By S. Pulse

Ahead of the onslaught of out-of-town musicians that are currently descending on our town for SXSW, Austin took a pause last week to celebrate the musicians that call the Live Music Capital home. The 2022 Austin Music Awards, held at iconic Emo’s, is the special 40th anniversary that honored our hometown artists, and was attended by a full house that included a who’s who of the Austin music scene. May we just say, it was a fine looking crowd. Folks showed up dressed out and ready to revel in the survival of the local music industry after a trying couple of years. Friends greeted one another in the crowd and even nodded at strangers as if to say, “We made it and isn’t it good to be back.”

One of the biggest winners of the night was Sir Woman (Kelsey Wilson) who took home awards for Best Song, Best Video and Best Vocalist. Musician of the Year and Best Country Artists, not surprisingly, went to Charley Crockett. Best New Artist went to the punk band Pussy Gillette. Best Album went to BLK ODYSSEY and their jazz / soulful hybrid release BLK VINTAGE. The final award, and a true highlight of the evening, included a surprise appearance by Spoon’s Britt Daniel as he presented the award for Band of the Year to his friends the Heartless Bastards. Check out the full list of Austin Music Awards Winners.

In addition to handing out awards, the show featured performances including Gina Chavez performing with Money Chicha, Deezie Brown, We Don’t Ride Llamas, the Greyhounds- performing with this year’s Best Blues Artist winner Carolyn Wonderland- and Sir Woman. The evening also included a tribute to local musicians who recently passed with a performance by Little Mazarn singing “From a Distance”, a song first recorded by central Texas folk singer Nanci Griffith in 1987 and later popularized by Bette Midler. This song choice was particularly poignant to the many Griffith fans in attendance who continue to mourn her death last summer. A separate tribute was made to the recently passed Texas dance hall legend James Hand and his timeless music performed by the “James Handlers”.

Check out all our concert photos on Austin 101.

The evening was a special time for local musicians to reunite and regroup before resuming their touring schedules. In fact, many of the night’s winners, will kickoff their tours right here in Austin. Look for these Austin Music Award winners at SXSW, recommend them to your out-of-town guests and give some love to our hometown talent.

· Charley Crockett: 3/17 at Luck Reunion at the Nelson Ranch in Spicewood

· Golden Dawn Arkestra: 3/14 at 10:45 pm at Empire Garage and 3/17 at 8:50 pm at the SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake

· Heartless Bastards: 3/17 at 7:45 PM at the Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake and 3/18 at 10:30 pm at Empire Garage

· James McMurtry: 3/19 at 1:00 am at the Mohawk

· Magna Carda: 3/15 at 10:00 pm at Stubb’s and 3/17 at 9:30 pm at Sheraton BackYARD

· Pussy Gillette: 3/19 at 9:15 pm at the Hotel Vegas Patio

· Sailor Poon: 3/16 at 11:00 pm at Easy Tiger East

· Sir Woman: 3/16 at 11 pm at the Continental Club and 3/19 at 12:30 am at the Creek and the Cave

· We Don’t Ride Llamas: 3/15 at 12:05 am at Stubb’s, 3/16 at 1:00 am at Valhalla, 3/17 at 10 pm at Iron Bar, and 3/19, 1:30 pm at the Flatstock Stage at the Convention Center