci Griffith, Kellye Gray, Mellissa Cobb, Nina Katrina, Penny Hanna
Best Radio Station
RUNNERS-UP: KTXZ (AM 1560), KLBJ (FM 94), KAZI (FM 88.7), KEYI/KEY 103, KHFI/K-98, No such thing, KASE (FM 101), KNOW (AM 1490), KVET (AM 1300)
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
RUNNERS-UP: Watchtower, Offenders, Triple XXX, 14K, Roky Erickson, Ian Ripper, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Jam Scam, Poison 13
Best Horns: Brass
RUNNERS-UP: Bill Averbach (Trained Ants); Nathan Gates (Big Boys, Dharma Bums, Doctors’ Mob); Mike Mordecai (Fairlanes, Michael M Quartet, Dan Del Santo); John Blondell (Non-Ego, Willie Nelson); Kent Winking (K-Tels); Jim Fritzler (Jaws of Life); Bob Meyer (Concept Orchestra, Fairlanes); Keith Winking (K-Tels); Gary Vagjrt (Delbert McClinton, Tex Thomas)
Best Record Producer
RUNNERS-UP: Spot (Big Boys, Dicks); Dan Del Santo (Professors of Pleasure); Keith Ayres (Reflectors); Brian Beattie (Glass Eye); Greg Stephens (Trickle Down); Mike Alvarez; Kerry Crafton; Liam Sternberg (Ten From Texas)
Best Jazz
RUNNERS-UP: Tomas Ramirez Quartet, Mitch Watkins Group, Trained Ants, Beto y los Fairlanes, Non-Ego Jazz Orchestra, Dan Del Santo & His Professors of Pleasure, Elouise Burrell and Trickle Down, Kaz Jazz Quartet, Trik-Trax
Best Horns: Reeds
RUNNERS-UP: John Mills (Minor Miracle, Fairlanes); Paul Ostermayer (Fairlanes, Mitch Watkins); Joe Sublett (Antone’s, Texas Thomas); Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff (Kaz Jazz, Lou Ann Barton); Kirk Whalum; Johnny Reno (Sax Maniacs); Pat Mackrell (K-Tels); Smokey Joe Miller (Ponty Bone, Dino Lee); Donny Silverman (Toby Anderson)
Best Record Store
RUNNERS-UP: Record Exchange, Inner Sanctum, Treasured Tracs, Sound Warehouse, Hastings, Yesterday’s, Harmony House, Discount Records, Half-Price
Best Latin
RUNNERS-UP: Little Joe, Johnny y la Familia; Ruben Ramos and Texas Revolution; Salaman; Flaco Jimenez; Joe “King” Carrasco y las Coronas
Best Keyboards
RUNNERS-UP: Robert Skiles (Beto y los Fairlanes), Marcia Ball, Reese Wynans (Delbert McClinton), Rich Harney, Kris Cummings (Joe “King” Carrasco), Sylvester Jones (Trickle Down), Jim Fritzer (Jaws of Life), Brian Green (K-Tels), Bill Ginn (Joe Ely)
Best Show by a Local Artist
RUNNERS-UP: K-Tels backing Bo Diddley (Steamboat, 10/4); Dino Lee’s tribute to Caligula (Ritz, 12/7); Doctors’ Mob opening for Rain Parade (Continental Club, 12/5); Debussy Fields (Continental Club, 11/11); Joe “King” Carrasco & the Crowns (Aquafest); True Believers, Poison 13, Zeitgeist (Continental Club, 12/29); Joe Ely (Gruene Hall, 8/11); Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double…
Best New Wave
RUNNERS-UP: Dada Curve, Secret Six, Joe “King” Carrasco and the Crowns, Technicolor Yawns, Glass Eye, B-Complex, Optimystics, Meat Joy, The Pool
Best Male Vocals
RUNNERS-UP: Kent “Omar” Dykes (Omar and the Howlers), Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ernie Sky, Jesse Sublett (Secret Six), Randy “Biscuit” Turner (Big Boys), Bobby Mack, Joe Ely, Byron Beyer (Debussy Fields), Dan Del Santo
Best Thing to Happen
RUNNERS-UP: The Beach Cabaret, Ed Ward left the Statesman, Lunch Money Productions, More local records and labels, KTXZ in general, Elektra’s Ten From Texas comp, Butch Hancock’s Dixie’s Bar and Bus Stop TV show, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Dino Lee, Lots of good new bands, Margaret Moser married Rollo Banks
Band of the Year
RUNNERS-UP: Omar and the Howlers, Zeitgeist, LeRoi Brothers, Angela Strehli Band, Dan Del Santo and His Professors of Pleasure, Ernie Sky & the K-Tels, Bobby Mack and Night Train, Commandos, Vanguards, Rhythm Rats, Trained Ants, True Believers, Joe Ely, Meat Joy
Best None of the Above
RUNNERS-UP: Lounge Lizards, Meat Joy, Dan Del Santo & His Professors of Pleasure, Elouise Burrell and Trickle Down, Supernatural Family Band, Technicolor Yawns, Doctors’ Mob, Cul de Sac, Extreme Heat
Best Miscellaneous Instrument
RUNNERS-UP: Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds, harp); Ponty Bone (Squeezetones, accordion); Gary Primage (Rhythm Rats, harp); Paul Sweeney (Grassmatics, mandolin); Paul Glasse (mandolin); John Ely (steel guitar); Howard Kalish (fiddle); Johnny Gimble (fiddle); Patrick Keel (The Pool, everything)
Best Video
RUNNERS-UP: Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Couldn’t Stand the Weather”; Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Cold Shot”; Joe “King” Carrasco & the Crowns, “Current Events”; Grigadean and Friends, “Sugar Rush”; Joe Ely, “What’s Shakin’ Tonight”; Joe “King” Carrasco & the Crowns, “Dinero”; LeRoi Brothers, “Pretty Little Lights of Town”; Little Charlie and the Eager Beaver Boys, “Come Back Baby”;…
Best New Band
RUNNERS-UP: Tail Gators, Zeitgeist, Debussy Fields, Poison 13, Glass Eye, Mitch Watkins Group, Stagger Lee, Cul de Sac, Rhythm Rats
Best Punk/Hardcore
RUNNERS-UP: Poison 13, Butthole Surfers, Offenders, Meat Joy, Scratch Acid, Jaws of Life, Technicolor Yawns, Dino Lee and the White Trash Revue, The Dicks
Best Songwriter
RUNNERS-UP: Butch Hancock, Joe Ely, Dan Del Santo, Byron Beyer, Sylvester Jones, Will Indian, Jesse Sublett, Greg Schilling, Stevie Ray Vaughan
Worst Thing to Happen
RUNNERS-UP: Not enough new places to play, The “Sixth Street scene”, Gene Ramey died, John T. Davis replaced Ed Ward at the Statesman, The downfall of Texas Money, KNOW dropped its black music format, Ten From Texas, Dino Lee, Liberty Lunch’s impending doom, Lack of support, Lunch Money Productions, Lucinda left Austin, Punk rock
Musician of the Year
RUNNERS-UP: Gene Ramey, Joe Ely, Dan Del Santo, Dino Lee, Bill Averbach, Kent “Omar” Dykes, Bobby Mack, Nanci Griffith, Joe “King” Carrasco
Best Reggae
RUNNERS-UP: Dan Del Santo & His Professors of Pleasure, Elouise Burrell and Trickle Down, Killer Bees, Lotions, I-Tex and the Frontier Dub Boys
Best Synthesizer
RUNNERS-UP: Glover Gill (The Pool, Skank); Brian Green (K-Tels); Doug Hall (Jazzmanian Devil); Bill Ginn (Joe Ely); Michael Ramos (Lou Ann Barton, Pressure); Stella Wier (Glass Eye); David Escamilla; Randy Kirchoff; Neil Pederson (Extreme Heat)
Album of the Year
RUNNERS-UP: Dan Del Santo, World Beat; Poison 13; Omar and the Howlers, I Told You So; Ten from Texas compilation; Robert Keen, No Kinda Dancer; Meat Joy, Meat Joy; The Pool, 333; Joe Ely, Hi-Res; The Offenders, Meat Joy, Jeffersons, Hickoids, Scratch Acid, Napalm, Technicolor Yawns, Metal Moo Cow; Joe “King” Carrasco and the Crowns,…
Best Rock
RUNNERS-UP: Joe Ely, Austin All-Stars, Bobby Mack and Night Train, Debussy Fields, Commandos, Van Wilks Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, LeRoi Brothers, Jam Scam
Best Club DJ
RUNNERS-UP: Brad First (Club Iguana), Rusty Trapps (Crazy Lady), Richard Luckett (Club Iguana), No such thing, Sebastian Williams (Steamboat), Tom Bowie (Texas Tavern), Ed Ward (Steamboat), Randy Kirchoff (Mid-City Roadhouse), Husky (Cardi’s)
Best EP
RUNNERS-UP: Elouise Burrell and Trickle Down, Thinking About S.E.X./USASA; Glass Eye, Marlo; Debussy Fields, Achilles Hill; Butthole Surfers, PCPEP; Not for Sale, A Few Dollars More; Wild Seeds, Soul City; The Pool, Where Do We Go From Here?; Ponty Bone with Louis & the Legends, West Texas Squeeze Box Boogie; Randy Thornton, Thief in the…
Best Rockabilly/50s Rock & Roll
RUNNERS-UP: Vanguards, Tail Gators, Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88s, Omar and the Howlers, Commandos, Dino Lee and the White Trash Revue, Joe Ely, Bobby Mack and Night Train, Charlie Sexton and the Sextones
Best Concert By a Touring Artist
RUNNERS-UP: R.E.M. (Opera House, 9/18); Los Lobos (Soap Creek, 2/29); Sonny Okosun (Liberty Lunch, 5/20); Laurie Anderson (Paramount, 5/27); Neil Young (Opera House, 6/23); Echo and the Bunnymen (Opera House, 8/31); Allan Holdsworth (Liberty Lunch, 10/18); Elvis Costello (Erwin Center, 9/5); Crosby, Stills & Nash (South Park Meadows, 8/29)
Best Single
RUNNERS-UP: Denny Freeman with Angela Stehli and Kim Wilson, “Tired of TV”/”Time for a Change”; Roky Erickson, “Don’t Slander Me”/”Starry Eyes”; Reflectors, “Rock and Roll Refugee”; Dan Del Santo, “Merci, Baby, Merci”; Offenders, “I Hate Myself”/”Bad Times”; Ernie Sky and the K-Tels, “The Spank”/”(You Got to Be) Serious”; Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, “Cold…
Best Soft Rock/Easy Listening
RUNNERS-UP: Minor Miracle, Nina Katrina
Best Concert Poster
RUNNERS-UP: Guy Juke (Joe Ely’s New Year’s Eve); Guy Juke (Rock and Roll Trivia Contest); Nels Jacobson (Dead Kennedys at Liberty Lunch); Danny Garrett (Juneteenth, Antone’s); Guy Juke (Chronicle/KTXZ birthday); Dray (Big Joe Turner at Antone’s); Rock Savage (Creative Opportunity Orchestra)
Song of the Year
RUNNERS-UP: Joe Ely, “Cool Rockin’ Loretta”; Dan Del Santo, “World Beat”; Elouise Burrell and Trickle Down, “Thinking About S.E.X.”; Debussy Fields, “Evil Infection”; Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Cold Shot”; Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Couldn’t Stand the Weather”; Robert Keen, “No Kinda Dancer”; Reflectors, “Rock and Roll Refugee”; Meat Joy, “For When Love is Irrelevance”
Best Soul
RUNNERS-UP: Ernie Sky and the K-Tels, Extreme Heat, Toby Anderson Band, Blue Mist, Elouise Burrell and Trickle Down, Skank, Bobby Mack and Night Train, Cul de Sac, Wynnd
Best Live Music Venue
RUNNERS-UP: Antone’s (2915 Guadalupe), Continental Club (1315 S. Congress), Beach Cabaret (2911 San Jacinto), Austin Opera House (200 Academy), Steamboat (403 E. 6th), Cactus Cafe (Texas Union), Hole in the Wall (2528 Guadalupe), Soap Creek Saloon (1201 S. Congress), Flying Circus (1025 Barton Springs)
