Best Original Rock Performer
|
23.65% Matthew Sturm Band*
Others with Votes (more than one):
* On the ballot |
Sturm has surrounded himself with something of an all-star lineup: former Red Ball Jet Thom Grant on lead guitar; former Blue Moon Boy and 2004 Best Jazz Performer nominee Jamie Simon on drums; and newest member Andy Pauquette, considered by many to be among the area’s finest bass guitarist. It’s no surprise, then, that the Matthew Sturm Band have now moved up from Best New Performer to Best Original Rock Performer. “That’s a bit of a misnomer,” Sturm said. “I’m an original artist who, unfortunately to pay the bills, plays covers. We oftentimes do perform and are expected to play a certain amount of covers. However, when it seems as though we’re dealing with a pretty open-minded crowd, we’ll work the originals in. Nine times out of 10, they go over well. We’re always trying to incorporate more originals into the set.” Original music is what the Matthew Sturm Band does best. Unspoken Conversations is comprised exclusively of Sturm’s original compositions, and he credits producer George Conner with making the project what it is. “We started the album in August, 2003,” he said. “We finished about four tracks, and all of us were pretty unhappy with the way it turned out. We started from scratch and had George come in, and he did some really amazing thing with mic placement, giving it a very live sound. Very rough around the edges. “The album has been very well received. It just so happens that I wrote about six song after the CD release party that I am very happy with. I’ve now got enough material for another album, and we’re starting to make arrangements to make that happen. “It was also good to be nominated in as many categories as we were [Sturm was up for Performer of the Year, Best Live Performer/Solo, Best Local CD Release, Best Singer/Songwriter and Best Country Music Club - yes, you’re reading that correctly - and his band was up for Best Live Performer/Band] and it’s good to finally win one. Not that Sturm is new to Whammy Awards; besides winning last year’s Best New Performer Whammy, he was named Best New Solo Performer for 2000 This one, however, means the most. “Probably the biggest honor is that it was for Best Original Rock Band, because we really do try to focus on the original songs, and it’s paid off.” All of this is great news for the Matthew Sturm Band, and Matt will probably have to make further arrangements to attend next year’s Whammy Awards as well. (John DeGroff) |
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“I had the first rehearsal with the boys in
December 2002,” Matthew Sturm said in reference
to his band’s beginnings. During their short
existence, though, Sturm and “the boys” have
accomplished a lot - Whammy Award for Best New
Performer in 2003, the release of their first CD
Unspoken Conversations (runner-up for Best
Local CD Release this year) in 2004, performing
as part of the recent Flatpick Music Revue,
sharing hosting duties with Mike Conley for who’s
with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and a continued
presence in area clubs.