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2008 SoulTracks Awards, Detroit, MI
Sure there are the Grammys, Academy Awards, MTV Music Awards, and countless other awards shows, but there is only one SoulTracks Awards. My wife and I had the pleasure of attending a few weeks back and boy were we glad we made the trek
SoulTracks.com, the leading soul music resource for classic and modern soul music, threw its Second Annual SoulTracks Music Awards at the beautiful Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit, Michigan. The event showcased new and classic independent artists of soul music from across the country with numerous live performances. The vibe was celebratory and encouraging as many of the artists were receiving their first career awards.
The first performance was by April Hill, an Atlanta native who graduated from Howard U. She sang her single “The Search” and later tied with songstress Algebra in receiving the New Artist of the Year Award. The night continued with several other excellent performances by artists Conya Doss, Liv Warfield, Algebra, Sy Smith and Monica Blaire. One of our favorite performances was by Heston, who sang “Good Morning America” in the spirit of other great socially conscious songs of the past.
Among the awards given was the Lifetime Achievement Award, which this year was presented to the Dramatics. Of the many memorable performances of the night, the most memorable came from the musical tribute to the Dramatics with Gordon Chambers singing “Me & Mrs. Jones” and Phil Perry singing “In the Rain.” Perry brought down the house with his seemingly effortless vocal prowess. This performance, as well as this night, was one for the history books.
SoulTracks Award Winners:
Album of the Year – Mint Condition – e-life
Song of the Year – Dwele – “I’m Cheatin”
Female Vocalist of the Year – Conya Doss
Male Vocalist of the Year – Dwele
Duo or Group of the Year – Mint Condition
New Artist of the Year – Algebra & April Hill
Of course no first trip to Detroit would be complete without a visit to the Motown Museum. Thanks to the founder and publisher of SoulTracks, Chris Rizik, for arranging a guided tour of the museum for Award attendees. Getting a firsthand account of the story of Motown not to mention standing in Studio A where so much timeless music was created was truly inspiring.
All in all, the weekend was incredible. We were sorry to miss the SoulTracks Jam Session which was held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History the evening after the awards. Chris Rizik and SoulTracks, thanks for a great weekend filled with real music, real artists, and inspiration. We’ll see you next year!
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