The Kennedys, Ruthie and the Wranglers Top Wammies Win List By Joe Heim Washingtonpost.com Staff Monday, February 7, 2000

Wammie Awards get off to a festive start. (Reginald A. Pearman Jr./washingtonpost.com)

Last night the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) hosted its annual collective pat-on-the-back Wammies party to recognize excellence in the local music community. In a remarkably efficient three-hour ceremony at the Washington Hilton Ballroom, WAMA handed out Wammies to 103 recipients – though the last 40 or so were announced in a rather breathless 10-minute read-through by radio personalities Weasel and Billy Zero.

This is the 14th year that WAMA has handed out the awards to musicians who either live in and perform in the area, or have strong local ties.

Wammie winners Nicki Gonzalez and Ron Holloway. (Reginald A. Pearman Jr./washingtonpost.com)

A number of last night's winners received awards in more than one category. Roots-rockers Ruthie and the Wranglers took home five Wammies including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for "What Mama Don't Know" and Album of the Year for "Life's Savings." The husband-and-wife duo, the Kennedys, also took home five Wammies between them. They shared the Songwriter of the Year award and, through some not always comprehensible Wammies logic, were awarded for being both the best folk duo/group and best rock/pop duo/group.

Jazz saxophonist Ron Holloway was named Musician of the Year on top of three other Wammies he received. And Washington Post nightlife writer Eric Brace received Wammies for best male country vocalist and for being the person most supportive of the Washington music scene. Brace's band Last Train Home was named best roots-rock group. Not all of the winners showed up to collect their awards – Mya, Mary Chapin Carpenter, among others – but that probably helped keep the overstuffed ceremony on schedule. For a complete list of winners, click here.

Patrick Alban and Noche Latina perform. (Reginald A. Pearman Jr./washingtonpost.com)

Of course, what would a local music awards show be without local music. Cecilia, a light poppy family affair (mom, dad, three kids) got the evening off to an upbeat start. Ron Holloway performed with his trio and was joined by Nicki Gonzalez (who later won a Wammie for best Latin Vocalist). And the Washington Guitars performed a stirring tribute to the late guitarist Charlie Byrd. Throughout the evening, the impressively tight WAMA orchestra kept the program rolling right along. Also performing live were Patrick Alban and Noche Latina, the J Street Jumpers, Honeypole, the Kennedys, Sev, John Jennings and the Pat McGee Band.

Each year, the WAMA Board of Directors selects new members for the WAMA Hall of Fame. Duke Ellington, Nils Lofgren, Roberta Flack and Roy Clark are among the hall's members. This year WAMA selected Joe Stanley and Bill Harrell. Stanley, along with Marvin Gaye, was an original member of the Rainbows and currently performs with the Dynaflows and Big Four Combo. Harrell is a bluegrass singer and instrumentalist who formed the Virginians in 1960.