After a beautiful ceremony at the Emery Theatre in Over-the-Rhine Nov. 23, the results of the 2008 Cincinnati Music Awards are in. The winners are (drum roll please):
These awards were determined by public vote:
Bluegrass: Rumpke Mountain Boys
Blues: Sonny Moorman Group
Country: The Turkeys
Experimental/Electronic: Chick Pimp, Coke Dealer at a Bar
Folk/Americana: Jake Speed and the Freddies
Hard Rock/Metal: Foxy Shazam
Hip Hop: Eclipse
Indie/Alternative: The Seedy Seeds
Jazz: Faux Frenchmen
Punk/Post Punk/Hardcore: Knife the Symphony
R&B/Funk: Daughters and Sons
Rock: 500 Miles to Memphis
Singer/Songwriter: Kim Taylor
World Music/Reggae: Super Massive
Best Live Act: Foxy Shazam
Best Musical Ambassador for the City: Bootsy Collins
These were the Critical Achievement Awards (determined by the CEA Nominating Committee):
New Artist of the Year: Daniel Martin Moore
Album of the Year: The Sundresses’ Barkinghaus
Artist of the Year: Seabird
The performers outshined even the highest expectations. Bootsy Collins, The Sundresses, Eclipse, The Seedy Seeds and Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys had the sold-out crowd on their feet all night. The Emery, equipped with port-a-potties and powered by generators after its nine-year vacation, delivered that world-class sound that everyone remembered. Check out Mike Breen’s first impressions here.
Click here for all the CEA photos you can handle, plus coverage of the King Records plaque dedication and Xavier University reception earlier in the day on Nov. 23.
Thanks to all those who participated and to the sponsors. Visit cea.citybeat.com for more details and background, and keep your browser pointed to citybeat.com for continuing coverage of Cincinnati’s vibrant local music scene.
(Photo of Bootsy Collins’ opening set by Sean Hughes; click to enlarge)
This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2008.

