2024 San Diego Music Awards salute local performers
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The 33rd San Diego Music Awards at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Photo: Kate Murphy/Axios
Thee Sacred Souls won Artist of the Year on Tuesday at the sold-out 33rd San Diego Music Awards at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay.
Why it matters: The awards recognize local musicians breaking into the national music scene and those who've already made it big.
- The event also raised nearly $54,000 for the San Diego Music Foundation's Guitars for Schools program that helps offset costs of music programs for kids.
Zoom in: Thee Sacred Souls, a trio that plays Southern California sweet soul music, is touring and was unable to attend Tuesday.
- Their self-titled debut album, which drew national attention in 2022, is a "warm and textured record, mixing the easygoing grace of sweet '60s soul with the grit and groove of early '70s R&B," according to the group's website.
Flashback: Thee Sacred Souls performed on NPR's Tiny Desk in January, with melodies "paying homage to Southern California Latino culture meeting American soul roots," NPR wrote.
The big picture: The public voted for winners in 25 categories covering genres from folk to jazz to pop.
- The Suede Grenades won Best New Artist.
- Kimmi Bitter's "Aquamarine" won Song of the Year.
- Jonny Tarr's "The Rules" won Album of the Year.
The intrigue: Oceanside native Stevie Salas, who's rocked with legends, performed after receiving the annual Country Dick Montana Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In his speech, Salas said the one reason he could be on those stages was being from San Diego.
- When you grow up surfing and skateboarding, you have this "punk rock sort of energy" that's also like ballet and "you learn to feel music in a different way," he said.
💠My thought bubble: Beyond adding these local artists to my Spotify, I loved seeing such a diverse group of fans and musicians from different genres expressing their styles and celebrating each other.
The full list of winners:
Best Folk or Acoustic Song: Alex Bergan — Unpromised Land
Best Jazz Artist: Mercedes Moore
Best Jazz or Blues Album: Shane Hall — Howl & Sway
Best Blues Artist: Anthony Cullins
Best Country or Americana Artist: Sara Petite
Best Country or Americana Song: MohaviSoul — Hurry Up & Wait
Best Country or Americana Album: Sara Petite — The Empress
Best Hip-hop/Rap Artist: Brothers Burns
Best Hip-hop/Rap Song: Riston Diggs — Life of a Dreamer
Best Indie/Alternative Artist: The Schizophonics
Best Indie/Alternative Album: miniaturized — self-titled
Best Pop Artist: Matthew Phillips
Best Pop Song: The Microblades — Cowboy
Best Pop Album: Jonny Tarr — The Rules
Best Rock Artist: Band of Gringos
Best Rock Album: Cattle Decapitation — Terrasite
Best Rock or Indie/Alternative Song: Coastal Wolves — Sucks to Be You
Best World Music Song: Slack Key Ohana — Nahenahe La Kep O Ka Wahine U'i
Best R&B, Funk or Soul Album: Sure Fire Soul Ensemble — Live at Panama 66
Best Local Recording: Nathan Hubbard — Seeds of Rivers
Best Video: Berkley Hart — Faded Tattoo
Best New Artist: The Suede Grenades
Artist of the Year: Thee Sacred Souls
Song of the Year: Kimmi Bitter — Aquamarine
Album of the Year: Jonny Tarr — The Rules