The 34th New Mexico Music Awards were held at the Uptown Funk Dueling Piano Bar located inside Revel Entertainment Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Newest entertainment complex. The post-pandemic event featured performances by Bluegrass artist Zephaniah Stringfield with Peter Oviatt and Nick Cohon from Taos; Americana artist Larry Lesser with producer Bill Radcliff, Amamda Zeitlin and Ross Ingram; Paula Rhae McDonald, Marc Malin and their band Roadside Distraction; Kevin Miller with members of two bands, 50 Watt whale and 9999; and from Carlsbad, the rock band Stranded.

The New Mexico Music Awards had 721 entries in 41 categories this year. Thanks to our sponsors, Quickbeam SystemsRevel Entertainment Albuquerque,  Guitar center of AlbuquerqueThe Candyman Strings & Things in Santa FeGrandmas Music & SoundJason’s Music Publishinglisten!NMTwo Pups Boutique and Moonlight Talent Management

Photo by Lori Levine

Eric Larson Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Kathy Gutierrez

Kathy Gutierrez or Kathy G, was the center Rhinestone in the vocal group, the Rhinestones comprised of Kathy, Denise Brissy and Joan Cere. Paired with the band Cadillac Bob, the group took New Mexico by storm with Kathy’s voice soaring above it all. She was one of a group of wonderful vocalists from New Mexico who live and work in New Mexico. Kathy passed away after a long illness in June of 2021, but she will be remembered for her soaring, bluesy voice and never quit attitude.

Eric Larson Endowment at UNM

In 2020, the Eric Larson Endowment handed out three emergency grants to students that had lost their income during the pandemic.

Hyorin Kim-An international student from South Korea an a graduate student majoring in Flute performance and a Woodwind Quintet graduate. Once his degree is complete, Kim will move on to pursue a doctorate of Musical Arts.

Kaitlyn Norman-A UNM senior undergraduate and Vocal Performance Major. (Soprano) She will be the first in her family to graduate from college when she completes her bachelors in spring of 2021. She performed her first opera in spring of 2020

Samps J Taylor-A first-year graduate Music Performance Major whose principle instrument is Tuba. studying under Dr. Richard White. His scholarship money has helped him to pay down his student debt.

To donate to the scholarship fund, send a check or money order to:

Eric Larson Music Endowment
UNM Foundation
700 Lomas NE
Two Woodward Center
Albuquerque, NM 87102

To donate online, go to https://www.unmfund.org/fund/eric-larson/

For more about the UNM Foundation, go to https://www.unmfund.org/about/

New Mexico Music Awards

2021 Winners

Listings are as follows unless otherwise indicated

Artist

Title

Producer(s)

Studio

Studio Location (City)

Single Length Categories

Judged on Composition, Production, Performance

Adult Contemporary/Adult Pop

Eli del Puerto

Go Get It Girl

Shaun Hettinger

Neon Moon Studios

Albuquerque

Americana

Kipp Bentley

Genevieve

Nathan Dunton

Kabby Sound Studios

Santa Fe

Blues

Jay Galván Heneghan

It’s Not About You

Jason Reed, Jay Heneghan

Frogville Studios

Santa Fe

Bluegrass

Zephaniah Stringfield

Logan Harvey

Peter Oviatt and Zephaniah Stringfield

Moonflower Sounds Studio

Taos

Children’s Music

Alameda August

Hush

Abiding Blue Productions

Abiding Blue Productions LLC

Las Cruces

Country Music

Johnny Lloyd

Don’t Think About Com’n Back

Baird Banner

Klugit Sound

Santa Fe

Electronica

K Dutch

Tortugal

KC Dutcher

K Dutch Music

Santa Fe

Folk Music

Ronny Cox

Portales

Tom (Panda) Ryan

The Kitchen Sink Studios

Santa Fe

Hip-Hop

Just Dave

Way Up (feat. Kata)

David Apodaca

Home Studio

Santa Fe

Indie Rock

Kevin Miller/9999

Uptight Meat

Kevin Miller

Arroyo Borealis Records

Santa Fe

Jazz

Daniel Ward with Justin Bransford and Mark Clark

Tube Tone

Daniel Ward, David McRae

Third Eye Studios

Tijeras

Latin

Juan Gambino

Que Mas Quieres ft/ Jo Amber

Juan Gambino

La Colonia Inc.

Estancia

Metal

Fibber

No Doom, Bright Joy

Tim Schmoyer

The Kitchen Sink Studios

Santa Fe

Modern Rock

Stranded

Angel’s Bridge

Raul G Ortega, Mike Ybarra, Dario Velasquez, Lawrence Gamble, Jason Vigil

Stranded Studio

Carlsbad

Native American

Felix Gato Peralta

Comanche Highway

Felix Gato Peralta

Rio Grande Studios

Albuquerque

Novelty/Humorous

Larry Lesser

Max (The Bark Mitzvah Song)

Larry Lesser and Bill Radcliffe

Brainville Studios

Sunland Park

Pop

G Precious

Unforgettable f/ Macy Gray

Jared Lee Gosselin

Chavez Recording Studio

Espanola

Rhythm & Blues

Steve O’Neill

What’s Your Pleasure

Steve O’Neill

Home Studio

Santa Fe

Rap

Sepsis

2 in 1

J Cassin

Septicemia Records

Albuquerque

Reggae

Johnny Visable

Leave it for Tonight

John-Michael Vasquez

FW Studios

Santa Fe

Religious/Gospel

Tom Russell

Teach Me Father

Route 66 Music

Route 66 Studios

Bernalillo

Singer/Songwriter

Rooster Blackspur

Big Dipper

John Wall

Wall of Sound

Albuquerque

Western

Gabriel Lucero

Dog-gone Shame

Joel Racheff, Gabriel Lucero

Green Chili Records

Farmington

 World

GANG

Un Treno Per Riace

Jono Manson

The Kitchen Sink Studios

Santa Fe

Performance Specific Categories

Best Arrangement of an Original Composition

Nathan Dunton

for

Kipp Bentley

Long Snake Moan

Kabby Sound Studios

Santa Fe

Cover Song

The Cowboy Way

Ghost Riders/Pipeline

Mariam Funke

GMF Recording Studios

Santa Fe

Best Instrumental Performance

Entourage Jazz

Old Devil Moon

Emerson Corley & Roger Baker

Downstairs Studio & Third Eye Studio

Tijeras

Mastering Engineer

Andy Rogulich

for

Delirium

Aaron Pickett, Tyler Hooker

High Fidelity Mastering

Albuquerque

Recording Engineer

Steve O’Neill

for

Steve O’Neill

What’s Your Pleasure?

Best Song (Composition)

Busy McCarroll

for

Divided States

Best Vocal Performance

Marc Malin, Paula Rhae McDonald

I Got a Notion

Marc Malin, Paula Rhae McDonald

The Kitchen Sink Studios

Santa Fe

Non-Performance Categories

Best Video

Lara Manzanares

Census Song

Lara Manzanares

Lara Manzanarez-Videographer, editing

Lara’s Casita/Kitchen Sink Studios

Corrales

Best Packaging Design

Brenda Atencio

for

G Precious-The Forgotten

Full Length Categories

Best Country Album

Rich Rajacich

The Least I Can Do

Jono Manson

The Kitchen Sink Studios

Santa Fe

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album

K Dutch

Tularosa

KC Dutcher

K Dutch Music

Santa Fe

Best Jazz Album

Long Shot Trio

Llano

Outpost Performance Space

Albuquerque

Best Pop Album

Kito Peters

Unmasked

Kito Peters

Home Studio

Santa Fe

Best Rock Album

Alien Space Kitchen

Surfing the Psychedelic Swamp

Richard Blair

Secret Sound 505

Rio Rancho

Norman Petty Producer’s Award

Tom (Panda) Ryan

for

Ronny Cox-Live at the Kitchen Sink

The Kitchen Sink Studios

Santa Fe

Best Album of the Year

Kipp Bentley

Rose of Jericho

Nathan Dunton

Kabby Sound Studios

Santa Fe