Who got a Beattie?

At the 1996 Best of the Beat recognizing the best music of 1995, Gina Forsyth and Waylon Thibodeaux’s album Dans La Louisianne won as the best Cajun album. In her acceptance speech Gina Forsyth made reference to the Best of the Beat Award as a “Beattie.” In a subsequent television interview she explained “we have Tonies and Grammies, why not a Beattie?” Indeed, why not?

Looking back at the previous Best of the Beat recipients, we see for example, Hunter Hayes winning the Best Emerging Cajun Band or Performer in 1997 and Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews for Best Emerging Traditional Jazz Band or Performer in 2002—our readers/voters obviously know how to spot talent, as both of these young gentlemen have gone on to become national stars.

Some categories have been dominated by a single performer or band. The Rebirth Brass Band has won the Best Brass Band since 1997 except in the years 2002 and 2004, when the award went to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Same with Best Cajun Band or Performer which has gone to BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet every year since 1995 except for three years. The Best Male and the Best Female vocalist have been mostly dominated by John Boutte and Irma Thomas, but this year brings some surprises.

Check out the Best Rap/Hip-Hop categories for 2013 below, for example. Some fresh new winners taking home prizes for the first time in those two categories. Jealous Monk won their first-ever “Beattie” while the Soul Rebels took home their first prize in a category outside a brass band one by creating mixtape of brass band style hip-hop covers. A very special moment during the awards show was the presentation of Best Clarinetest. Take a look below to see why.

OffBeat’s 2013 Best of The Beat Music Awards were announced last night (January 18) at the annual awards and party at Generations Hall in front of a crowd of over a thousand musicians and fans. The big winner of the evening was Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews who captured six awards, a record number. Andrews was in New York on tour with his band, but sent a short video thanking his fans for their support.

The highlight of the evening’s music (including Glen David Andrews, Feufollet, Cheeky Blakk, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen with Nigel Hall, the Brass-A-Holics and Robin Barnes) was an all-star tribute to Cyril Neville, the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Music award.

The tribute band included Charlie Wooton, Tim Green, Cranston Clements, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Allen Toussaint, Deri Tucker, Papa Mali, Davell Crawford, Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr., Gaynielle Neville, Johnny Sansone, Willie Green, Yadonna West, and many more. One of Neville’s signature songs “Sister Rosa” (about Civil Right pioneer, Rosa Parks) was transformed into a touching paean to Cyril’s life, art and heart with the refrain “Thank you Sister Rosa” sung in round two as “Thank you Cyril Neville.”

This year’s award trophies were designed by glass artist Ginger Kelly. Ginger is a glass blower and giftware designer. She moved her studio to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana in 2005. Besides her glass work, Ginger has designed glass and sterling silver jewelry.

And without further ado, the winners are…

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Step-and-repeat winners photos by Kyle Encar.

 

See more photos from the 2013 Best of the Beat Awards show here.

 

Artist of the Year

Trombone Shorty

 

Album of the Year

Trombone Shorty: Say That to Say This (Verve)

 

Best Emerging Artist

Corey Henry’s Treme Funktet

 

Song of the Year

“Fire and Brimstone” (from Trombone Shorty’s Say That To Say This album) featuring Troy Andrews, Michael Ballard, Pete Murano, Alonzo “Novel” Stevenson, Taura Stinson

 

Best Blues Artist

Cyril Neville

 

Best Blues Album

Cyril Neville: Magic Honey (Ruf Records)

 

Best R&B/Funk Artist

Trombone Shorty

 

Best R&B/Funk Album

Trombone Shorty: Say That to Say This (Verve)

 

Best Rock Artist

Anders Osborne

 

Best Rock Album

Anders Osborne: Peace (Alligator Records)

 

Best Rap / Hip-Hop Artist

Jealous Monk

 

Best Rap or Hip-Hop Album/Mixtape

Soul Rebels Brass Band: Power = Power (Mixtape)

 

Best Bounce Artist

Big Freedia

 

Best Traditional Jazz Artist

Kermit Ruffins

 

Best Traditional Jazz Album

Kermit Ruffins: We Partyin’ Traditional Style (Basin Street)

 

Best Contemporary Jazz Artist

Terence Blanchard

 

Best Contemporary Jazz Album

Jason Marsalis: In a World of Mallets (Basin Street)

 

Best Brass Band

Rebirth Brass Band

 

Best Brass Band Album

Brass-A-Holics: I am a Brass-A-Holic (Independent)

 

Best Cajun Artist

Lost Bayou Ramblers

 

Best Cajun Album

BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet: From Bamako to Carencro (Compass Records)

 

Best Zydeco Artist

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience

 

Best Zydeco Album

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience: Dockside Sessions (Music Matters Records)

 

Best Roots Rock Artist

Honey Island Swamp Band

 

Best Roots Rock Album

Honey Island Swamp Band: Cane Sugar (Louisiana Red Hot Records)

 

Best Country/Folk Artist

Hurray for the Riff Raff

 

Best Country/Folk Album

Hurray for the Riff Raff: My Dearest Darkest Neighbor (This is American Music)

 

Best Gospel Artist

Franklin Avenue Baptist Church Choir

 

Best Cover Band

Bucktown All-Stars

 

Songwriter of the Year

Anders Osborne

 

Best Female Vocalist

Meschiya Lake

 

Best Male Vocalist

Cyril Neville

 

Best Bass Player

George Porter, Jr.

 

Best Guitarist

Tab Benoit

 

Best Drummer

Stanton Moore

 

Best Saxophonist

Donald Harrison, Jr.

 

Best Clarinetist

Charlie Gabriel

 

Best Trumpeter

Kermit Ruffins

 

Best Trombonist

Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews

 

Best Tuba/Sousaphonist

Kirk Joseph

 

Best Piano / Keyboardist

Ivan Neville

 

Best Accordionist

Dwayne Dopsie

 

Best Violin/Fiddle Player

Amanda Shaw

 

Best DJ

DJ Soul Sister

 

Best Other Instrument

Washboard Chaz (washboard)

 

Best Music Video

“Fire and Brimstone” feat. Trombone Shorty, directed by Brandan “B-Mike” Odums

 

Congratulations to all the 2013 winners!

Photo gallery from the awards show to be posted here soon, stay tuned.

To view the 2013 Best of the Beat Music Business Award and Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, click here.

 

 

More live shots from the big awards show…

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Best of the Beat 2013 Music Awards event photos courtesy Kim Welsh. To view more photos from the New Orleans music scene, follow OffBeat’s Flickr stream here.