This year's finalists in the MUSIC categories of FestivalSouth's 2020 Best of the Pine Belt competition, presented annually by Signature Magazine are:
Album of the Year
Advanced Directives by The Squid and the Whale • A Modern Man’s Way to Improve by The Royal Horses • Homegrown by Pinebelt Pickers • Loner EP by Cole Hill • Big Bad Wolf by Travis the Fairy Tale • The Sound EP by Ty Trehern
Best Annual Music Event
Rockin’ Autism Acceptance • Piney Woods Picnic • Hubfest • Live at 5! • Hattiesburlesque • Downtown Crawfish Jam
Best Local Bass Player
Zach Blackwell • Kenny Paul Mann • Erica Tillman • Sam Adcock • Raymond Bradford • Bill Harris
Best Local Drummer
Daniel Firth • Jackson Bounds • Andy Pate • Joel Ingram • Nick Manton • Quinn Mackey
Best Local Cover Band
The Prom Knights • Mississippi Moonlight • Hub City Sound Machine • Hattiesburlesque House Band • 8 Oh! Radio
Best Local DJ
DJ Kujho (Marcus Carr) • DJ Milkstache (Erika Mueller) • DJ Don King • Medicineman (Dylan Spencer) • DJ Trazy (Trae Griffin) • DJ Poorboy (Lee Chambliss)
Best Local Female Vocalist
Lanna Wakeland • Imani Steven • Sarah-Bryan Lewis • Mely Berdion • Abigail Lenz Allen • Jennie Blackwell
Best Local Front Man/Woman
Jonathan Williams (Pinebelt Pickers) • Chris Benoit (!GATORFIGHT¡) • Leeann Marie (Electric Witch) • Jackson Bounds (The Prom Knights) • Shelby Kemp (Royal Horses) • Joshua Holt (Brotha Josh & the Quickness)
Best Local Guitarist
Shelby Kemp • Carson Mars • Brad Miller • Cary Hudson • Tom McKay • Stephen Wade Scott • Vasti Jackson
Best Live Musical Act
The Holly Rogers • Royal Horses • The Prom Knights • Mississippi Moonlight • Cary Hudson • Pinebelt Pickers
Best Live Music Photographer
Chad Edwards • Cayla Camp • Keith Kujath • Jennifer Devereaux • Rob Walker
Best Local Male Vocalist
Cole Hill • Jackson Bounds • Derrek ‘D Rock’ Howell • Joshua Holt • Shelby Kemp • Galen Martin
Most-Unique Band
Electric Witch • !GATORFIGHT¡ • Chad Knight Band • Burns and Jane • Goth Dad • Down&Good
Best Local Musical Duo/Group
Cary Hudson and Katrina Miller • Royal Horses • The Squid and the Whale • Pinebelt Pickers • Burns and Jane • The Holly Rogers • Brotha Josh and the Quickness
Best New/Emerging Artist
!GATORFIGHT¡ • 8 Oh! Radio • Mississippi Moonlight • Burns and Jane • MS Paint • Space Trash
Best Open Mic
Nick’s Ice House • The Shop Downtown • The Porter • Lee’s Coffee & Tea • Thirsty Hippo
Best Place to Hear Local Music
Brewsky’s • Sideline’s Sports Cafe • Nick’s Ice House • The Tavern • Sully’s Petal • Thirsty Hippo
Best Local Radio Discjockey
Big Daddy from Wild 106.3 • Tom Colt from Rock 104 • Mean Willie Green from WUSM 88.5 • Flyin’ Bryan Hicks from Rock 104 • Jon Lamar from Rock 104 • Andy Webb from B95
Best Local Radio Station
B95 • Rock 104 • SL100 • SuperTalk Mississippi 97.3 • WUSM 88.5 • 103.7 The Fox
Best Local Singer/Songwriter
Shelby Kemp • Cary Hudson • Galen Martin • Thomas Jackson • Mark Mann • Stephen Wade Scott • Ben Steadman
Best Keyboard Player
Jaime Jimenez • Jack Marshall • Mike ‘Spanky’ McCallister • Bill Singer • Dell Smith • Joel Gallaspy
Song of the Year
‘Wolves’ by The Squid and the Whale • ‘Bottom of the Chart’ by Royal Horses • ‘Mannie Anderson’ by Shane-Ø • ‘Love Me, Rosie’ by Cole Hill • ‘Mississippi Magic’ by Pinebelt Pickers • ‘Dresser Drawer’ by Mississippi Moonlight
For a full list of this year's nominees, click on the following links:
MUSIC:
BUSINESS & SHOPPING:
NEIGHBORS:
FOOD:
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