The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation will once again promote the 31st annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards and the NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame on January 23 at the 2016 NAMM Show. The events honor the best in audio and sound production as well as the most impactful audio technology products from the last 75 years. Record producer and music industry executive Don Was will receive the 2016 Les Paul Award.
During the 2016 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, from January 21-24, music producer Don Was is on tap to receive the Les Paul Award, an annual recognition of those who embody the creative spirit and legacy of one of the most revered musical geniuses who ever lived. The show happens on the evening of January 23, 2016, and is open to the public. Prior to the ceremony, 10 historically-significant breakthrough products and technologies that impact the way we make, record and hear sound will be inducted to the NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame.
Don Was is one of music’s most significant artists, producers and executives. He co-founded former Detroit-based band Was (Not Was) with childhood friend David Was (Weiss) before going on to produce decades of commercially successful and critically-acclaimed recordings for top artists. He has earned multiple GRAMMY Awards for his production work over the past three decades including Bonnie Raitt’s Nick Of Time (’89), Producer Of The Year for work with artists ranging from The Rolling Stones to Willie Nelson and Roy Orbison (‘94) and Ziggy Marley’s Best Musical Album For Children, Family Time (‘09).
As President of Blue Note Records, Was oversees the label’s extensive reissue campaigns that serve audiences in both the analogue and digital realms. He joins a prestigious group of Les Paul honorees including Stevie Wonder, Sting, Pete Townshend and more, who have “set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of audio and music technology,” according to the Les Paul Foundation.
TEChnical AwardsMeanwhile, the NAMM Foundation announced the nominees for its 31st Annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards in the categories of Outstanding Technical and Creative Achievement. The awards celebrate the best in professional audio and sound production. Voting began December 1, 2015, with winners announced Saturday evening, January 23, 2016, during the awards event held in the Anaheim Hilton’s Pacific Ballroom and via a live event web stream during the 2016 NAMM Show.
“The story of our industry, and for that matter, the story of NAMM is not some sterile business-school myth,” says Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “It is the story of passionate individuals who followed their dreams and against all obstacles persevered and succeeded in making the world a more musical place. The TEC Awards and the TEC Hall of Fame honors these pioneers for their vision and service and we are grateful for their contributions.”
An eye toward the future marks this year’s technical nominees who have designed products, tools and new software solutions that take music and audio production to the next level.
In the category of Audio Apps for Smartphones & Tablets, companies with technology that extends the reach and connectivity of concert sound systems in venues of all sizes are nominated. Those brands include Allen & Heath’s Qu-Pad App, Meyer Sound’s Compass Go, JBL Professional’s SRX Connect and other manufacturers’ products that break down barriers between studio and live production.
Legacy products rule in the Musical Instrument Hardware category. Classic synthesizer designs including MOOG’s Modular Recreation, Korg’s ARP Odyssey and Dave Smith Instruments’ Sequential Prophet-6 show that state-of-the-art technology can advance while still creating iconic sound.
In the category of Workstation Technology, nominated products that include Avid’s Pro Tools 12 feature advance computer-based technologies and user accessibility. Apple, PreSonus, SoundMAGIC, Steinberg and Waves Audio are also up for TEC Award consideration.
There are eight categories for Outstanding Creative Achievement that include TV Sound Production (“Game of Thrones,” “Nashville,” etc.); Film Sound Production (American Sniper, Birdman, etc.); Record Production/Single or Track (“Baltimore” from Prince, “Dreams” from Beck, etc.) and more.
The founders of Record Plant will be inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame for their exemplary work in capturing iconic music that stretches across generations of the American musical experience, including Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life,” The Eagles’ “Hotel California” and live recordings captured with the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. At the helm of three Record Plant studios were Chris Stone and the late Gary Kellgren. Their New York-based Studio A was the first studio designed for mixing quadraphonic (surround) sound.
Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter, whose guitar licks with Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers and many more are included on the shelves of music’s most successful discographies, will be inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame for his myriad contributions to music. A sought-after solo and session player, Baxter’s career fluidly moves between a mixture of genres from pop to country to rock, fusion and beyond.
In total, winners in more than 30 categories will be selected from the 180 nominees.
See the complete list of nominees for Outstanding Technical Achievement in the 23 categories.
See the complete list of nominees for Outstanding Creative Achievement in 8 categories.
NAMM TECnology Hall of FameEarlier on Saturday, the NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame will induct 10 audio products and innovations released between 1928 and 2002 that have made a significant contribution to the advancement of audio technology. The ceremony, presented by the NAMM MUSEUM of Making Music and hosted by George Petersen, editor of Front of House Magazine, will be a celebration of nostalgia and innovation. A panel of more than 50 recognized audio experts, including authors, educators, engineers, facility owners and other professionals selected the nominees.
The 1966 Neumann KM84 microphone was invented by Georg Neumann five decades ago and is still in use today via the improved KM184 model. It stands out as the first microphone to use the now-standard “phantom powering system.” Also entering a 50-year milestone is the Shure SM58 microphone, a standard in the eyes of many rock ‘n rollers. After three years and hundreds of tests involving dropping, throwing, cooking, salt spray immersion and submersion, the Shure SM58 was born under the watchful eye of Ernie Seeler, a classical music fan who hated rock 'n' roll!
Turn up Supertramp’s “Logical Song” and Steely Dan’s “Do It Again” and you’ll hear the distinct sounds produced by Wurlitzer’s 1954 Electronic Piano, originally designed as a portable and substitute for the acoustical piano. It has become a mainstay of rock, pop and jazz artists worldwide.
Roland’s RE-201 Space Echo was first released when Richard Nixon was still President, but its vintage sound continues to find its way into the recordings of musicians that include Fatboy Slim, Mr. Oizo, Sneaker Pimps, Radiohead, Lauryn Hill and more who covet its slightly unpredictable analog echo effects.
Other inductees include the 1998 Manley VoxBox and the 2002 Avid Digidesign Pro Tools HD, which are both still in production today.
The TECnology Hall of Fame ceremony will be presented Saturday, January 23, from 4-6 PM in Room 202A of the Anaheim Convention Center in the TEC Tracks educational area. The January 23 event will be held in the Hilton Anaheim Pacific Ballroom. A reception begins at 6 PM with the ceremony following at 7 PM. Tickets are available.
www.nammfoundation.org | www.tecawards.org
