GRAND RAPIDS — Aiming to spotlight a diverse mix of artists from “an amazing pipeline of talent in this city and the region,” Michigan’s Jammie Awards show revealed its lineup for the much-anticipated Feb. 23 event at The Intersection in Grand Rapids.
Bluegrass favorite Full Cord, Latin rock’s Cabildo, vintage country’s The Bootstrap Boys, soul singer Laura Rain & The Caesars, hip hop’s Wills Piff & Samil and rock outfits Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish and LVRS lead the charge for the 2024 celebration of music by artists from across the state of Michigan.
In all, 19 bands and solo acts will play three stages at The Intersection, with Grand Rapids radio station WYCE-FM presenting 17 awards to the best releases of the past year by Michigan artists.
Others performing will be Banda El Bajio, C.A.R.Ma Quartet, Free Hat, Loren Johnson, Pablo Eskobear, Pretoria, Pocket Watch, Samuel Nalangira, Selkie, Short Panic and Vernon Potts.
The announcement came the same week that the Wheatland Music Organization revealed a revamped lineup for its rescheduled Winter Wheat festival that was canceled on Jan. 13 due to a major snowstorm.
Winter Wheat will now be held on Feb 18 at The Intersection, with nine Michigan bands performing on two stages: CrossBow, Full Cord Trio, Josh Rose & The Founding Fathers, Roosevelt Diggs, Round Creek String Band, Lynn Thompson & The Midnight Runners, Hearth & Hymn, Nicholas James Trio and Blue Water Ramblers.
Northern Michigan Cajun/zydeco band K. Jones & The Benzie Playboys who initially were schedule for the January event will not perform because some member of the band will be out of state in Louisiana in mid-February.
The annual Jammie Awards show, meanwhile, aims to showcase “another incredibly talented and diverse lineup of musicians and bands,” said Phil Tower, station manager for Grand Rapids community radio station WYCE, which stages the event.
“We have an amazing pipeline of talent in the region and a lot of love and collaboration keeps this local music scene, fresh dynamic and always growing. At its core, that is what the Jammies are designed to celebrate and lift up.”
Added music director Chris Cranick: “Last year’s awards truly felt like a return to form after a couple of years of uncertainty. The warmth and camaraderie displayed by attendees and musicians both on and off the stage permeated the entire venue. Additionally, the healthy mix of new Jammies performers really struck a chord with me, which is a big reason why I opted not to book any performers from last year.
“I hope that fans will leave with an even greater appreciation for the sheer amount of talent we have in Michigan. Yes, there are veteran performers and winners on the lineup, but there’s a lot of up-and-coming acts that I think will surprise attendees.”
Indeed, up-and-coming acts such as Grand Rapids-area acts Pocket Watch, Short Panic, Vernon Potts and Pablo Eskobear will join eclectic, seasoned bands such as Peter Madcat Ruth’s C.A.R.Ma Quartet from Ann Arbor and traditional Irish trio Selkie from Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
The Jammie Awards begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, with a suggested $5 contribution to WYCE at the door and attendees asked to bring canned food donations for Feeding America West Michigan. For the first time, WYCE also offered a small number of VIP tickets that gave purchasers access to reserved seating, a VIP lounge and WYCE merchandise. Those sold out quickly.
Awards this year will include a new “Against All Odds Award,” presented to a local artist who “defied all odds and powered through personal struggles to create their music.” The Local Spins website also will present its annual “Emerging Artist of the Year Award.”
“The overriding theme, to me, always has and will be community,” Cranick said of the Jammies celebration. “Musically, I would say the theme is diversity.”
The rescheduled Winter Wheat fest will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18, with tickets costing $30 in advance online at sectionlive.com and $35 at the door.
Previously purchased tickets for the Jan. 18 event will be honored on the new date.