The San Antonio Music Awards 2015 Winners List

Welcome to the 2015 San Antonio Music Awards, the San Antonio Current’s annual voter-driven review of SA’s music scene. Over 23,000 votes were cast this year, determining the finest musicians and venues that the city has to offer.

With a quick cross-examination of the 2014 issue, there’s a good number of returning champions (with a three-year sweep, it looks like Grupo Texas Heat has a secure reign as Best Tejano Band). But there’s also a good deal of turnover, too, representing the rapidly growing landscape of San Antonio music.

Most importantly, we’re proud to say that we finally got Best Accordionist in the running, in one of the few cities in America where that title means something.

San Antonio Current Critic's Picks

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San Antonio Music Awards 2015 Winners

BEST ACCORDIONIST
1. Alvaro del Norte
2. Bobby Garcia (Grupo Texas Heat)
3. Flaco Jiménez

BEST GUITARIST
1. Nick Valdez (Elora & Gasoline Alley)
2. Ryan Ortiz (The Ranch Road Band/Grupo Texas Heat)
3. Granvil Poynter

BEST VOCALIST
1. Elora Valdez (Elora & Gasoline Alley)
2. Ryan Ortiz (The Ranch Road Band/Grupo Texas Heat)
3. Cayman Robinson (Aliens WITH Halos)

BEST KEYBOARDIST
1. Eloy Espinoza (The Ranch Road Band/Grupo Texas Heat)
2. Elena Lopez (Octahedron)
3. Rob Cockfield (Dev Soul)

BEST BASSIST
1. Nick Williams (Elora & Gasoline Alley)
2. Rudy Flores, Jr. (AUDIOMOUTH)
3. Alan Golden, Jr. (Ty Dillon & The Wilde Fire)

BEST DRUMMER
1. Elise Garcia (Elora & Gasoline Alley)
2. Andrew Rodriguez (The Ranch Road Band/Grupo Texas Heat)
3. Raul Garcia (Granvil Poynter)

BEST SONG
1. “Hotel Lobby” (Michael J. & The Foxes)
2. “The Source” (Aliens WITH Halos)
3. “Broken Promises” (A1 Pusha)

BEST ALBUM
1. Desert Sons (Lonely Horse)
2. The Door into Summer (Gary Davenport)
3. Sunsets & Pickups (Ty Dillon & The Wilde Fire)

BEST VIDEO
1. “Strong” (Kae Hache)
2. “Back to San Antone” (Felix Truvere & The Open Road Band)
3. “Find Me” (Twigutta)

BEST INDIE ROCK BAND
1. Deer Vibes
2. Octahedron
3. The Morning Owls

BEST NEW BAND
1. PeanutGallery
2. Doral Club
3. Creciendo Fuerte

MOST UNDERRATED ARTIST
1. Elora & Gasoline Alley
2. Sire FNS
3. PeanutGallery

BEST TEJANO/CONJUNTO BAND
1. Grupo Texas Heat
2. Son Latino Show Band
3. Ricky Valenz

BEST ALT-LATINO BAND
1. Creciendo Fuerte
2. TIE Grupo Frackaso, Piñata Protest
3. Los De Esta Noche

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL BAND
1. Remanon
2. Celeste’al Descent
3. Jessikill

BEST PUNK BAND
1. FEA
2. Kill Liberal
3. Haunter

BEST INSTRUMENTAL BAND
1. Verisimilitude
2. Bright Like The Sun
3. GRANITE

BEST HIP-HOP ARTIST
1. Richie Branson
2. PeanutGallery
3. Reek Savage

BEST R&B ARTIST
1. Niki Symone
2. Nubia Emmon
3. The Azul Experience

BEST SINGER/SONGWRITER
1. Dylan Tanner
2. Ila Minori
3. Niki Symone


BEST COUNTRY/AMERICANA BAND
1. The Ranch Road Band
2. Michael J. and The Foxes
3. Bret Mullins Band

BEST BLUES ARTIST/BAND
1. Smokehouse Guitar Army
2. Granvil Poynter Band
3. The Disciples

BEST JAZZ BAND
1. The Azul Experience
2. The Spiders
3. David Villanueva & DV Jazz

BEST DJ
1. DJ EPSR
2. DJ Galexy
3. DJ Memph

BEST ELECTRONIC ARTIST/BAND
1. Aliens WITH Halos
2. Femina-X
3. SubCulture Collective

BEST HIP-HOP PRODUCER
1. Andrew FNS Johnson
2. Southeast Six
3. Bryan Hamilton


BEST RECORDING STUDIO
1. Timewheel Studios
2. Edit Point Studios
3. FireWave Productions

BEST RECORDING ENGINEER
1. Donnie Meals
2. BH Koonce
3. Chris Davalos

BEST LOCAL RADIO SHOW
1. KRTU Live and Local Jeannette Muniz
2. Street Dreamz Radio
3. Friday’s Fresh Air with John Morgan (KRTU)

BEST PROMOTER
1. Tim Slusher
2. Michael Anthony Fernandez
3. Die Happy Productions

BEST RECORD LABEL
1. Dreamland Collective
2. Gondwanaland Records
3. Npire Music Ent

BEST MUSIC VENUE
(SMALL, UNDER 250 CAPACITY)
1. Imagine Books & Records
2. 502 Bar
3. Hi-Tones

BEST MUSIC VENUE
(LARGE, OVER 250 CAPACITY)
1. The Falls
2. Paper Tiger
3. Alamo City Music Hall

BEST DIY VENUE
1. Imagine Books & Records
2. Riff House
3. K23 Gallery