Nominees for APPYs announced
Jan. 28—PRESTONSBURG — Nominees for the 2023 Appalachian Arts and Entertainment Awards (Appys) have been announced. Nominees include several from the area.
Jill Hamlin, assistant director of fine arts for the Big Sandy Community and Technical College and ceremony creator, said the competition drew a large number of nominees from throughout Appalachia, which includes Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Winners will be announced at the 2023 Appy Awards, which will be at 7 p.m. March 18 at the Mountain Arts Center with Cincinnati TV personality Lacey Roberts and Louisville TV personality JC Phelps hosting. Tickets can be purchased at macarts.com or by c alling (888) MAC-ARTS.
Categories and their finalists are:
Education
Best High School Band
Ricky Wells: VA
James Madison High School: VA
Dobyns Bennett High School: TN
Best High School Choir
Christian County High School: KY
Franklin County High School: KY
Juliet High School: TN
Best Music Educator
Route 60: West Virginia
Amy Conley: KY
Clyde and Steve Porter: KY
Best Acting/Drama/Speech Educator
The school for creative and performing arts: Ohio
Youth Performing Arts Center, KY
The Barter Theatre, VA
Best Dance Educator
Jody Shepherd, KY
Carla Gover, KY
Morristown School of Dance Arts: TN
Best Art Educator
Joshua Spencer: KY
The school for creative and performing arts
Queen City Clay: Ohio
Written WorksBest Author/Writer
Amanda Turner, Kentucky
Robyn Chapman, Ohio
Treyton Blackburn, Kentucky
Best Poet
Crystal Wilkinson: KY
George Ecklund: KY
William S. Tribell, Tennessee
Visual Arts
Best Digital/Mixed Media Artist
Payton Martin: KY
Cheyenne Smith: KY
Chris Burkhardt: KY
Best Graphic Designer
Jimbo Valentine: WV
Jessalynn Bowman: KY
Frida Gonzalez: KY
Best Painting
Curtis Eades: KY
Gabe Lewis: NY
Tiffini Scherbing: KY
Best Sculpture/Pottery
Bob Barinski, SC
Payton Martin, KY
Link Henderson, KY
Best Tattoo Artist
Michael Wilcox: WV
Carmelo: OH
Laura Saadati Kepper: TN
Best Photography
Lisa Morrow: Mississippi
Larry Epling: KY
Sarah Cahill: KY
Best Cartoonist/Illustrator
Chris Burkhardt: KY
Frida Gonzalez: KY
Kayla Freeman: KY
Best Textile
Eugene Swafford: KY
Tiffany Miller: KY
New Frontier: KY
Best Jewelry Design
Kathy Stout: WV
Anne Vaughan: VA
Cummings Jewelry Design: AL
Music and Film
Best Social Media Influencer
Taylor Hughes: Tennessee
Kentucky Music Mafia: Kentucky
Appalachian Forger (Whitney Johnson): KY
Best Original Movie/Short Film/ Documentary
Greg Austin: The Austin City Saloon Years: Kentucky
Shaped by Fire: Kentucky
Returns: BY William S Tribell: TN
EP of the Year
Burn BY No Deceit: KY
Nothing to Lose BY Luke Trimble: KY
The Opening Act BY Jayce Turley: KY
Album of the Year
Appalachian Dream BY Cody Howard: KY
Let Me Know, BY Corduroy Brown, WV
Branden Martin, Kentucky
Industry
Best Radio Personality
Beer Man with 92.1 WBVX Classic Rock FM: KY
Brittany Rowe with Mountain Top Media: KY
Dennis Dillion: With WKQQ 100.1: KY
Best Podcast
Austin Shuck: KY
Bryan Combs: KY
Steel Magnolias Podcast: TN
Best Small Live Music Venue (500 seats or fewer)
Twisted Cork: KY
Blue Grass Barrel House: KY
The Alley on Main: KY
Best Large Live Music Venue (501 seats or more)
Paramount Arts Center: KY
Appalachian Wireless Arena : KY
Riverbend Ohio
Best Luthier
John Ryster: KY
Panzer Guitars, OH
Eric Schaefer Guitars: PA
Best Recording Studio/Engineer/Producer
Kyle Manner: TN
6oh6 entertainment, KY
Jonathan Goodwin, KY
Best Music Festival
Manchester Music Festival, KY
Blue Ridge Rock Festival, VA
Carolina Country Music Fest, SC
Festival of The Red: KY
Best Television Host/Personality
Chad Hedrick with WKYT: Lexington, KY
Julie Newman with PBS Appalachia: Abbington, VA
Lynda Fontaine with Holsten Valley Broadcasting: Kingsport ,TN
Genre
Best Americana
Mama Said String Band, KY
Nolan Taylor, KY
Trippin Roots, KY
Best Bluegrass
Coaltown Dixie: Kentucky
The Goodwin Brothers: Kentucky
Bobby Maynard and Family: West Virginia
Best Blues
TeeDee Young, Kentucky
David Brown Wayward Blues, NC
Best Country
Cody Lee Meece & The Poor Excuses: Kentucky
Kentucky Music Mafia: Kentucky
Twitty and Lynn: Tennessee
Eight Daze Sober: KY
Best Funk/R&B/Reggae
Big Black Cadillac , KY
Joslyn & The Sweet Compression, Kentucky
Jessie Laine Powell, Kentucky
Best Religious/Worship/Spiritual
Mel Lynn, Kentucky
My Brother's Keeper, Ohio
Best Hip Hop/Rap
Lil Jesse: Kentucky
Charlie Brown Superstar: WV
Bryson Tiller: Kentucky
Best Indie/Indie Folk
Brett and Donnie, Kentucky
Corduroy Brown, West Virginia
Townsel Turner, Kentucky
Best Jazz/Latin/Big Band /World
Big Sugg and the Jazz FUNckers: Kentucky
Jessie Laine Powell: Kentucky
Gwen Hughes and the Retro Kats: GA
One Leg Up: NC
Best Metal/Punk
What Drives the Weak, Kentucky
Mirrored Image, Kentucky
Best Original Song
My Brother's Keeper: Ohio
Cody Lee Meece: Kentucky
Brando Vanschoyck: Kentucky
Best Pop
RAGS AND RICHES, Kentucky
Wicked Peace, Kentucky
Hailey Newman, Kentucky
Best Rock
The Moon Dogs: Kentucky
Mel Lynn: Kentucky
Blacktop Rodeo: KY
Best Singer-Songwriter
Zoe Howard & Yellow Line, Kentucky
Nolan Taylor, Ohio
Brando Vanschoyck, Kentucky
PerformanceBest Bassist
Trevor Litteral, KY
Mike Anglin, KY
Oliver Sayani, TN
Best Cover Band/ Variety Act
Eight Daze Sober: KY
The Allman Butter Band, KY
Nathan and Chesi Arnett: KY
Best Drummer/ Percussionist
Jeremy "Wood" Roberts: WV
Honey: KY
Jeremy Toler: KY
Best Guitarist
David Prince: KY
Oliver Sayani: TN
Jonathan Goodwin: KY
Best Strings (Non-guitar/bass)
Titus Luckhaupt: Ohio
Jr. Williams: KY
Corbin Bentley: KY
Best Female Vocalist (Any style)
Bek Smallwood:KY
Taylor Hughes: TN
Hailey Newman: KY
Best Male Vocalist (Any style)
Brando Vanschoych: KY
Nolan Taylor: KY
Cody Lee Meece: KY
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr: WV
Best Wind and Brass
Trent Litteral: KY
Matthew Polashek: KY
Philip Summers: WV
