Minnesota Music Awards: 1996
The source of this information is an article written by Jon Bream in the Star Tribune, dated July 12, 1996. Only the winners were reported; information on nominees would be very welcome.
I apologize for any misspellings of anyone’s name; it could be from the source, or it could be from my typing. Please contact me if you need to have something corrected. Thanks!
For other years, see MINNESOTA MUSIC AWARDS.
DATE: July 11, 1996
PLACE: First Avenue
NOTES:
Awards in 48 Categories were presented. All but the Connie Hechter Award were elected and voted on by 264 members of the MMA.
This Awards ceremony was sponsored by the St. Paul Saints Baseball team, who threw peanuts and Crackerjack out to the crowd. Some Saints front-office personnel sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” and the Saints’ pig, Tobias, delivered the envelopes with the winning names to the stage.
MAJOR AWARDS
ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Prince
MAJOR LABEL ALBUM: “Down by the Old Mainstream,” Golden Smog
SELF-PRODUCED ALBUM: “Black Lake,” Barbara Cohen and Little Lizard
INDIE LABEL RECORD: “Dog Day Afternoon,” Eller Lynch
SONG OF THE YEAR: “Good Day,” Paul Westerberg
NEW ARTIST: Dustbunnies
FEMALE SONGWRITER: Barbara Cohen
MALE SONGWRITER: Paul Westerberg, “Good Day”
MUSICIANS’ AWARDS
ACOUSTIC GUITAR: Billy McLaughlin
ELECTRIC GUITAR: Billy Franze
BASS: Jim Anton, Greazy Meal
DRUMS: Noah Levy
KEYBOARDS: Tommy Elm, Greazy Meal
HORNS: Brian Gallagher
FEMALE VOCALIST: Laura Schlieske
MALE VOCALIST: Julius Collins, Greazy Meal
OTHER INSTRUMENTALIST: Dave Boquist
AMERICANA/ROOTS/RETRO: Honeydogs
AMERICAN ROOTS RECORDING: “Everything, I Bet You,” Honeydogs
BLUES ARTIST: (tie)
- Jonny Lang & the Big Bang
- Willie Murphy and the Angel Headed Hipsters
BLUES RECORDING: “Still Blowin’ Strong,” Mojo Buford
BLUEGRASS ARTIST: Stoney Lonesome
CHILDREN’S ARTIST: Teddy Bear Band
COUNTRY ARTIST: Trailer Trash
EXPERIMENTAL, INSTRUMENTAL, ENVIRONMENTAL RECORDING: “Spirit of the Wood,” Glen Heigeson
TRADITIONAL & MODERN FOLK ARTIST: Spider John Koerner
TRADITIONAL & MODERN FOLK RECORDING: “Larry’s Road Trip,” Cooker John
GOSPEL ARTIST: Minneapolis Community College Choir
HIP-HOP ARTIST: Phull Surklle & Casino Royale
JAZZ GROUP: Billy Franze Trio
JAZZ RECORDING: “Live at Mackenzie,” Billy Franze Trio
POLKA ARTIST: Wendiger Brothers
POP ARTIST: Semisonic
HARD ROCK ARTIST: Babes in Toyland
MODERN ROCK ARTIST: Tribe of Millions
OVERALL ROCK RECORDING: “West Coast Shakes,” Balloon Guy
R&B ARTIST: Greazy Meal
R&B RECORDING: “Funkin’ at the Bunker,” Dr. Mambo’s Combo
WORLD MUSIC: Eight Head
WORLD FOLK ARTIST: Tim Sparks
OVERALL WORLD MUSIC RECORDING: “Whole Wide World,” Machinery Hill
TECHNICAL
ORIGINAL RECORDING COMPILATION ALBUM: “Minneapolis Does Denver,” various artists, produced by John Strawberry Fields
LOCAL MUSIC RADIO SHOW: “Local Sound Dept.,” KFAI-Radio
DANCE ARTIST OR DJ: Jezus Juice
PRODUCER OR ENGINEER: Tom Herbers
SOUND PERSON: Rob Curtis
MUSIC VIDEO: “Sweet ’69,” Babes in Toyland
SPECIAL
PERPETUALLY OUTSTANDING PERFORMER: Vocalist Debbie Duncan and drummer Michael Bland
CONNIE HECHTER AWARD: Steve McClellan, General Manager of First Avenue. This was the only award selected by the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Music Academy. McClellan was introduced by First Avenue’s CEO and Steve’s longtime friend Jack Meyer, who commended him for his “integrity, commitment and stubbornness” and for “putting Minnesota and First Avenue on the map as the place where music comes first.” At that time he had been there 23 years, and he would remain there until 2004. Bream reported that McClellan “received the most prolonged applause of the long night.”