Category Archives: Current WAMI Awards
WAMI Finalist Celebration & Production Awards
WAMI Finalist Celebration + Production Awards
April 12 at Ope! Brewing
Finalists will be announced live, Round Two voting will open, and we will present the first-ever WAMI Production Awards.
The WAMI Finalist Celebration brings together Wisconsin’s music community for an afternoon of original live music, industry voices, and a key moment in our awards season.
Live Performances (All Original Music)
Dolt
Mystical Zenith
Production Seminar + Showcase (2:00 – 2:45 PM)
Featuring Glenn with Obsidian Control Systems (lighting consoles + software)
Live demos, Q&A, and hands-on exploration for production professionals, venues, and technical teams.
WAMI Production Awards
Lighting Engineer
Live Sound Company
Live Sound Engineer
Producer
Recording Studio
Roadie / Tech
Studio Sound Engineer
Finalists
Official WAMI finalist certificates and laminate passes will be distributed at the event.
Must be present to receive.
Schedule — April 12
2:00 PM — Production Seminar + Showcase
3:00 PM — Dolt
3:30 PM — Welcome Remarks
4:00 PM — The Spirit of Production
4:05 PM — Production Awards
4:30 PM — Mystical Zenith
5:00 PM — WAMI: The Path Forward
Finalists Announced LIVE + Round Two Voting Opens
6:00 PM — Event concludes
WAMI Winners! Grab Your Official 2025 Winner Overlay Image
Hey! We’re still buzzing from the energy of the 2025 WAMI Awards Show, man what an incredible night honoring Wisconsin’s finest musicians, industry professionals, and behind-the-scenes rockstars. As part of this year’s celebration, we’re thrilled to offer all 2025 WAMI Award winners an official “WAMI Award Winner” overlay image to share across social media, press releases, and websites.
If you haven’t yet, check out the list of winners here.
You can find the image here:
How to Use It:
- Post it over a photo of your choice
- Add it to your event posters or flyers
- Use it in your profile picture or album art
- Share it on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or wherever you connect with your audience and fans
We’d love to celebrate with you: tag @WAMI.Music facebook and @wisconsinareamusicindustry on Instagram and be sure to use hashtags #WAMI2025Winner and #WeAreWAMI so we can repost and show the world the incredible talent Wisconsin has to offer.
This overlay is just one more way to celebrate your success. You earned it.
Now let the world know!
Rock on,
The WAMI Board
WAMI 2025 Award Winners
We would like to congratulate the 2025 Award Winners!
| Acoustic Bass | Andy Mertens | NORTHEAST |
| Acoustic Guitar | Myles Wangerin | SOUTHEAST |
| Album Artwork | Sun Will Follow – Dave Schoepke | SOUTHEAST |
| Album Of The Year | Copper Box – Copper Box | NORTHEAST |
| Artist Of The Year | Boogie And The Yo-Yoz | NORTHEAST |
| Banjo & Ukelele | Jon Peik | SOUTHEAST |
| Bass Guitar | Matt Hammen | NORTHEAST |
| Blues Song | Don’t Tell Me I Can’t – Altered Five Blues Band | SOUTHEAST |
| Classical, Jazz, New Age Album | Ultraviolet – Natural Satellite | NORTHEAST |
| Classical, Jazz, New Age Song | His Arms, Her Heaven – Kathy Mancl | NORTHWEST |
| Country Song | That Waylon Sound – Madison County | SOUTHWEST |
| Country, Blues Album | Three Sheets To the Wind – Madison County | SOUTHWEST |
| Cover Band/Act | Boogie And The Yo-Yoz | NORTHEAST |
| Cover Song | Autumn Leaves – Shari Sarazin Harp & Song | NORTHWEST |
| DJ | Kayla Kush | SOUTHWEST |
| Drum Kit | Eric Johnson | NORTHEAST |
| Electric Guitar | Jason Busse | NORTHEAST |
| Ensemble Vocals | Wanderlust | SOUTHEAST |
| Fan | Ed “Fast Eddie” Bailey | SOUTHWEST |
| Female Vocalist | Carmen Nickerson | SOUTHEAST |
| Folk Song | Walmart Parking Twilight – Sam Ness | SOUTHWEST |
| Folk, Singer/Songwriter Album | Copper Box – Copper Box | NORTHEAST |
| Free Reed & Wind | Danny Jerabek | NORTHEAST |
| Harmonica | Big Al Dorn | SOUTHEAST |
| Instrument Repair | Jeff Johnston | NORTHEAST |
| Instrument Store | Heid Music – Appleton | NORTHEAST |
| Instrumentalist Of The Year | Junior Gamez (Drum Kit) | SOUTHEAST |
| Latin, World, Unique, Spoken Word Song | The Quiet Quiet – Felsteg | SOUTHEAST |
| Lighting Engineer | Glenn Ottenbacher | SOUTHEAST |
| Live Sound Company | Event Production Systems | NORTHEAST |
| Live Sound Engineer | Audrey Martinovich | SOUTHWEST |
| Male Vocalist | Dennis Peters | NORTHEAST |
| Mandolin | Bobby Burns | NORTHEAST |
| Music Benefactor | The Farley Center | SOUTHWEST |
| Music Teacher | Dave Schoepke | SOUTHEAST |
| Music Venue – Club | Paulie’s Pub & Eatery | SOUTHEAST |
| Music Venue – Concert Hall | Gibson Community Music Hall | NORTHEAST |
| Music Venue – Festival | Mile of Music Festival | NORTHEAST |
| New Artist | The Supertramp Tribute Band | SOUTHEAST |
| On-Air Personality | Rokker | SOUTHWEST |
| Orchestral Brass | David Jerabek | NORTHEAST |
| Orchestral Strings | Thea Vorass | SOUTHEAST |
| Orchestral Woodwinds | Erin Krebs | NORTHEAST |
| Organ | Jimmy Voegeli | SOUTHWEST |
| Percussion | James “Pie” Cowan | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Blues | The Jimmys | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Classical, New Age, Spoken Word, Unique | The Squeezettes | SOUTHEAST |
| Performer – Country | Madison County | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Electronic | Steez | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Faith Based | His Way | SOUTHEAST |
| Performer – Folk | Sam Ness | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Jazz | Erin Krebs | NORTHEAST |
| Performer – Latin & World | Natty Nation | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Pop | Kat and the Hurricane | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – R & B | People Brothers band | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Rap | K.I.L.O. aka SkitL’z | SOUTHWEST |
| Performer – Rock | Dave Steffen Band | NORTHEAST |
| Performer – Singer/Songwriter | Pat McCurdy | SOUTHEAST |
| Performer Of The Year | The Glam Band | NORTHEAST |
| Photographer | Ty Helbach | SOUTHEAST |
| Piano | Dave Adler | SOUTHEAST |
| Podcast | Into the Music Podcast | NORTHEAST |
| Pop Song | Caffeine & Alcohol – Kat and the Hurricane | SOUTHWEST |
| Pop, Rap, Electronic, R & B Album | Feel Your Feelings – Complete Version – 7000apart | NORTHEAST |
| Producer | Marc Golde | NORTHEAST |
| Radio Station | WMSE 91.7FM | SOUTHEAST |
| Rap, R & B, Electronic Song | Celebration – Marcus Porter | SOUTHWEST |
| Record Store | Mad City Music | SOUTHWEST |
| Recording Studio | Rock Garden Studio | NORTHEAST |
| Rising Star | Paige Kleber | SOUTHWEST |
| Roadie/Tech | Jesse Kohl | NORTHEAST |
| Rock Album | Rising Up From A Downward Spiral – Trash Pandas | NORTHEAST |
| Rock Song | Red Hot Lover – Kathy Mancl | NORTHWEST |
| Saxophone | John Vollmar | SOUTHEAST |
| Singer/Songwriter Song | Lessons Learned So Hard – Kurt Gunn | NORTHEAST |
| Song Of The Year | The Harlot – Abaddon’s End | NORTHWEST |
| Specialty Strings | Frank Anderson | NORTHEAST |
| Studio Engineer | Jeff Hamilton | SOUTHEAST |
| Synthesizer | Dave Schepp (Dee Flatt) | NORTHEAST |
| Tribute Band/Act | The Glam Band | NORTHEAST |
| Trombone | Mike Clobes | SOUTHEAST |
| Trumpet | Steve Winters | SOUTHEAST |
| Turntables/Decks | Chris Thomas (“DJ Trans Am”) | SOUTHEAST |
| Video Of The Year | The Harlot – Abaddon’s End | NORTHWEST |
| Violin | Gina Wood | SOUTHEAST |
| Web Media | WI Party | NORTHEAST |
| World, Unique Album | Sun Will Follow – Dave Schoepke | SOUTHEAST |
Congratulations 2025 WAMI Acoustic Guitar Finalists!
Congratulations to the 2025 WAMI Finalists in
Acoustic Guitar Category!
A record breaking voter turnout has nominated the following artists.
Michael Grabner
Sam Ness
Matt “MF”Tyner
Adam Greuel
Tom Thiel
Kurt Gunn
Denny Rauen
Myles Wangerin
Starr Moss
Dana Perry
Join us May 4th at The Deco in West Allis! Buy tickets Here!
WAMI 2025 Awards Show Tickets On Sale Now!
Join us for the WAMI Awards Show LIVE at the DECO in West Allis.
THE WAMI AWARD Show tickets are selling fast! Click here for tickets.
WAMI 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee – Bill Miller
Bill Miller (Fush-ya Heay): A celebrated musician with a deep connection to his Native American heritage, Bill Miller’s powerful songwriting and captivating performances have earned him national and international acclaim. We are delighted that Bill will be accepting his induction and performing at the ceremony. Join us live May 4th, 2025 at The Deco West Allis.
WAMI 2025 Wall of Honor Inductee – Twan Mack
Twan Mack (Wall of Honor): A true Milwaukee hip-hop legend, Twan Mack’s impact on the local music scene remains profound. His lyrical prowess, community involvement, and dedication to his craft have inspired countless artists. We are honored to induct Twan Mack into the Wall of Honor, ensuring his legacy continues to resonate. His mother will be in attendance, and the presentation will be made by Eric from Jammin’ 98.3.
Join us for the WAMI Awards Show LIVE at The DECO in West Allis.
WAMI 2025 Wall of Honor Inductee – Rokker
Rökker is a founder and the publisher of Maximum Ink music magazine, a print publication based in Madison that was distributed throughout Wisconsin from March 1996 until the pandemic lockdown in March 2020 and featured a comprehensive live music calendar that was unparalleled.
Max Ink Radio was founded in 2011 as an internet station featuring local music and in 2019, made the jump to AM/FM statewide with the Civic Media Radio Network and features Wisconsin-made music, interviews and live performances where they still broadcast from State Street in Madison today. The magazine and radio show have produced many hundreds of live shows at venues around Wisconsin over their 29 years.
Rökker is currently the drummer for the band Ironplow and enjoyed previous stints with Bradley Fish’s Electrifried Band, Cornerstone, The Sequentials, and The Jim May Band.
Rökker served on the WAMI board of Directors in 2002-2003 under Vic Thomas and John Ertl.
Join us for the WAMI Awards Show LIVE at the DECO in West Allis.
Congratulations 2025 WAMI Electric Guitar Finalists!
Congratulations to the 2025 WAMI Finalists in
Electric Guitar Category!
A record breaking voter turnout has nominated the following artists.
Jason Busses
Dave Steffen
Bill House
AJ Kartz
Eric Peters
Kelly Klaus
Jeff Johnston
Dean Arndt
Brian Koenig
Craig Mitchell
Zakk Abitz