SPECIAL HONOREES
In accordance with Detroit Music Awards rules, acts that have won in the same category for two years in a row have been designated Special Honorees for the current award year.
These acts are not eligible for nomination in the same category for the 2024 Detroit Music Awards only and will be eligible again in the following year. They will not appear on the Phase 2 ballot in those specific categories.
These talented and hard-working musicians will be honored during the award show and listed as Special Honorees on this website. This is a designation, not an additional award.
This year's categories with Special Honorees include:
Outstanding Classical Composer: Maurice “Pirahnahead” Herd
Outstanding Classical Small Ensemble: Motor City Brass Band
Outstanding Electronic Artist/Group: Liz Larin
Outstanding Electronic/Dance DJ: Linda Lexy
Outstanding Family/Children's Music: Detroit Children's Choir
Outstanding Guitar Instrumentalist: Laith Al-Saadi
Outstanding Local Venue: Cadieux Cafe'
Outstanding Local Record Label: Funky D Records
Outstanding R&B Artist/Group: Laura Rain and The Caesars
Outstanding Traditional Jazz Artist/Group: Planet D Nonet
2023 Special Honorees
Outstanding Bass Instrumentalist: Takashi Iio *
Outstanding Gospel Choir: Detroit Youth Choir
Outstanding Keyboards Instrumentalist: Phil Hale *
Outstanding Record Producer: “Motor City” Josh Ford
Outstanding Songwriter: Jill Jack *
Outstanding Specialty Instrumentalist: Larry Labeck *
Outstanding Vocalist: Tosha Owens *
Outstanding World Artist/Group: The Corktown Popes
* These artists previously won individual genre categories in 2021 and the overall category in 2022.
2022 Special Honorees
Outstanding Classical Composer: Patrick Prouty
Outstanding Country Songwriter: Julianne Ankley
Outstanding Country Instrumentalist: Larry Labeck
Outstanding Gospel Artist or Group: Sweet Crystal
Outstanding Traditional Jazz Artist: Sky Covington
Outstanding Local Record Label: Detroit Music Factory
Outstanding Rap Composer: REDD
Outstanding Recording Studio: The Tempermill
Outstanding Rock Instrumentalist: Johnny “Bee” Badanjeck
Outstanding Rock Songwriter: Dirk Kroll
Outstanding World Instrumentalist: Sean Blackman
2021 Special Honorees
Outstanding Americana Songwriter: Billy Brandt
Outstanding Blues Vocalist: Tosha Owens
Outstanding Classical Small Ensemble: Motor City Brass
Outstanding Classical Vocalist: Jill Fitzgerald
Outstanding Country Artist: Julianne Ankley & The Rogues
Outstanding Country Instrumentalist: Larry Labeck
Outstanding Electronic/Dance DJ: DJ Linda Lexy
Outstanding Gospel Instrumentalist: Marq Speck
Outstanding Gospel Songwriter: Marq Speck
Outstanding Gospel Vocalist: David Winans II
Outstanding Jazz Composer: Scott Gwinnell
Outstanding Jazz Instrumentalist: Takashi Iio
Outstanding Rap Producer: Tony "T-Money" Green
Outstanding Rock Artist or Group: The Gasoline Gypsies
Outstanding Tribute Artist or Group: Major Dudes: A Steely Dan Tribute
Outstanding Urban Songwriter: Nadir Omowale
Outstanding World Vocalist: Maggie McCabe
2020 Special Honorees
Outstanding Classical Small Ensemble: Motor City Brass
Outstanding Live Sound Tech: Neil Sever
Outstanding Traditional Jazz Artist: Planet D Nonet
2019 Special Honorees
Outstanding Americana Instrumentalist: Brett Lucas
Outstanding Blues Artists: Thornetta Davis
Outstanding Blues Songwriter: Thornetta Davis
Outstanding Blues Vocalist: Thornetta Davis
Outstanding Country Instrumentalist: Chuck Bartels
Outstanding Country Songwriter: Jennifer Westbrook
Outstanding Recording Studio: The Tempermill
Outstanding Gospel Choir: Motown Legends Gospel Choir
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Musician: David Winans
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Songwriter: David Winans
Outstanding Modern Jazz Act: Skeeto Valdez
Oustanding Urban Vocalist: Thornetta Davis
Oustanding World Music Instrumentalist: Sean Blackman
Oustanding World Music Songwriter: Sean Blackman
Outstanding World Music Vocalist: Liz Larin
| Name | Category |
| Laith Al-Saadi | Outstanding Blues Instrumenalist |
| Jennifer Westwood | Outstanding Country Vocalist |
| Linda Lexy | Outstanding Electronic DJ |
| Thornetta Davis | Outstanding Urban Vocalist |
| T Money Green | Outstanding Rap Producer/DJ |
| Sky Covington | Outstanding Jazz Vocalist |
| The Infatuations | Outstanding Rock/Pop Artist/Group |
| David Winans ll | Outstanding Gospel/Christian Artist/Group |
| Name | Category |
| Rio and the Rockibilly Revival | Americana Artist/ Group |
| Gia Warner | Americana Vocalist |
| Michele Ramo | Classical Composer |
| Detroit Music Factory | Local Record Label |
| Tino Gross | Record Producer |
| Pearl Sound | Recording Studio |
| Sweet Crystal | Gospel/ Christian Act |
| Ortheia Barnes | Gospel/ Christian Vocalist |
| Planet D Nonet | Traditional Jazz Artist / Group |
| Carolyn Striho | Rock Songwriter |
| Critical Bill | Heavy Rock (Metal, Industrial, Goth , Thrash et al.) Artist / Group |
| The Ruiners | Alt/ Punk/ Indie Artist/ Group |
| Maggie McCabe | World Vocalist |
| Name | Category |
| Jill Jack | Americana Songwriter |
| Bobby Murray Band | Blues Artist/ Group |
| Thornetta Davis | Blues Vocalist |
| The Orbitsuns | Country Artist/ Group |
| Howling Diablos | Urban Artist/ Group |
| Tino Gross | Urban Songwriter |
| Tosha Owens | Urban Vocalist |
| Name | Category |
| Jill Jack | Outstanding Folk/ Artist/ Group |
| Tino Gross | Outstanding Blue/R&B Songwriter |
| John Rutherford | Outstanding Classical Instrumentalist |
| Cybertrybe | Outstanding Electronic/ Dance Artist/Group |
| Linda Lexy | Outstanding Electronic/Dance DJ |
| Peter Jay | Outstanding Live Sound Tech |
| Funky D Records | Outstanding Local Record Label |
| Fifty Amp Fuse | Outstanding Tribute Band |
| Marq Andrew Speck | Outstanding Gospel/ Christian Musician |
| Marq Andrew Speck | Outstanding Gospel/ Christian Songwriter |
| Marq Andrew Speck | Outstanding Gospel/ Christian Vocalist |
| Sky Covington | Outstanding Jazz Vocalist |
| Skeeto's Funhouse | Outstanding Modern Jazz Artist/Group |
| The Muggs | Outstanding Rock/Pop Artist /Group |
| Joe Kidd and Sheila Burke | Outstanding World/ Reggae/Ska Songwriter |
| Name | Category |
| Scott Gwinnell | Outstanding Classical Composer |
| Brian "Roscoe" White ( guitar ) | Outstanding Country Instrumentalist |
| Tino Gross | Outstanding Record Producer |
| Sweet Crystal | Outstanding Gospel/Christian Act |
| Scott Gwinnell | Outstanding Jazz Composer |
| Crud | Industrial Artist/Group |
| Name | Category |
| Jill Jack | Outstanding Acoustic/Folk Vocalist |
| Thornetta Davis | Outstanding Blues/R&B Vocalist |
| The Motor City Brass Quintet | Outstanding Classical Small Ensemble |
| Mack Avenue Records | Outstanding Local Record Label |
| Harmonie Park | Outstanding Recording Studio |
| Hot Club of Detroit | Outstanding Traditional Jazz Artist/Group |
| Skeeto Valdez ( drums ) | Outstanding Urban/Funk Musician |
| Name | Category |
| DJ Linda Lexy | Outstanding Electronic/Dance DJ |
| Ty Stone & the Truth | Rock/Pop Artist/Group |
| The Brothers Groove | Outstanding Urban/Funk Artist/Group |
| Name | Category |
| Trish Shandor | Oustanding Classical Vocalist |
| Neil "T" Sever | Outstanding Live Sound Technican |
| God's Army | Outstanding Gospel/ Christian Act |
| DJ Invisible | Outstanding Hip - Hop DJ |
| Nadir | Outstanding Urban / Funk Vocalist |
| Roots Vibration | Outstanding Reggae / Ska Artist / Group |
| Name | Category |
| Scott Gwinnell | Outstanding Jazz Composer |
| The Brothers Groove | Outstanding Modern Jazz Artist/Group |
| Crud | Outstanding Industrial Artist/Group |
| Name | Category |
| Jill Jack | Folk Artist or Group |
| Jill Jack | Folk Vocalist |
| Jill Jack | Folk Songwriter |
| Thornetta Davis | Blues Artist or Group |
| Thornetta Davis | Blues / R&B Vocalist |
| Mack Avenue Records | Record Label |
| Studio A | Recording Studio |
| Jesse Palter | Jazz Vocalist |
| Hot Club of Detroit | Traditional Jazz Artist or Group |
| Liz Larin | Rock / Pop Vocalist |
| Liz Larin | Rock / Pop Songwriter |
| Orquesta Sensacional | World Music Artist or Group |
| Name | Category |
| Jeremy Kittel | Folk Artist or Group |
| Amp Fiddler | Electronic / Dance Artist or Group |
| Amp Fiddler | Electronic Writer / Producer |
| Martin &Tino& Gross | Record Producer |
| Broadzilla | Hard Rock / Metal Artist or Group |
| Bobby East | Rock Instrumentalist |
| Houseshoes | Hip / Hop D.J. |
| Black Bottom Collective | Urban / Funk Artist or Group |
| Nadir | Urban / Funk Songwriter |