MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR (MOY) PROCESS:
- Nominations open in mid-October to mid-November of prior year.
- WMJS board finalizes three nominees at the November board meeting.
- Membership voting in December of prior year (voting closes January 24, 2025).
- The announcement is made in late January of the award year following first WMJS board meeting of the year (usually in January).
AWARD POLICIES
- Must currently reside in West MI (anything west of Lansing from the top to the bottom of the state)
- Not currently serving on the WMJS board or an immediate family member of a current board member - to avoid a conflict of interest.
- An individual cannot win an award twice.
- WMJS board will validate all nominations. The board seeks public input & past award recipients’ feedback. Using a matrix of award criteria, WMJS board selects 3 finalists for a vote.
- Current WMJS membership votes to approve winner. WMJS current board members cannot vote.
The West Michigan Jazz Society invites its membership and the general public to send in their nominations for the 2024 WMJS Musician of the Year Award. Click here for the online form.
In the year 2000, the West Michigan Jazz Society began honoring our outstanding local musicians beginning in the year 2000, by electing a "Musician of the Year." Our award honorees thus far include:
2024 – Michael Hyde - Guitar
2023 – Dr. James Sawyer - Trumpet
2022 – Paul Smith (in posthumous) - Drummer
2020 and 2021 - Paul Brewer - Trombone
2019 - Fred Knapp - Drums
2018 - Bob Nixon - Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon
2017 - Robin Connell - Piano
2016 - Terry Lower - Piano
2015 - Mike Lutley - Saxes, Flute, and Clarinet
2014 - Max Colley III - Trumpet & Drums
2013 - Randy Marsh - Drums
2012 - Mark Kahny - Piano and Vocals
2011 - Edye Evans Hyde - Vocal Stylist
2010 - John Shea - Piano
2009 - Dick Reynolds - Piano
2008 - Steve Talaga - Piano
2007 - Tom Hagen - Piano, Guitar, Clarinet
2006 - Mary Rademacher - Vocal Stylist
2005 - Elgin Vines - Bass
2004 - Tim Froncek - Percussion
2003 - Ray Gill - Tenor Sax
2002 - Mel Dalton - Sax
2001 - Paul Keller - String Bass
2000 - Curt Purnell - Sax
Bruce Early Jazz Educators Award
W.M.J.S has a new annual award!
This award will be given in Bruce Early's name to the Jazz Educator of the year by the W.M.J.S. Dr. Bruce Early (1939-1998) was the area's premier educator, band leader, performer, adjudicator, and contractor in the Grand Rapids area as well as the Mid-west. He taught at Aquinas College and organized an annual jazz festival and summer jazz ca
mp besides being a conductor at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. He nurtured young talent and gave them an environment to gain experience to perfect their craft. So this award will continue his legacy as well as give acknowledgment and thanks to each recipient.
Each recipient will not only be selected by their teaching talent but by their support and caring of the direction that our young jazz musician's paths may take. West Michigan has many devoted and talented educators and this will be a way thanking and acknowledgment for their expertise.
Betty Forrest Jazz Ambassador Award
Betty Forrest Jazz Ambassador Award
This award is given in Betty Forrest’s name. Betty had the idea of putting together a formalized support group for jazz in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan area. Ray Gill, Director of Jazz Studies at Grand Rapids Junior (now Community) College, had a list of 20 names of people who had formerly tried to establish a jazz support group. In Betty’s words, “Coincidentally, the Jazz Times was running a series of articles on Jazz Societies that autumn, and featured an article about a new National Federation of Jazz Societies being formed. Taking Gill’s list, checking it twice to see who was nice, Betty Forrest sent out letters in January 1986 as “feelers.” The response was so good that a meeting was called (what else?) and a dozen hard-core jazz lovers showed up to form the nucleus of what soon became known as the West Michigan Jazz Society. By April the first edition of JazzNotes went out to an augmented list of 40 names. The first public meeting/gig was held in conjunction with founding member Bruce Early’s appearance with his Big band at Pockett’s. Membership rose to 50, then doubled to 100 in June after a fund-raising party at Jim & Nancy Gould’s residence. Jim Gould was “drafted” to be our first president and we were off and running!” Without Betty, there would not be a West Michigan Jazz Society! We will use this award to honor individuals who have gone above and beyond to support the West Michigan Jazz Society and it’s mission.
Kurt Ehinger
Kurt Ehinger was the first recipient of the Betty Forrest Jazz Ambassador Award! Everybody attending Jazz Society outdoor concerts for the last 20+ years were the beneficiaries of Kurt’s skill, knowledge, good taste, terrific ears and announcing skills. From his perch behind the audio mixing board, he literally is the link between our musical artists and what we in the audience hear. When your ears are hearing beautiful, natural sound, you’re not just hearing the artists on the stage. You are also hearing the artistry of the sound man.
Eddie Tadlock
Eddie Tadlock is Assistant General Manager of DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena. He serves on many nonprofit boards including GRAM, Grand JazzFest, Festival of the Arts, Boy Scouts, Cultivate Grand Rapids, Rosa Parks Circle Conservancy, Grand Rapids Community Master Plan Steering Committee, and Grand Rapids Art Advisory Committee. He is a self-described jazz junkie, art collector and Marine whose social media accounts are filled with pictures of food and West Michigan live jazz. He has been a big supporter of the West Michigan Jazz Society over the years. We were honored to present him with the second Betty Forrest Jazz Ambassador Award.