Look what the press is saying about
Billy Mata & the Texas Tradition!
Check out
American Cowboy Magazine's great
coverage of the 2007 Academy of Western Artists Will Rogers Award
Show. |
Pick up your Nov-Dec 2007 copy of American Cowboy
Magazine at newsstands today!
Or visit American Cowboy |
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Enlarged View |
Winners All
THE WILL ROGERS AWARDS RECOGNIZED THE YEAR'S BEST IN WESTERN
ENTERTAINMENT, CRAFTS, AND OTHER ENDEAVORS.
By Peg Shaffer
GARLAND, TEXAS -- The Granville Theater became the latest venue to
host the ever-expanding Will Rogers Awards, a selection process
conducted by the Academy of Western Artists to celebrate the finest
in Western arts, crafts, and culture.
The awards show, held August 7 (always on a Tuesday night), was
opened with a welcome by Bobby Newton, editor/publisher of Rope
Burns and director of the AWA, and by Charles Williams, executive
vice president, who announced his upcoming retirement from the AWA
and related wonderful memories of his time with the organization. |
 Lynn
Anderson (country recording star and cutting horse champion) joined
with Wayne Mitchell to present several categories. A special moment
occurred when Liz Anderson, Lynn's mother, was awarded Western Music
Songwriter of the Year for "I Rode in as a Stranger," which Lynn
Anderson performed for the crowd later in the evening. Later in the
proceedings, Anderson won Best
Western Music CD/Album for her Cowgirl effort. The gathering onstage
became a family affair as Anderson called her father to join them at
the podium.
A crowd favorite was Tammy Gislason of Canada, who as "Tammy Pearl"
does a contemporary impression of Minnie Pearl, in addition to her
regular performance routine of Western Music and song. With her
checkered tablecloth dress, wide-brimmed hat with the requisite
price tag still attached, and red tap shoes, Tammy Pearl fetched big
laughs for her commentary on the ways of city folks and her quest to
find a "feller." Gislason was this year's winner of the Skinny
Rowland Humor Award. |
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In don't mean a thing if it ain't got
that swing, and as Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition took the
stage, the crowd got just that -- Mata's traditional country with
that big swing sound. Mata is past winner of several AWAs. In 2005
the popular performer was the biggest winner of the evening as he
took home Entertainer of the Year, as well as Best Western Sing
Male.
Outstanding performances were given by other previous AWA honorees,
including Leighan Cortes, Bobby Flores (Swing Instrumentalist), and
Doug Moreland (Entertainer of the Year).
This year's roll of winners included some familiar, popular names as
well as numerous first-time winners.
The Cindy Walker Award was given to Jerry Max Lane, who personifies
country music just as did the musical namesake of this award.
Singer, songwriter, bandleader, stage actor, and world-class
honky-tonk owner for 40 years, Lane earned............
Order your copy today
!!! |
Above: As part of the evening's
entertainment, Billy Mata did a novelty number for which he drew
women from the audience to grace the stage as he sang about each.
From left to right: Tammy Gislason, Leighan Cortes, Dottie Jack and
Miranda Howell (Jack's daughter). |
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For
the complete article, just pick up your Nov-Dec 2007 copy of
American Cowboy Magazine today!
Or visit American Cowboy |
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Below
is a reacap of Billy's night at the awards. |
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 12th Annual AWA WILL ROGERS AWARDS SHOW
On Tuesday August 7
Billy Mata & the Texas Tradition joined with the ACADEMY OF WESTERN
ARTISTS and an audience filled with western artist celebrities and
nationwide representatives of western arts press, radio and
promotions to witness an evening of awards, entertainment and true
western arts culture at the
12th Annual AWA WILL ROGERS AWARDS SHOW
at the GARLAND TEXAS GRANVILLE THEATER
BILLY MATA, winner of top AWA awards in 2000 and 2005,
was once again high in the list of nominations for this year's show
with a Top Five nomination for Western Swing Male Singer of the
year.
Billy and his band The TEXAS TRADITION, were also Top Five finalists
for:
Western Swing Band of the year
Western Swing Song of the year: "Gotta Keep 'Em Movin' Along"
Western Swing Album of the year: "Domino Effect"
Billy performed live on stage for the event along with 2007 Western
Song,
Western Album award winning, country music legend LYNN ANDERSON and
others including Doug Moreland, Mike Siler, Joni Harms, Bobby Flores
and Dottie Jack.
And we are extremely proud to announce that this year, Billy Mata
was awarded (drum roll please...)
2007 WESTERN SWING MALE SINGER OF THE YEAR !
The AWA Will Rogers award was presented on stage by XM RADIO's
"Willie's Place" air personality, EDDIE KILROY.
This is the third time Billy has received this top award from the
AWA - a record in the
12 year history of the awards program.
In his acceptance speech, Billy said, "I am so honored by this
award. But I want to also thank the Academy members who nominated my
band, The Texas Tradition. I had hoped the band might capture some
of the awards they were up for this year. They have been so
dedicated to what I am trying to accomplish with my music over so
many years. I can't do what I do without them. Believe me, we'll
keep trying!"
(Editors note:
The band can't be too disappointed when you take into account that
the winner this year was the band that started the whole Western
Swing thing: The Light Crust Doughboys!) |
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