Review: Detroit Music Awards at State Theatre, Detroit
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emailDETROIT--Besting fellow hometown rapper Kid Rock , Eminem earned two trophies at the Detroit Music Awards, held at Detroit's State Theatre on Friday (4/6).
Eminem sent his teen-aged brother Nathan Mathers to the podium to accept his awards for "The Marshall Mathers LP" and "The Real Slim Shady," which won in the best national album and single categories, respectively. Shortly after Nathan's brief thank-you speech came a surprise appearance by Eminem with his side project D12.
But before Eminem and D12 took the stage, the audience was read a list of warnings by an emcee: no photos, video or tape recordings of the performance would be allowed. Even the cameras that were broadcasting the proceedings on an overhead video screen were turned toward the seating area.
Eminem took the stage in baggy clothes, his face hidden beneath a baseball hat drawn low. He greeted fans who rushed the stage with frequent hand slaps. The performance, however--like D12's opening set for Limp Bizkit in Detroit last year--was lackluster, coming across as a swirl of noise.
Eminem and Kid Rock were the only national nominees in the house. Kid Rock stayed offstage for most of the event, though his guitarist Kenny Olson served as a presenter.
The Detroit-area reggae act Immunity, which won numerous prizes in 2000, won six awards on Friday, including Outstanding Live Performance, Outstanding World Recording for "Tu Lively" and Outstanding Reggae Act. The relatively new blues/jazz group Brothers Groove followed with four awards, while the Howling Diablos, which signed to Kid Rock’s Top Dog records, and gospel singer Fred Hammond, each won three.
Though they were plagued by poor sound, Johnnie Bassett and the Butler Twins, featuring Valerie Barrymore and Thornetta Davis, stole the show with their rousing blues performance. Rapper Alley Life, who is heading out on tour with Nelly, offered impressive renditions of material from his forthcoming debut.
Motown songwriter Barrett Strong, who was honored with a Distinguished Achievement Award, was joined by a collection of musicians in performing a medley of hits that he penned--"Ball of Confusion," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Just My Imagination," and others.
Surprise winners included longtime Detroit musician Liz Larin, who was signed to Atlantic in the early '90s, and industrial newcomers sweatysuedelips. They won Outstanding Songwriter and Outstanding Industrial Act, respectively.
The complete list of winners:
Outstanding National Album
Eminem ("The Marshall Mathers LP")
Outstanding National Single
Eminem ("The Real Slim Shady")
Outstanding Compilation
Marshall Crenshaw
Outstanding Producer
Mark Nilan
Outstanding Studio
Live Wire
Outstanding Record Label
Static
Outstanding Live Performance
Immunity
Outstanding Sound Technician
Neil Sever (Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak)
Outstanding Rock Record
The Dungbeatles
Outstanding Rock Act
Trash Brats
Outstanding Pop Act
The Dungbeatles
Outstanding Alternative Act
The Ottomans
Outstanding Metal Act
Broadzilla
Outstanding Industrial Act
sweatysuedelips
Outstanding Songwriter
Vinnie Dombroski (Sponge, Crud)
Outstanding Rock Vocalist
Stuart Scaggs (GRR)
Outstanding Rock Instrumentalist
Darryl Pierce (drummer, Mudpuppy)
Outstanding Acoustic Record
Lisa Hunter "Alive"
Outstanding Acoustic Act
Lisa Hunter
Outstanding Folk Act
Audra Kubat
Outstanding Acoustic Vocalist
Jan Krist
Outstanding Acoustic Musician
Danny Cox
Outstanding Acoustic Writer
Liz Larin
Outstanding Blues Recording
Alberta Adams "Say Baby Say"
Outstanding Blues Artist
Mudpuppy
Outstanding R&B Act
Paul Randolph (Mudpuppy)
Outstanding Blues Vocalist
Alberta Adams
Outstanding Blues Instrumentalist
Mark Pasman (Mudpuppy)
Outstanding Blues Writer
Chris Codish (Brothers Groove)
Outstanding Country Record
Big Barn Combo "Comin' All the Way from Detroit"
Outstanding Country Act
Devin Scillian
Outstanding Country Vocalist
Ron Jacobs
Outstanding Country Instrumentalist
JC Whitelaw
Outstanding Country Writer(s)
Scott and Denny Forbes
Outstanding Urban Record
Funktelligence "Until Now"
Outstanding Hip-Hop Act
Paradime
Outstanding Hip-Hop DJ
DJ Assault
Outstanding Hip-Hop MC
Paradime
Outstanding Funk Act
The Rev. Right-Time and the 1st Cuzins of Funk
Outstanding Urban Vocalist
Martin "Tino" Gross (Howling Diablos)
Outstanding Urban Instrumentalist
Johnny Evans (Howling Diablos)
Outstanding Urban Writer
Martin "Tino" Gross
Outstanding Jazz Record
Brothers Groove "Clamp It Down"
Outstanding Jazz Artist
Brothers Groove
Outstanding Big Band/Swing Act
Twistin' Tarantulas
Outstanding Jazz Vocalist
Chris Codish (Brothers Groove) and Sheila Landis (tie)
Outstanding Jazz Instrumentalist
Larry Nozero
Outstanding Jazz Composer
Teddy Harris Jr.
Outstanding World Recording
Immunity "Tu Lively"
Outstanding Reggae Act
Immunity
Outstanding Ska Act
Super Dot
Outstanding World Music Act
Johnny Rodriguez
Outstanding World Instrumentalist
Tom Varga (Immunity)
Outstanding World Instrumentalist
Tom Wall (Immunity)
Outstanding World Writer
Bill Koggenhop (Immunity)
Outstanding Electronic Record
Carl Craig "Designer Music VI"
Outstanding Electronic Act
Juan Atkins
Outstanding Electronic DJ
Carl Craig
Outstanding Electronic Producer
Mike Clark
Outstanding Gospel Recording
Fred Hammond "Purpose by Design"
Outstanding Gospel Choir
Rudy Hawkins Singers
Outstanding Gospel Act
Fred Hammond
Outstanding Gospel Instrumentalist
Tim Bowman
Outstanding Christian Contemporary Act
Jennifer Knapp
Outstanding Gospel Vocalist
Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Vickie Winans (tie)
Outstanding Gospel Writer
Fred Hammond
Outstanding Classical Recording
Emerald Sinfionetta "Homegrown"
Outstanding Community Orchestra
Warren
Outstanding Classical Small Ensemble
Emerald Sinfionetta
Outstanding Classical Instrumentalist
Flavio Varani
Outstanding Classical Vocalist
Abha Dearing
Outstanding Classical Composer
Dana Newhouse
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