Chuck Cusimano, Joni Harms and Billy Mata Receive most awards nominations from Academy Of Western Artists

CHUCK CUSIMANO, JONI HARMS AND BILLY MATA

RECEIVE MOST AWARDS NOMINATIONS FROM ACADEMY OF WESTERN ARTISTS

AWA Organization Releases Top Five Nominations For Music Awards Winners

Plus Winners in Western Artists and Gear Maker Award Categories 

Chuck Cusimano, Joni Harms and Billy Mata received the most nominations from the Academy of Western Artists, who announced the organizations’ top five nominees in 17 music categories this week.

Cusimano received four nods -- Pure Country Male, Pure Country Album for “The Collection #2”, Pure Country Duo/Group with DeeJee Overbey and Western Swing Song for “My Heart Is Back In Texas.”

Harms received three nods -- Female Western Artist, Western Album for “Lucky 13” and Western Music Song for “Horse Sense.” 

Mata also received three nominations – Western Swing Male, Western Swing Duo/Group with Texas Tradition and Western Swing Album with Texas Tradition for “This is Tommy Duncan #3.” 

The 23^RD annual Academy of Western Artists awards show and dinner will be held on Thursday, March 14, at the Brown Lupton Ballroom on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas at 6 p.m.

The AWA recognizes entertainers in Western, Western Swing and Pure Country music categories. The organization also recognizes the authors, cowboy poets, cartoonists, radio personalities and men and women who work in the arts side of the west, including saddle makers, bootmakers and bit and spur makers.

This is the only awards show that presents awards in multiple genres of music, as well as awards to artisans who are a part of the culture that the singers and songwriters write and sing about. 

A complete list of the top five nominees in the music categories follow:

MUSIC AWARDS

YOUNG ARTIST
Emily George, Hailee Nixon; Abby Payne; Jack Phillips; Leah Sawyer 

PURE COUNTRY MALE
Will Banister; Chuck Cusimano; Steve Griggs; Richard Lynch; Scott Southworth 

PURE COUNTRY FEMALE
Lorraine Chavana; Tara Dunphy; Teea Goans; Lisa Layne; Leslie Tom 

PURE COUNTRY DUO/GROUP
Steve Griggs Band; Richard Lynch Band; Heybale; Jeff Woolsey/Dancehall Kings; Chuck Cusimano/DeeJee Overbey 

PURE COUNTRY ALBUM
Tim Atwood – “Living The Dream”; Chuck Cusimano – “The Collection #2”; Teresa Farris – “Teresa Farris”; Bobby Marquez – “The Cowboy Way”; Scott Southworth – “Hey Hillbilly Singer” 

PURE COUNTRY SONG
Teea Goans – “A Way To Survive”; Dennis Ledbetter – “JDs My Whiskey, Not My Name”; Leslie Tom/Dean Miller – “Are You Ready For Some Hanky Panky”; Lonnie Spiker – “The First To Say Goodbye”; Bobby Marquez/Rhonda Vincent – “For Awhile” 

WESTERN SWING MALE
Garry Ash; Doug Boggs; Billy Mata; Rich Norcross; Carlos Washington 

WESTERN SWING FEMALE
Susie Blue; Cheryl Deseree; Carolyn Martin; Taryn Noelle; LeeLee Robert 

WESTERN SWING DUO/GROUP
Brady Bowen/Swing Country 
Light Crust Doughboys; Susie Blue/Lonesome Fellas; Rick/All Star Ramblers; Billy Mata/TexasTradition 

WESTERN SWING ALBUM
Cheryl Deseree – “Dreamy”; Carolyn Martin – “Wild West Texas Wind”; Rick & All Star Ramblers – “Taryn Noelle Swings”; LeeLee Robert – “Swing Set”; Billy Mata/Texas Tradition – “This is Tommy Duncan #3” 

WESTERN SWING SONG
Don Walker – “Barnyard Swing”; Chuck Cusimano – “My Heart Is Back In Texas”; Carolyn Martin – “You Can’t Take Texas Out Of The Girl”; Taryn Noelle – “Swing On The Range”; Steel Horse Swing – “Swing Time Baby” 

INSTRUMENTALIST 
Rory Hoffman; Hyram Posey; Rose Sinclair; Hank Singer; Joe Spivey 

WESTERN MUSIC MALE
Rex Allen Jr.; Bob Corley; Doug Figgs; Bob Marshall; Barry Ward 

WESTERN MUSIC FEMALE
Dawn Anita Plumlee; Devon Dawson; Joni Harms; Kristyn Harris; Mary Kaye 

WESTERN MUSIC DUO/ GROUP
High Country Cowboys; Hanson Family; Sawyer Family; Devon And Outlaw; Many Strings 

WESTERN MUSIC ALBUM
Gary Alegretto – “Blues On The Trail”; Mike Blakely – “The Outside Circle”; Ron Christopher – “Outside The Fence”; Joni Harms – “Lucky 13”; Carol Markstrom – “Desert Rose” 

WESTERN MUSIC SONG
Ron Christopher – “Line In The Sand”; Joni Harms – “Horse Sense”; Tony Messerely – “Ridin’ By The Light Of The Moon”;
Dawn Anita Plumlee – “Down On Wildhorse Creek”; Rich Price – “Cowboy’s Cowboy” 

AWARD WINNERS - WESTERN ARTISTS AND GEAR MAKERS

(These awards will be presented during the awards show and dinner)

ARTIST - Shawn Cameron, Wyoming

CARTOONIST - Kristen Lloyd, Utah

BIT/SPURMAKER - Bill Madole, Oklahoma
ENGRAVER - Matt Litz, Texas
BRAIDER - Bret Haskett, Idaho
HITCHER – Donna Murray, Canada 

BOOTMAKER - Dave Wheeler, Texas

SADDLEMAKER - Ken Tipton, Nevada
DON KING MEMORIAL SADDLEMAKER  - Pete Gorrell, Hawaii 

GARNET BROOKS CHUCKWAGON - Keith Middleton, Texas

MASTER LEATHER ARTISAN - Tony Laier, Colorado 

BUCK RAMSEY COWBOY AWARD - Gail Steiger, Arizona

BUCK RAMSEY COWGIRL AWARD - Amy Auker, Arizona

RADIO STATION – San Saba Radio (SanSabaradio.com)
DISC JOCKEY – Sean Hickey “Western Red,” Host, creator of “If That Ain’t Country,” The Rooster 105.5, Fort Smith, Arkansas 

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets are $75, which includes dinner and show. Tables of eight may be purchased for $750. All individual tickets are for open seating. Tickets purchased after February 1 will be $100. No tickets will be sold after March 8.  Purchasers will receive confirmation, but all tickets will be held at the door for pickup. Tickets can be purchased through www.AWAAwards.org.

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