WinslowYerxa
1181 posts
Aug 08, 2016
6:45 PM
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This year SPAH is announcing the names of all the nominees for its three awards. Here are the nominees for the Stan Harper Award of Special Merit:
Stan Harper Award of Special Merit
Criteria
· Candidates must have benefited the harmonica community in a manner that is deserving of singular honor.
· And may be individuals who do not play the harmonica, and may even be organizations.
The nominees are:
Harley Crain and Harmonica Collectors International
Who was nominated for this award in 2015, and for the Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
For his many years of preserving harmonica history through his massive harmonica collection, the magazine Trumpet Call, and his support of SPAH by showing his collection or presenting seminars at conventions. His appearances on TV and in the news make him a goodwill ambassador for the harmonica and for SPAH.
Paul Davies
Who has previously been nominated for the Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 and for the Stan Harper Award in 2015.
Paul's contribution to SPAH and the harmonica community is immeasurable. For the past 15+ years Paul has served as secretary, president, and entertainment director of SPAH, and has consistently raised the level of the convention and SPAH by his efforts. Nominator notes that “His mastery of the instrument - harmonica guy - is among the best!”
Joe Filisko - About whom, more later
Dick Gardner
Who in 2010 received the Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement award was also nominated for the Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of the Year award.
Dick is a legend both as former bass harmonica player with the Harmonicats and as one of the country’s finest harmonica technicians (and a fount of repair knowledge); he counts Toots Thielemans among his clients. Dick *remains active in guiding and nurturing the harmonica community in Minnesota.
Deak Harp
Deak Harp is a hypnotic and powerful performer who runs a harmonica store in Clarksdale, Mississippi, that is a major gathering point for harmonica players visiting this fabled town of the blues. He recently started organizing his own harmonica festival, in addition to performing at such prestigious events as the King Biscuit Blues Festival.
Greg Heumann
For innovation and the highest level of craftsmanship in making specialized harmonica microphones and microphone accessories for a wide variety of players and styles, ranging from Toots Thielemans to Charlie Musselwhite. In addition to his world-renowned harmonica microphone business, Greg is also a fine player who is active on the Northern California blues scene.
Tom Kemper
For donating harmonicas to children and adults, hosting monthly house concerts in Dallas for twenty years, which helped advance the careers of harmonica players and other musicians, and for his involvement in bringing harmonica to the song circles at the Kerrville Folk Festival.
Jimi Lee
Who was previously nominated for the Bernie Bray award in 2010, 2011, and 2014; and for the Stan Harper award in 2011.
For his years of work with SPAH as entertainer, seminar presenter, hall jammer, jam leader, and backup player, and for his musicality on harmonica, vocals and guitar.
Rob Roy Parnell and the Kerrville Folk Festival
For over 12 years, Rob Roy, as Director of the Kerrville Folk Festival Harmonica Camp, has brought world class harmonica instruction to hundreds, and performances to thousands of music lovers.
John Popper
Who has brought harmonica to a whole generation of rock and jam band fans while adapting the vocabulary and velocity of heavy metal guitar to the diatonic.
Mickey Raphael - About whom, more later
Ernie Roberts
For teaching harmonica at St. Charles Community College in New Jersey, strong activity in the Gateway Harmonica Club, and preserving the harmonica through his photography at SPAH conventions.
Ronnie Shellist
Who was also nominated for this award in 2015.
For his work promoting the harmonica through teaching, performing, and giving seminars throughout the USA.
Vern Smith
Whose previous nominations include the Stan Harper Award in 2010, 2013, and 2014.
For his innovative work in developing the Hands-Free Chromatic and his scientific and rational questioning of many beliefs cherished by harmonica players – including his standing offer of $1000 to anyone who can identify harmonica comb materials by their sound in a controlled experiment.
Stevie Wonder - About whom, more later
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Winslow
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