Pete Freedman
Here They Are, The Acts And Entities Our Polls Selected As The Tops That The Very Deep And Strong Dallas-Area Music Scene Has To Offer In 2020.
We did it! We made it through another Central Track Music Honors season!
Well, kinda: In the coming days, we’ll recap this year’s capstone event from February 19 at the Granada Theater, offering up a few photo and video retrospectives on how the big celebration panned out for those who attended it.
For most other intents and purposes, though, the big run ends with this here post, which aims to check two outstanding to-do items off our list.
First, it allows us the chance to thank the sponsors who helped us pull off this promotion and event. Beyond the Granada Theater being such gracious hosts, we’re indebted to a lot of folks this year — to Deep Eddy Vodka for their help beyond even beverages and staging, to Rubial’s for their generous donations beyond greenery, to Hand Drawn Pressing for the mastery showcased in our custom trophies, to Minuteman Press for their printing heroics, to Tone Shop for their back-line and backbone support, to White Pants Agency for their marketing wizardry and moral boosts, to the Meleese Hoss Group for their homespun charms and closing spirit, to Foundation 45 for being our intentional beneficiary, to the acts who performed at our big event (and its after-party at Sundown at Granada) and, of course, to all the talented people who make the Dallas music scene so great year-round!
Also, yeah, this post is where we reveal this year’s crop of winners to those who weren’t able to join us for the announcement festivities.
That’s why we’re here, right?
So no more beating around the bush. Here are the acts that our public polls determined to be the ones that make the Dallas-area music scene most special here in 2020.
The 2020 Central Track Music Honors Winners:
Best Album
Rosegarden Funeral Party – Martyr
Jayson Lyric – Cashmere Don
Paul Cauthen – Room 41
Vandoliers – Forever
Medicine Man Revival – WAR
Guitaremoji – Epitome Of Stupidity
Pinkish Black – Concept Unification
Best EP
Son Of Stan – Diamond Cuts
Oscar Delaughter – Self-Titled
Kaash Paige — Parked Car Convos
Kaz Moon – Bleed
Alex Harris – Pink Cloud
Ariel & The Culture – Nostalgia
Luna Luna – Carousel
Best Song
Vandoliers — “Cigarettes in the Rain”
Ebo – “Bounce Back”
Sam Lao – “Selfish”
Paul Cauthen – “Cocaine Country Dancing”
Motorcade – “Oblivion”
Oscar DeLaughter – “Grand Prize”
Deep Red — “Things We Can’t Say”
Best Live Act
The Bralettes
Rosegarden Funeral Party
Sub-Sahara
The Grays
Medicine Man Revival
Bastards of Soul
Duell
Best Country Act
Vandoliers
Paul Cauthen
Ottoman Turks
Summer Dean
Joshua Ray Walker
Elaina Kay
Vincent Neil Emerson
Best Cover Band
Different Strokes
Straight Tequila Night
Raised Right Men
The Gorehounds
PriMadonna
The Rich Girls
Forgotten Space
Best Electronic Act
Junk Food
Sonogram
Felt & Fur
Welcome Center
Mega Drive
Cygnus
Blixaboy
Best Experimental Act
Mother Tongues
Helium Queens
Lorelei K
Starfruit
Black Taffy
Triangulum
Idol Pleasure
Best Noise Act
Sexual Jeremy
Flesh Narc
Cig Oasis
Nosk
Hoaries
Eat Avery’s Bones
Thin Skin
Best Folk/Americana Act
Texicana
Jacob Metcalf
The 40 Acre Mule
Jacob Furr
Simon Flory
Van Dyke Brown
Quebe Sisters
Best R&B/Soul Act
Bastards of Soul
Troy Garrick
Kaash Paige
Abraham Alexander
M3cca
Dezi 5
Sam Lao
Best Group
Vandoliers
Luna Luna
The Bralettes
Rosegarden Funeral Party
Medicine Man Revival
Nervous Curtains
Acid Carousel
Best Hardcore Act
Creeping Death
Ballista
Facing Worlds
Unity-TX
Steel Bearing Hand
Flesh Born
Allison Janney
Best Pop Act
Electric Tongues
Taylor Phelan
Kaz Moon
Ronnie Heart
Skirts
Tippy Ballady
GuitarEmoji
Best Pop Rock Act
The Bralettes
Ruff Wizard
PopCulturePirates
Meach Pango
Not Ur Girlfrenz
Young Optimist
Luna Luna
Best Rock Act
Rosegarden Funeral Party
Acid Carousel
Quaker City Night Hawks
Cut Throat Finches
Medicine Man Revival
Ting Tang Tina
The Roomsounds
Best Jazz Act
The Funky Knuckles
Trusko
Jazzmeia Horn
Mark Lettieri Trio
RC & The Gritz
Big Ass Brass Band
Best Metal Act
Pinkish Black
Frozen Soul
Duell
Cleric
Mountain of Smoke
Devourment
Dead To A Dying World
Best New Act
Texicana
Ebo
Parachuter
Kaash Paige
Kinsley August
PopCulturePirates
Van Dyke Brown
Best Punk Act
Sub-Sahara
Loafers
Razorbumps
Dog Company
Mean Motor Scooter
Noogy
From Parts Unknown
Best Emo Act
The Happy Alright
Never Friends
Offended By Everything
Nu-95
Soggy
The Ends
Better Now
Best Solo Artist
Joshua Ray Walker
Sudie
Oscar DeLaughter
Parachuter
Claire Morales
Daniel Markham
Kaash Paige
Best Indie Rock Act
Kyoto Lo-Fi
Nervous Curtains
Motorcade
Adam & The Figurines
Feeves
Gollay
Son of Stan
Best Male Rapper
Jiggy Green
SadFaceThuggin
Soulzay
Curtis Mayz
Splurge
Emotional Xan
10k.Caash
Best Female Rapper
Erica Banks
Ebo
Brionne
Snowy
S3nsi Molly
Teleoso
Loners Club
Best Rap Group/Collective
Cure For Paranoia
Gwap Gang
Ariel & The Culture
The Crown TX
Crit Life
Pyrex Pirates
The Outfit, TX
Best Indie Rapper
Flower Child
Jayson Lyric
Coach Tev
Pat Ron
B. Anderson
Rikki Blu
Rakim Al-Jabbaar
Best Female Vocalist
Damoyee Janai
Claire Morales
Katrina Cain
Leah Lane (Rosegarden Funeral Party, Deep Red)
Taylor Nicks
Kierra Gray (King Kie, The Grays)
Kennedy Ashlyn (SRSQ)
Best Male Vocalist
Paul Cauthen
Eric Pulido (E.B. The Younger)
Abraham Alexander
Sam Anderson (Quaker City Night Hawks)
Keite Young (Medicine Man Revival)
Larry g(EE)
Emil Rapstine (The Angelus)
Best Bassist
Aarón Mireles (Sub-Sahara)
Braylon Lacy (The Gritz, Erykah Badu, Kirk Franklin)
KJ Gray (Friday’s Foolery, The Grays)
Nigel Rivers (Erykah Badu, Dezi 5)
Danny Balis (Bastards of Soul)
Wes Stephenson (Funky Knuckles)
Robert Trusko (Trusko)
Best Guitarist
Gabriel Santana (Kyoto Lo-Fi)
Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy)
Dustin Fleming (Vandoliers)
Chris Holt (Bastards of Soul)
Teddy Waggy (Midnight Opera)
Mike Doty (Duell)
Ronnie Heart (Ronnie Heart)
Best Drummer
Cleon Edwards (Erykah Badu, RC & The Gritz)
Matt Pence (Paul Cauthen, The Gold Brothers)
Bailey Chapman (Pearl Earl, Heavy Pulp)
Brandon Price (Friday’s Foolery, Casey Donahew)
Jeff Ryan (Motorcade)
Andy Cantu (The Bralettes)
Nick Russo (Duell)
Best Pianist
RC Williams (Erykah Badu, The Gritz)
Poppy Xander (Starfruit, Helium Queens, Panic, PriMadonna)
Chad Stockslager (Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner, Bastards of Soul)
Kwinton Gray (Friday’s Foolery, The Grays)
Danny Bonilla (Luna Luna)
Shaun Martin (Kirk Franklin, Snarky Puppy)
Daron Beck (Pinkish Black)
Best DJ
Sober
Poizon Ivy
Leo J
Christy Ray
Blake Ward
VRY WVY
Mike B
Best Producer (Non Hip-Hop)
John Pedigo (The 40 Acre Mule, Ottoman Turks)
Jordan Richardson (Steve Gnash, Quaker City Night Hawks)
Michael Briggs (Lorelei K, Flesh Narc)
Jason Burt (Medicine Man Revival, Remy Reilly)
Brack Cantrell (Teal Moss, Parachuter)
Britt Robisheaux (Pinkish Black, Sub-Sahara)
Beau Bedford (EB The Younger, Paul Cauthen)
Best Hip-Hop Producer
Cardo (Travis Scott, Juice WRLD)
Ben Hixon (Lord Byron)
Beatbyjeff (Splurge, 10k.Caash)
Lonestarmuzik (Jahn Dough, Eminem)
Kal Banx (J. Cole, Coach Tev)
JWhiteDidIt (Gucci Mane Cardi B)
D. Woo (Wale, Damian Lillard)
Best Songwriter
Joshua Ray Walker (Joshua Ray Walker, Ottoman Turks)
Cody Lynn Boyd (Cody Lynn Boyd)
Alex Montenegro (Skirts)
Sudie Abernathy (Sudie)
Charlie Shafter (Charlie Shafter)
Oscar DeLaugher (Oscar DeLaughter)
Jason Burt (Medicine Man Revival, Paul Cauthen)
Best Independent Promoter/Talent Buyer
13th Floor Music
Galaxy 9
Parade of Flesh
Margin Walker
Regina Bugarin Booking
Third String Productions
Banjos To Beats
Best Record Label
State Fair Records
Dreamy Life Records
Field Day Records
Gloom Club
Barf Wave Records
Dolfin Records
Palo Santo Records
Best Record Store
Spinster Records
Josey Records
Good Records
Top Ten Records
Mad World Records
Doc’s Records
Dreamy Life Records
Best New Venue
Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios (revived)
Dickies Arena
The Rail Club (revived)
Reveler’s Hall
Mama Tried (Irving)
The Sound
The Post at River East
Best Venue (Over 751 – 5,000 cap.)
Granada Theater
Canton Hall
The Bomb Factory
South Side Music Hall
Gas Monkey Live!
The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory
House of Blues
Best Venue (251 – 750 cap.)
Kessler Theater
Sandaga 813
The Nines
Trees
Deep Ellum Art Co.
The Blue Light Dallas
The Free Man
Best Venue (Under 250 cap.)
Three Links
Double Wide
Armoury D.E.
Twilite Lounge
Sundown at Granada
Ruins
Adair’s
Best Festival
Homegrown Music & Arts Festival
Not So Fun Wknd
Fortress Festival
Lights All Night
Ubbi Dubbi
Evil Beat
Posty Fest
Best Weekly/Recurring Party
3links2sdays (Three Links)
Disco, TX (various locations)
DFW Jam Session (Sandaga 813)
Emo Nite (Lizard Lounge)
Lock Johnson’s Playground (Louie Louie’s)
Barf Wave Plays The Hits (The Nines)
Keep On Dancin’ (Ruins)
Best Music Video Director
KID K (Pearl Earl, Lorelei K)
Iliana Aragon (Tay Money, Ebo)
Harley Deville (Lorelei K, Harley Deville)
Dance Dailey (T.Y.E., Dibbi Blood)
Boy Orange Films (Luna Luna, Electric Tongues)
German Torres (Lou Charle$, Bobby Sessions)
HalfpintFilmz (Lil Ronny MothaF, Go Yayo)
Best Recording Studio
The Echo Lab
Modern Electric Sound Recorders
Civil Audio
Redwood Studio
Niles City Sound
Audio Dallas
The Kitchen Studios
Best Concert Photographer
Jessica Waffles
Vera Velma
Karlo X. Ramos
Mike Brooks
Andrew Sherman
Melissa Hennings
Jason Janik
Best Merch/Poster Designer
Lewellyn’s Print Shop (Sealion, Loafers)
Matt Cliff (EB the Younger, Texas Gentlemen)
JackDaw Russell (Sub-Sahara, Old 97’s)
Kaia Beggs (From Parts Unknown, Three Links)
Brad Albright (Live Nation, Dallas Stars)
Jessi Pereira (Ruins, DJ Sober)
DJ Sober (Leon Bridges, DJ Sober)
Best Cover Art
Lorelei K – Lightbender
Sam Lao – “Selfish”
Ruff Wizard – Ruff Thymes
Starfruit – “Still a Baby”
Abraham Alexander – Self-Titled EP
Jiggy Green – “Crew”
Coach Tev – COTY
Best Social Media Presence
The Outfit, TX
Tay Money
10k.Caash
Kaash Paige
Sam Anderson
Lardi B
88 Killa
Best Radio Show/Music Podcast
The KXT Local Show with Amy Miller (KXT)
DTX Selects (Podcast)
The Paul Slavens Show (KXT)
Mostly Local with Michael Briggs (KUZU)
Jerry Jonestown Massacre (Podcast)
Loud and Local (97.1 The Eagle)
Locals Only with Mark Schectman (Alt 103.7)