The Drive To Five: The Class of 2012

We are back live here at the +The WENC Night Beat after the Storm of The Millennium, The Blizzard of 2015 or (gag) Blizzard Juno. No, No, I will not name a storm (Blizzard Joe Bob). You do that with Hurricanes because usually more than one will hit. Not so with Major Blizzards.

One thing the Class of 2012 had with Hurricane's and Blizzards. They are usually named after women. Don't ask me why, though that is changing. 2012 was the ladies year. Marlene Brehm, Rachel Chan, Moriah Peters, Holly Spears, and Lindsay McCaul dominated New Artist and were joined by tokens Jeremy Horn and Jordan Lara. Sorry guys, it wasn't your year. Three of the five are fairly active (Peters, McCaul and Holly Spears) and the rest are resting on their laurels. Hey, it has only been two years. I expect new works from all of them soon.

Of course there were other "new" artists, and I have already spoken of my creation of the Undiscovered Gem Awards. I am not really talking about that. Aaron Gillespie had his "debut" in 2012, yet it was a solo debut. Before that he was the drummer and clean vocalist for metal band Underoath, which broke up in 2011. Abel would have been an undiscovered gem, except that they took their award and broke up. A severe lack of Gratitude in CCM I tell ya.

When we return to our Drive to Five, we will touch on the Comebacks, one of which was very big, at least to me. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Playing the Field: The 2010 Platinum Vinyl Award Open Nominations

The Nominations for the First Ever Platinum Vinyl Awards continue with the "General Field" Nominations, those not restricted to a certain genre. For the First Year, there will be four major categories: Male Vocalist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Group of the Year, and New Artist of the Year. Since this is currently a one man job, there will be no best CD Cover Design or any other such minutia awards.

And The Nominees are...

Male Vocalist of the Year

• Lincoln Brewster
• Charlie Hall
• Lecrae
• Toby Mac
• VaShawn Mitchell
• Andrew Peterson
• Michael W. Smith

Female Vocalist of the Year

• Charmaine
• Sara Groves
• Sarah Kelly
• Jennifer Knapp
• Sandra McCracken
• Kellie Roberts
• Beckah Shae

Group of the Year

• The Choir
• The Classic Crime
• Disciple
• Evolett
• Fireflight
• Ivoryline
• The Showdown

New Artist of the Year

• Audrey Assad
• Evolett
• Forever Jones
• Me in Motion
• VaShawn Mitchell
• Poema
• Kerrie Roberts
• Heather Williams 

Artist of The Year

• Lincoln Brewster
• Charmaine
• Fireflight
• Forever Jones
• Ivoryline
• Sarah Kelly
• Jennifer Knapp
• Lecrae
• The Letter Black
• TobyMac
• Kerrie Roberts
• Michael W. Smith 

I am thinking of adding two more major categories to the Platinum Vinyl Awards, that of Song of the Year, which would be open, and Record (Recorded Song) of the Year which would be by genre. I am currently going through the nominees and rating the songs. Since this is by far the most time consuming of the tasks involved in the PVA's, I have decided to divorce these categories from the regular awards. The Awards will be sometime the week of April 17. I am shooting for Thursday April 21. That is after the Dove Awards but before the TV Broadcast of the Doves.  Record and Song of the Year will be done at a separate time. We shall come up with the details later.