Detroit musicians, industry heavy hitters, and fans will pack The Fillmore for the 24th annual Detroit Music Awards this Friday, April 10.
The show is presented by The Detroit Music Awards Foundation (DMAF), a Michigan 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation, and is sponsored by a number of Detroit businesses.
According to their website, the DMAF’s mission is to recognize exceptional Detroit area musicians working on a national, regional and local level. They also work to support and nurture the musical community in the Detroit metropolitan area, creating a network for musicians that cuts across genres and styles. Further, throughout the year, proceeds from the annual event are used to provide educational events and resources for local musicians.
Over the last year, local musicians and bands have submitted recordings released between December 1, 2013 and November 30, 2014, which are then narrowed down to a list of nominees. Award winners are determined by local musicians and music industry professionals in southeast Michigan, and presented in ten music genres;Folk/Acoustic, Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Country, Classical, Rock/Pop, R&B/Hip-Hop, Electronic and World. You can view the full list of nominees here.
In addition to the formalized, Grammy style voting process, there is the Opportunity Detroit People’s Choice ballot, which encouraged the public to get involved in the process. Fans flooded the DAMF website to download songs from the nearly 20 artists nominated in this category. Each download of their work counted as one vote for that artist. Voting for this category closed on Sunday.
The event is a great night out for those looking to engage in the Detroit music community, as it features performances by some of our top local talent. In past years, artists such as Eminem, D12, and Bob Seger have all performed, and this year, you can look forward to The Infatuations, The Motown Legends Gospel Choir, and Bettye Lavette.
Tickets for the event are very affordable and going fast. General admission tickets are just $20.00 and are available here through LiveNation. If you’re feeling a little fancy, main floor and VIP tables start at $200.00, and are available by contacting Terri Keggenhop at (248) 360-2455.
Doors for the show open at 6:00 p.m., and things get rolling at 7:00 p.m.
If you want to check out some music from this year’s nominees, check out this great playlist that CBS Detroit released today.
Now, get out there and have some fun while supporting the thriving music scene in the D!