Connie Hechter Awards – 1979
The Connie Hechter Awards were held only once, in 1979. They were sponsored by the Musicians’ Insider magazine, which was intended to be a successor to the Insider when Connie Hechter died, but only lasted five issues. These awards were different from the Connie Awards that were put on by Connie himself in 1967 through 1970.
It was an ambitious affair, with 70 bands nominated, and 100 musicians in 28 categories. Winners were determined by a readers’ poll. More than 500 people attended, in a room designed to hold 400.
The Awards were held on April 9, 1979, in the Grand Ballroom of the St. Paul Hotel. A comedy group called Modern Entertainment emceed the program. (Mike Steele, Minneapolis Tribune, April 8, 1979)
After the ceremony, many headed to Thumper’s North in Coon Rapids to hear Robert Gordon, while jazz fans and others “too drunk to move” stayed for 90 minutes of jazz by Eric Gravatt, Jay Young, and Mark Waggoner.
Most of the winners received gift certificates to music stores, cassette tapes, and subscriptions to magazines. Exceptions are noted below.
The list of nominees below is that published in the February 1979 issue of Musician’s Insider. There were typos in the list, in good old Insider tradition, some of which I fixed, and I’m sure I added some of my own. Please contact me to fix these, tell stories of this event, and share photos or anything you wish to share.
*** The winner in each category is the first one in the list and in bold. ****
REGGAE
- Shangoya
- The Judd Group
- Snake
POPULAR JAZZ
- Wolverines
- Eddie Berger
- John Enwick
- The Judd Group
- Natural Life
- Nightingale
- Rio Nido
- Sweet Bottom
ACOUSTIC GROUP
- St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
- John Enwick
- Jay Epstein Trio
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Powdermilk Biscuit Band
- Rio Nido
- Sidewinder Band
BLUEGRASS
- Middle Spunk Creek Boys
- Sean Blackburn/Dave Hull
- Bill Hinkley/Judy Larson
- Pocono Mountain String Band
- Red Willow Band
- Whiskey River
FREE JAZZ
- Hey Moriarty Group – This is unclear – there is definitely a typo here!
- Pat Moriarty Group
- Milo Fine
- Natural Life
- John O’Brien
- Sweet Bottom
ELECTRIC GUITAR
- Dale Strength (Brainiac) (won Kramer electric guitar)
Dale Strength – Musician’s Insider, May 1979
- Randy Anderson (Jesse Brady)
- Kent Appledorn
- Georff Bouchier (Lakers)
- Gus Dewey (City Mouse)
- Dez Dickerson (Prince)
- John Donaldson (Chameleon)
- Jim Edwards (Grand Slam)
- Tom Ferderer (Raggs)
- Hoyd Forsberg (Cain)
- Dean Ganros
- Wilson Hall
- Robin Hauge (Soda)
- Devin Hazlett
- Dan Lund
- Willie Murphy
- Chris Osgood (Suicide Commandos)
- Dick Parish (Bandolero)
- Mike Partridge
- Jeff Peterson (Headstone)
- Dave Ray (Snake)
- Johnny Rey (Flamingo)
- Tom Riopelle (Fairchild)
- Robert “Kinky” Schnitzer (Passage)
- John Thompson (Headstone)
- Robert Wilkinson (Flamingo)
HORNS
- Voyle Harris (Wiilie and the Bees)
- Ken Bartel
- John Boblett (Wolverines)
- Mark Bruner (Wolverines)
- Bob Burtis
- Deome Johnson (Gypsy)
- Dick Jorgansen (Gypsy)
- Pete Masters (Wolverines)
- John O’Brien (Willie and the Bees)
- Pat Schmid (Wolverines)
- Tim Sullivan (Wolverines)
DRUMS
- Bernie Pershey (Brainiac)
- Charles Adams (Chameleon)
- Dave Ahl (Suicide Commandos)
- Monty Alexander
- Bill Berg (Flim and the BBs)
- Tom Blacick
- Tom Dougherty
- Jay Epstein
- Brett Forberg (Wolverines
- Rick Foreman (Soda)
- Kevin Glynn (Fingerprints)
- Dallas Janes
- Gordy Knutson (Passage)
- “Hound Dog” Kristofferson
- Paul Lagos (Natural Life)
- Jim Novak (Lamont Cranston)
- Ollie Manley
- Shannon McDonald (Footloose)
- Bob Rivkin (Prince)
- Bob Strength ( Parade)
- Bobby Vandell (Lakers)
- Bill E. Webb (Bandolero)
SAX
- Eddie Berger
Musician’s Insider, May 1979
- Larry Ankrum
- Maurice Jacox (Willie and the Bees)
- Jose James (Snake)
- Robyn Lee
- Loren MacArthur (Free and Easy)
- Pat Macklin (Judo)
- Pat Moriarty
- Dick Oatts
- Rick Odell (Raggs)
- Bobby Rockwell
- Tim Rummelhoff
- Paul Schier (Explodo Boys)
- Steve Sonmer (Wolverines)
- Mark Throne (Fingerprints)
- Eric Thorsen
- Ted Unseth (Wolverines)
- Morris Wilson
HARP
- Pat Hayes (Lamont Cranston)
- Gary Cook (Firehouse)
- Jim Eastmen (Bandolero)
- Tony Glover
- Pat Hazell (Mother Blues Band)
- Bruce “Creeper” Kurnow
- Jimmy Liban (Short Stuff)
- Tom Lewis
- Billy Steiner (City Mouse)
- Rick Wiebolt
WOODWINDS
- Eddie Berger
- Larry Ankrum
- Brett Gadbois
- Dave Karr
- Mike Kiery
- Robyn Lee
- Max Swanson
- Butch Thompson
STRINGS
- Pat Fredrick (Daisy Dillman)
- Anthony Cox
- Mary Dushane
- Bruce “Creeper” Kurnow
- Peter Ostroushsko
- Pat Schmid (Wolverines)
- Bill Scott
- Jim Tordoff (Wolverines)
MALE SOLOIST
- Robert “One Man” Johnson (won microphone)
- Mark Gaddis
- Michael Johnson
- Spider John Koerner
- Leo Kottke
- Lonnie Knight
FEMALE SOLOIST
- Barb With (won microphone)
- Sue Drude
- Debbra Joyce
- Joyce Marie
- Mariam Monash
- Claire Wieland
PEDAL STEEL
- Cal Hand
- Mike Cass
- Jeff Dayton
- Mike Jelen
- Dave Knight
- Mark Lee
- Dick Parish
- Russ Paul
- Stymie Seamans
- Steve Skoquist
ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Leo Kottke and Michael Johnson placed first and second, but declined since the prize was a guitar and neither really needed another one, so the award went to Tim Sparks.
- Tim Sparks
- Rod Bellville
- Sean Blackburn
- Roger Bruner
- Mark Gaddis
- Larry Hayes
- Pat Hayes
- James Hersch
- Herbie Hind
- Charles Hoffman
- Michael Johnson
- Lonnie Knight
- Spider John Koerner
- Leo Kottke
- Peter Lang
- Tom Lieberman
- Mike Monroe
- Paul Strickland
- Jim Tordoff
BASS
- Willie Murphy (won Kramer electric bass guitar)
- Steve Almaas
- Andre Anderson
- Randy Anderson
- Jeff Carlson
- Gary Charley
- Pat Deremer
- Jim Eastmand
- Steve Fjelstad
- Michael Halliday
- Warren Hammer
- Flim Johnson
- Jeff Johnson
- John Peterson
- Greg Kuberg
- Lenny Litchie
- Dugan McNeil
- Stu Nankin
- Doug Nelson
- Jody Ray
- Andy Schrimer
- Gary Snow
- Bruce Thompson
- Jay Young
KEYBOARDS
- Gregg Inhofer (Brainiac) Gregg “when collecting his award … used the opportunity to spell his name correctly: one F. Two Gs, two Es, two Rs, one F.” (Musician’s Insider, May 1979). 2 Gs?
- Mark Anthony (Chameleon)
- Bill Barber (Flim and the BBs)
- John Beach (Snake)
- Joseph H. Behrend (Flamingo)
- Julie Boston (Spys)
- Bob Burtis
- Bud Carroll
- Gayle Chapman (Prince)
- Yiannis Chryssomallis
- Sid Farrar
- Matt Fink (Prince)
- Bob Fisher (Bandolero
- Gary Gimmestad (Wolverines)
- Mark Goldstein (Suicide Commandos)
- Dale Haefner (City Mouse)
- Jeff Harrington
- Jimmy Harris (Mind and Matter)
- Bruce Judd (The Judd Group)
- Bruce “Creeper” Kurnow
- Robin Lee
- BruceMcCabe
- John McKenzie (Jesse Brady)
- Paul Mazo (Daisy Dillman)
- Willie Murphy (Willie and the Bees)
- Prince Nelson (Prince)
- Ricky Peterson
- Bobby Peterson
- Chan Poling (Suburbs)
- Byron Quom
- Chuck Smith (Passage)
- Jim Steinworth (Barry Goldberg and Hwy 52)
- Peter Stenshoel (Mill City Band)
- Butch Thompson
- Lee Tomten (Soda)
- Michael Tornes
FEMALE VOCALS
- Roberta Davis (won microphone)
- Candy Anderson
- Julie Boston
- Char Brower
- Sue Ann Carwell
- Kristin Ericson
- Prudence Johnson
- Jan King
- Joyce Marie
- Mary Jane Pengra
- Ann Reed
- Becky Reimer
- Melanie Rosales
- Betty Rydell
- Jean Snell
- Ruby Starr
- Claire Wieland
- Barb With
MALE VOCALS
- Curt Almsted (won microphone)
- Mark Anthony
- Tom Baden
- Billy Batson
- Roger Bruner
- Steve Cauthen
- Gus Dewey
- Eddie Estirin
- Mark Friendman
- Mark Gaddis
- Bary Goldberg
- Pat Hayes
- Gregg Inhofer
- Bill Jason
- Scott Kjorness
- Lonnie Knight
- Frank Kohler
- Bruce Langevin
- Steve McLoone
- Duga McNeil
- Howard Merriweather
- Willie Murphy
- Scooter Nelson
- Chris Osgood
- Russ Paul
- Ron Pekrul
- Rocky Robbins
- David Rodriguez
- John Thompson
- Mark Throne
- Robert Wilkinson
- Xeno
R&B
- Lamont Cranston
- Class Action
- Explodo Boys
- Free and Easy
- Headstone
- Mojo Buford
- Short Stuff
- Spark
- Stray Catz
- TNT
- Willie and the Bees
HARD ROCK
- Brainiac
- Berlin
- Cain
- Chameleon
- Grand Slam
- Granite
- Jesse Brady
- The Judd Group
- Loafers
- Mill City Band Mutuals
- Rocking Horse
BLUES
- Lamont Cranston
- Crazy Legs
- Firehouse
- Mill City Band
- Mojo Buford Short Stuff
- Snake
- Willie and the Bees
NEW WAVE
- Suburbs
- Fine Art
- Hypstrz
- NNB
- St. Paul Travelers
- Spooks
- Suicide Commandos
- Yipes
SWING
- Daisy Dillman Band
- Fatt City
- Nigel Eccles
- Radio Rangers
- Sky Blue Water Boys
- Whiskey River
COUNTRY
- Daisy Dillman Band
- Bandolero
- Battle Creek Boys
- City Mouse
- Explodo Boys
- Fatt City
- Gambler’s Rose
- Lazy Day Band
- Merwin Lee Band
- Montana Starr
- Nigel Eccles
- North Country Band
- Radio Rangers
- Ricochet
- Rose Canyon
- Sky Blue Water Boys
- Sherwin Linton
- Sour Mash
- Whiskey River
TOP 40
- Class Action
- Del Counts
- Free and Easy Gangbusters
- Harlot
- Parade
- Passage
- Soda
- Spangle
- Sweet Thing
- Up Front
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL
- Flamingo
Flamingo – Musician’s Insider, May 1979
- Bad Boy
- Barry Goldberg and Hwy 52
- Brainiac
- Cain
- Chameleon
- Cisco Grove
- Europe
- Fine Art
- Fingerprints
- Grand Slam
- Hypstrz
- Jesse Brady
- The Judd Group
- Loafers
- Mind and Matter
- Music Love & Funk
- Rocking Horse
- Suburbs
- Suicide Commandos
- Sunblind Lion
Best Locally Released 45: “Slack New World” by NNB
Best Locally Released EP: “Flamingo” by Flamingo
Best Locally Released LP: “I Like to Riff” by Rio Nido
Most Promising Act: Rio Nido (won four hours of studio time at ASI Studios)
Best Overall Band: Wolverines and Explodo Boys (tie) (won feature stories in future Musicians Insiders – which went out of business)