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The Billy Mata & Texas Tradition Band
and the Texas Tradition Music Team, are
extremely proud to announce that the Academy of western Artists has
presented Billy Mata with two major awards at their 10th Annual Will
Rogers Awards Show at the Eisehann Center, Hill Performance Hall in
Richardson, Texas, on Tuesday, July 12, 2005.
Billy Mata has been named the winner of both the
*2005 Western Swing Male Vocalist of the Year
and the TOP Honor bestowed in this juried awards program:
*2005 ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR!
Our whole organization joins Billy in thanking the Academy of
Western Artists for their recognition of Billy Mata’s contribution
to Western Music. We are incredibly honored.
The nationwide membership of the Academy Of Western Artists (often
referred to as the AWA) is made up of Cowboy and Western Artists,
Radio Personalities, Book Publishers, Magazine Publishers, News
Media, and other Music and Arts Industry people who share a common
interest in all things Western. The AWA exists to promote and
encourage the American Cowboy and Western Arts to future
generations. It is to traditional cowboy and western arts what the
Academy of Motion Pictures is to the Movie Industry. |
Starting from a small awards show at
it's inception, the AWA has grown it's membership and influence to
help bring what has nationally been considered a niche market to
national market prominence. The annual awards show was organized to
help promote awareness of the depth and breadth of the movement, as
well as to highlight the year's outstanding group and individual
works.
The Will Rogers Awards on July 12th, 2005
marks the 10th Anniversary of the program.
"We've pulled out all the stops for our 10th anniversary," said
Bobby Newton, founder and executive director of the AWA. "This is by
far the best show we have had for the awards yet. We will have two
full western swing bands plus some of the best talent in western
music for performers and presenters."
After having been nominated by a national jury made up of roughly
one thousand of the Academy Of Western Artists membership, Billy and
the band were carried through several rounds of jury voting that
ultimately yielded Ten Top nominations in five separate artist award
categories.
Prior to the show, the semi-final round of voting narrowed the field
to the Top Five nominees in each category. These were the nominees
invited to the gala awards ceremony in Dallas, Texas in July.
Billy Mata and his band remained in the Top Five Nominations for
their five separate award categories:
Entertainer of the Year - Billy Mata
Western Swing Male Vocalist of the Year - Billy Mata
Western Swing Group - Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition
Western Swing Song of the Year - "Just To Celebrate"
Western Swing Album of the Year - "Traditionally Yours, Billy Mata"
In fact, Billy Mata had the largest number of separate nominations
of any artist nominated this year. The second highest number of
nominations went to Wylie Gustafson, a Montana native now living in
Washington state. Wylie is known as one of the best songwriters in
western music today.
Look at some of the other great performers that were recognized as
Top Ten Nominees by the Academy of Western Artists this year:
Dave Alexander and Legends of Western Swing
Ray Benson and Asleep At The Wheel
Hot Club of Cowtown
Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys
The River Road Boys
Tom Morrell and the Time Warp Tophands
Craig Chambers
Curtis Potter
Leon Rausch and the Texas Playboys
Red Steagall
Bill Barwick (The "voice" of satellite and cable's 'The Western
Channel')
Curly Musgrave
Belinda Gail
Kip Calahan
Riders In The Sky
..... this list goes on and on and on
We are extremely proud to be included in such a list of important
ambassadors of Western Swing and Real Country Music!
Keep The Tradition !!! |
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