The 17th Annual Acoustic Music Awards Is Now Open For Musicians

Registration is now open for the 17th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards). IAMA is the preeminent awards for musicians, promotes excellence in acoustic music performance and artistry. Acoustic artists in various genres can gain exciting radio and web exposure through this competition. Participating sponsors include Acoustic Cafe and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Music artists stand a chance to win awards in eight different categories: Best Male Artist, Best Female Artist, Best Group/Duo Folk, Americana/Roots/AAA, Instrumental, Open (any musical style or genre), Bluegrass/Country, etc. There will also be an Overall Grand Prize winner awarded to the top winner worth over US$11,000, which includes radio promotion to over 250 radio stations in US and Canada.

IAMA is sponsored by: Zager Guitars, New Music Weekly, Loggins Promotion, Airplay Access, Sirius XM Radio, Acoustic Café Radio Show, MixButton, MusicGateway.com, Kari Estrin Management & Consulting, and Sonicbids.com

In its 17th year, IAMA has a proven track record of winners going on to get signed and hit the Billboard Charts. Meghan Trainor was discovered by IAMA eight years ago and is now a global superstar with #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts with "All About That Bass" (#1 for 8 weeks) and #1 on The Billboard 200 Charts with her debut album "Title", won for a Grammy award for Best New Artist in 2016. Meghan hit #89 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts again this year again with "Nice to Meet Ya".

The 2nd Annual IAMA winner Zane Williams’s winning song was recorded by country music star Jason Michael Carroll, that song hit #14 on Billboard Country Charts and #99 on Billboard Hot 100 Charts. Jeff Gutt, a finalist at the 9th Annual IAMA was a runner-up on X-Factor USA. Charlie Dore (known for her #1 hit “Pilot of the Airwaves”) was the top winner in 2008. Bertie Higgins & Bellamy Brothers, who won the Best Folk Category at the 13th Annual IAMA. Bertie Higgins is known for his #1 hit “Key Largo” and Top 10 hit “Just Another Day in Paradise”. Bellamy Brothers are known for their eleven #1 hits “Let Your Love Flow”, “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me”, “Too Much Is Not Enough” and many more.

Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Ellis Paul (see pictured above) won top honors at the recent 16th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) with his song “I Ain't No Jesus”. Ellis is signed to Rounder Records.

"I’d like to thank the IAMA for the honor of this award. It’s nice to know that there are still nice surprises around the bend on this long winding path of a career. I love a good song — writing them, hearing them by other people, and sharing them that seems to fit into the mission of IAMA. Thanks for reminding me I’m on the right track still!", said Paul.

Other notable winners include Joel Rafael and Jason Mraz; they won Best Group/Duo.
Natalia Zukerman, who won a Runner-Up award in the Best Folk Category. Russian virtuoso guitarist Roman Miroshnichenko, who won Best Instrumental. He has performed with other notable guitarists such as Steve Vai, Al Di Meola and Larry Coryell.

The deadline to enter is November 6th. For more information, go to:
www.inacoustic.com/