This past summer and fall, we experienced the reawakening of the Capital Region’s music scene. From Live Nation shows such as Dave Matthews Band, The Black Crowes and The Jonas Brothers at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, to the kickoff of the Grammy-winning Albany Symphony’s 2021-22 season and the debut of Empire Live, the Capital City’s newest music venue, live music was in full swing. That comeback spirit—and the resilience of the local music community during COVID—was celebrated at this year’s Thomas Edison Music Awards (a.k.a. “The Eddies”).
Hosted by Schenectady’s DJ Ketchup, the third annual event took place in front of a live audience at Saratoga’s Universal Preservation Hall this past Sunday. Boomhauer, Dark Honey, Sawyer Fredericks and Sirsy provided the evening’s entertainment.
This year’s awards ceremony saw the addition of COVID-related categories (virtual performances, anyone?), the creation of the Eddies Special Merit Awards to honor the work of those who don’t fit neatly into other categories, and the removal of all genre categories due to the lack of live performances in 2020. The big winner was Troy-based husband-wife duo The Sea The Sea, which won album of the year for Stumbling Home. The Sea The Sea’s song “A Thousand Years” also tied with Joel Brown’s “Everyone’s Gone Home” for record of the year. Other notable winners include Nippertown, which won arts publication of the year and saw writer Jim Gilbert win arts journalist of the year; and WEXT, which won radio station of the year and saw Chris Wienk win radio DJ of the year. Here are the rest of the 2021 Eddies winers:
Recording Studio of the Year
Blue Sky Music Studios
Record Label of the Year (tie)
Cacophone Records
Upstate Records
Best Presenter of Virtual Live Music Shows
Caffé Lena’s Stay Home Sessions
Best Live Virtual Performance(s) by an Artist (Covers)
Moriah Formica
Best Live Virtual Performance(s) by an Artist (Original Music)
Sean Rowe – “Quarantined”
Best Socially Distant In-Person Live Music Series
Jericho Drive-In Series
The Eddies Special Merit Award
Erin Harkes – The Reluctant Retailer
Roger & Christine Sharp (High Peaks Event Production) – “Red Light Project”
First Reformed Church of Schenectady – “Jazz Vespers”
Sal Prizio, cofounder, the Eddies Music Awards
Songwriter of the Year
Girl Blue
Music Video of the Year
Buggy Jive – “Ain’t Going Anywhere”
