John Bommarito is looking out for you. He brings his passion for music, especially Michigan music, to the airwaves with an evangelistic fervor belied by his gentle public radio tones. Having caught the bug as a teenager, a long career in Ann Arbor radio has brought John a reputation as a tastemaker, an advocate, and a mentor. It's said that John's passion for music can only be matched by his love of helping people enjoy and discover the soundtrack to their lives. John is behind the scenes at WEMU these days, but a generation of radio industry professionals and discerning listeners have benefited from his stewardship of the airwaves. If you love that new band, or discovered that old song you never knew before, and you heard it on 107one or the Q or Acoustic Alternatives, then John has been a small part of your life. Acoustic Alternatives can be found every week on YouTube, usually live on Sunday mornings, and as a podcast on your favorite player. We honor him tonight for his knowledge, his encouragement and recognition of artistic excellence, and his unceasing support for the music of our state.
Chip and Karen VanKlompenberg had an idea. They saw an ancient auto repair place on far south Division Avenue, and they envisioned a unique haven for relaxation and entertainment. After a lot of hard work, the Stray opened, and a lot more hard work has made it the most exciting up and coming venue in west Michigan. A coffee house, a cafe, a place for respectful enjoyment of great local musicians, the Stray can accommodate all, whether you're parked in the back with your laptop all day or queued up at the door for a night out. The Stray's model takes in both free shows made up of rising talents, and ticketed shows with your favorite established artists, all of whom are served the same hot coffee, cold beer, and tasty food. The emphasis is always on striving for the best experience possible, from the comfortable furniture to the well equipped stage to the walls festooned with local art for sale to the professional team producing the shows, including musician Marley Ferguson as the sound tech and Chip and Karen's son Hunter doing the booking. Chip takes special delight in asking performers insightful questions during the shows: be ready, no two are the same! Everyone who discovers the Stray makes plans to come back again. Chip and Karen earned this award by giving us a space to dream in.
Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert never stops moving. As a lifelong dancer, she can't sit still for long, always finding new outlets for her energy, and the biggest grandest outlet yet is Sounds of the Zoo, Michigan's newest and most ambitious festival: an entire week of programming, at various venues throughout Kalamazoo, all absolutely free to the public. Having worked as a performer, a choreographer, a booking agent, and an event coordinator, Jen saw an opportunity to put all her passions into one cauldron and stir with a big stick. With the help of enthusiastic sponsors and a dedicated team, notably including photographer Chelsea Whitaker, an entire week of autumn 2022 saw the air of the city filled with music of every genre, in locations ranging from intimate taverns to hotel lobbies to the huge stage at Bronson Park. Planning has already begun to bring Sounds of the Zoo back in a big way this year, with a focus on Michigan music, but open to all. Look for performances by her band, Jenuine, and keep your eye on what she does next....if your eye can follow how fast she moves.
Nate Dorough gets artists. And he gets them on a stage, in front of you, as quickly and efficiently as possible. From his earliest days booking house shows in Livingston County, through moves into Blue Collar Booking, Fusion Shows, Audiotree Presents, and now Kickstand Productions, the odds are very good you've attended a bill that Nate put together. Booking and promoting were incredibly difficult before, with the economic pressures felt by artists, venues, and attendees, then covid turned all that up to 11, but Nate kept the fires burning, and returned to giving us our money's worth as soon as he possibly could. Also during Covid, Nate found a pile of money in the Livingston Underground account that he put back into community charities, proving that the musical community gives as well as it gets. Nate is renowned for his transparency, his honesty, and his unflagging enthusiasm for your band on that stage in that town. Nate Dorough earned this award by being one of the good ones.
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