OUTMusic Humanitarian Songwriter of the Year

In my final installment, I spotlight the award winning entry for Sonicbids OUTMusic Songwriter of the Year for the 7th Annual OUTmusic Awards. The Awards were given in New York City.



The winner of the Sonicbids OUTMusic Awards Humanitarian Songwriter of the Year winner has quite the international feel. The beautiful Silvina was born in Argentina, and now lives in New Jersey. She topped the ballots for her gorgeous song, No Se Porque.



Now, I don't speak Spanish, and can barely remember the French I studied in school. But in her interviews, Silvina talked about the song as her offering of support to the homeless children and people in Latin America, and really, around the world. When I put the lyrics through Google Translate, this is what they come up with.

Pedro has seven years
but his feet are bare
No known fairy tales
only hurts his childhood

Where will the Kings
perhaps asleep as,
sometimes in the subway
sating their hunger on a walk, walk ...

Not because they do not know why
are you crying, are suffering,
silence is not because ...

Not because they do not know why,
hungry, cold
with so much sun, so wheat
Not because they do not know why
not because they do not know why ...

These are the dreams of his childhood
like paper boats
directs the wind direction
are nightmares at dawn

Where will the Magi
Maybe sleeping as
Sometimes in the subway
sating their hunger on a walk, walk, walk ...

Not because they do not know why
These lorando are suffering
not remain silent because

Not because they do not know why
hungry, cold
so much wheat sun
Not because they do not know why
Not because they do not know why

Even in a rough translation, the sentiment is beautiful indeed. You can find the single on iTunes here, and on Amazon.com here. For more about Silvina, check out her official FaceBook page here. You can also find her official website here. And don't forget to visit the official website of The Awards!

OUTstanding Video of the Year

I am continuing the series to spotlight the award winning entry for OUTstanding Video of the Year for the 7th Annual OUTmusic Awards. The Awards were given in New York City.



The winners of the OUTstanding Video of the Year hail from Canada, and can rock with the best of them out there. Revenge by Hunter Valentine took the award, and deservedly so. The Toronto-based trio rock it out while a young woman stalks her ex. But Kiyomi McCloskey, Laura Petracca and Adrienne Lloyd are on stage, laying down some rock like few do, combing the bravado of 80s hair bands with the skill and drive of some great 90s bands like Metallica and Soundgarden. Give their video a look.



You can find out more about Hunter Valentine at their official website here. You can purchase their latest album, Lessons From The Late Night, on iTunes here, and on Amazon.com here. It is an excellent rock collection you can buy for under $6.00! In the final installment, I will feature the winner in the OUTstanding Humanitarian Songwriter of the Year category. Can't wait! Don't forget to visit the official website of The Awards!

OUTstanding Single, Love Song & OUTMusician

I am continuing the series to spotlight the award winning entries for Single, Love Song & OUTMusician for the 7th Annual OUTmusic Awards. The Awards were given in New York City.



The group Disappear Fear was formed in 1987 when sisters Sonia Rutstein and Cindy Frank began to write and perform together. Cindy stepped aside to raise her family, but Sonia has kept playing, both as part of the group and as a solo artist. Sonia was named the OUTstanding Single of the Year for Who I Am by Sonia & Disappear Fear. The song is off the Blood, Bones & Baltimore album released last year.



Sonia's lyrics and melodies reflect her simple truth - when you disappear fear between people what you have is LOVE. She and her sister, Cindy, are working together again on the next release, Get Your Phil, a tribute to the great Phil Ochs. You can buy this song on iTunes here, on Amazon.com here, and on CD Baby here.



I am a fan of Phil Putnam, as you could see in the post I had done about him earlier, here. So I was quite pleased when I read the winner of the Biello-Martin Love Song of the Year was Phil's Paris. The song is off his Casualties album. While there is no video, you can give the beautiful song a listen below.



Phil is no stranger to the OUTMusic Awards, as his I'm No Prize was previously nominated for OUTStanding Rock Song. I'll have to admit that after seeing More Than This and this video, I had a bit of a crush on Phil. So Adorkable and charming! You can check this video out.



You can buy this song on iTunes here, on Amazon.com here, and on his online store here. You can find Phil online at his official webpage here. You might even find a free download or two if you go there...



When you have a musician the caliber of Linq, you know she will not only be writing great music, but also something that is pertinent. So it should come as no surprise Linq was named OUTstanding OUTMusician for her beautiful and touching Oh Bully. I wish I could find a video of her singing it - surely sometime soon that might happen. But here you have the chance to listen to it.




You can buy this song on iTunes here, on Amazon.com here, and on CD Baby here. You can check out her official website here. Visit her there and see if you can catch a live show soon, or buy a complete album. How great was it that several of the winners have been featured on the blog already, including Phil Putnam? In the next installment, I will feature the winner of the OUTstanding Video of the Year. Can't wait! Don't forget to visit the official website of The Awards!

OUTstanding Comedy & International Songs, and Producer

I am continuing the series to spotlight the award winning entries for Jazz, Soundtrack and Male Chorus for the 7th Annual OUTmusic Awards. The Awards were given in New York City.



The winner of the OUTstanding Comedy Song was Tranny Angel by Vontanner. VonTanner, a partnership of Chris VonTanner and Michael Vaughn, first started making music in the 70s, including a cut off a compilation album of LGBT artists. Tranny Angel is off the album Wedding Bell Blues, a collection of songs about marriage and love made famous by some of the outstanding ladies and girl-groups of earlier times. Chris and Michael have been together personally as well as professionally for more than 20 yeas.



You can purchase Tranny Angel on iTunes here. You can also find it on CD Baby here, and Amazon.com here. You can find out more about VonTanner at the ReverbNation webpage here or the official website here.



The winner of the OUTstanding International Song can certainly attest to the international flavor of music. Kid Akimbo, who took the award for his delicious Disco Berimbau (Riera Remix), was born in Brazil, grew in San Fransisco, trained in Cuba's national conservatory and now lives in New York City. He brings all these influences into his music, as well as his interesting use of dance and movement. I couldn't resist, and downloaded the EP, and am glad I did. What a sexy mix of music!



You can purchase this great song by Kid Akimbo on iTunes here. And you can find it on Amazon.com here. You can learn more about the handsome artist on his official website here.



singer/songwriter Rachael Sage took home the award for OUTstanding Producer for Hope's Outpost, the first song off her 2010 release, Delancey Street. The multi-Award winner is currently on tour, so check here to find out if she is playing near you.



You can purchase Delancey Street at iTunes here, or at Amazon.com here. You can also discover more about Rachael Sage at her official website here. In the next installment, I will feature the winners in the OUTstanding Single & Love Song, and OUTMusician categories. Can't wait! Don't forget to visit the official website of The Awards!

OUTstanding Jazz, Soundtrack and Male Chorus Songs

I am continuing the series to spotlight the award winning entries for Jazz, Soundtrack and Male Chorus for the 7th Annual OUTmusic Awards. The Awards were given in New York City.



Once again, I am pleased to report this winner has already been featured on the blog. I just can't get enough of Avi Wisnia, that is for sure. He is sweet, smart, and just so darned adorable. And the music, well, it is a cool fresh spring breeze, my friends. Which could be why he was awarded the OUTstanding Jazz Song for The Back Of Your Hand. The song is off his Something New album.



For more about Avi Wisnia, check out his official website here. You can purchase the winning song on iTunes here or on Amazon.com here, if you'd prefer. Buy the album, it is a wonderful thing.



Mark Barnes, AKA ThE BaD BoY oF ChilL OuT, is the next person honored with an award. He picked up the OUTstanding Song On A Soundtrack for his Alive - Summer. It is most certainly a beautiful composition, and definitely steeped in emotion. And, well, Mark Barnes is a sexy Daddy, don't ya think?




For more about Mark Barnes, you can check out his official website here. To be honest, I couldn't find anyplace to purchase the winning song, but you can find other music by Mark Barnes, like his latest single on iTunes here, or a nice selection of his music on Amazon.com here.



It is slightly surprising [and refreshing] that an award for choral music was given and it was not awarded to GLEE. But indeed, it did happen, as the prize for OUTstanding Male Chorus was given for their stirring performance of We Shall Overcome by the Heartland Men's Chorus.



You know, I just love supporting men's choruses. I just do. And I like listening to them, too. Whether it is holiday music, or just classic songs, they are fantastic. You can find out more about the Heartland Men's Chorus by checking out their website here. You can support the chorus whether you live in Kansas City or not with the simple purchase of their music. You can find it in the online store located here. I just ordered mine!



How great was it that several of the winners have been featured on the blog already? In the next installment, I will feature the winners in the OUTstanding Comedy & International Songs, and Producer categories. Can't wait! Don't forget to visit the official website of The Awards!

OUTstanding R&B, Dance & Folk/Country Songs

I am continuing the series to spotlight the award winning entries for Rock, Pop and Hip-Hop for the 7th Annual OUTmusic Awards. The Awards were given in New York City.



I cannot express how pleased I am to announce that the winner of the OUTstanding R&B Song is The Gay Warrior Song by Nhojj. The gifted singer/songwriter picked up his second win in the category, having won last year for Love. Nhojj has been featured on this blog before (5 times, to be exact), and will undoubtedly again. He makes great music! You can buy the single on iTunes here, on Bandcamp here, and on Amazon.com here. While you are there, check out his other music - it is well-worth buying. You can discover more about the sexy man by checking out his official website here. Give a listen to the winning single, The Gay Warrior's Song, below.





To be named the OUTstanding Dance Song is impressive, as it is a hotly contested division. But when you give a listen to Intoxicated by Chadwick, you will know why he was victorious. You can purchase the single on iTunes here and on Amazon.com here. I don't really know a lot about the musician, but I like this song, and think I need to check the rest out, too. And it doesn't hurt that he is a yummy guy, you know? For more about Chadwick, check out his official website here. But first, give the song your ear, and it might just steal your heart.





Well, this handsome and sexy guy has been featured in a couple of posts on this blog, for as good-looking as he is, it is his talent that really shines through. When Justin Utley sings, he brings it straight from the heart to touch your soul. He was named the OUTstanding Folk/Country Song for his composition, Stand For Something. You can find it on iTunes here, on Amazon.com here, and on CD Baby here. Just a tip - I purchased the Extended Single, with the amazing Stand For Something as well as 3 additional cuts, all sung live. Highly recommended! I LOVE Runaway. You can find more about Justin by checking his official website here.




How great was it 2 of three of the winners have been featured on the blog already? In the next installment, I will feature the winners in the Jazz, Soundtrack, and Male Chorus categories. And I am pleased to say one of them have been featured here before! Can't wait! Don't forget to visit the official website of The Awards!

OUTstanding Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop

I thought this would be a would be a good time to mention the award winning entries for Rock, Pop and Hip-Hop for the 7th Annual OUTmusic Awards. The Awards were given in New York City.



The award for OUTstanding Rock Song went to Ariel Aparicio for his cover of the Jim Carroll Band song from 1980, People Who Died. The Punk song is a celebration of the people who had passed before their perceived time. The song is on the Cuban-born rocker's 2010 EP, The Bedroom Tapes.



For more about Ariel Aparicio, check out his official website here. To find the song on iTunes, click here. You can find it on Amazon.com here.



The award for OUTstanding Pop Song went to Masquerade by Matthew David. Matthew is an up-and-coming Pop/Rocker from Vancouver, British Columbia.



For more about Matthew, check out his page on MySpace here. The second track on his EP, Revolution, features out singer/songwriter/Tony Award winner Levi Kreis. You can find his Masquerade EP on iTunes here or on Amazon.com here.



The award for OUTstanding Hop-Hop Song was given to Why U Hatin' by Infinite. The song features a performance by Baron. Infinite is an out and proud lesbian rapper who was born and raised in Harlem, New York.



To find out more about Infinite, check her out on MySpace here. To get a FREE DOWNLOAD of the song, click here or on the above widget. Just join the mailing list, and you have a free song!

NExt up, I will have the OUTstanding songs in R&B, Dance and Folk/Country. Two of the three performers have been featured on the blog, for their winning songs. How great it that?

OUTMusic Award to Ray Boltz

Recently, the OUTMusic Awards were given out in New York City. The awards were originally scheduled for last December, but after a sponsor pulled out at the last minute, they were rescheduled. While I didn't attend, I was happy to see afterwards that four of the 20 winners have already been featured on the blog. But before I get to them, I thought I would do a post for the only person to have won more than on award, Ray Boltz.



Boltz is perhaps best known for being a Gospel singer, a deeply religious man who was a celebrated performer on that circuit for nearly 20 years, before he announced to the world in 2008 that the husband of 30 years and a father of four children was gay. He announced that via an interview with the Washington Blade. It apparently created quite the storm on the Christian Music front, because it seems the people involved were not feeling very charitable or forgiving, the very tenets of Christianity, right? As we have all learned by now, there are those who proclaim their beliefs, yet gleefully ignore that whole 'judge not lest ye be judged' thing... Thankfully, Boltz never stopped making music.

Ray Boltz was named the winner of three OUTMusic Awards, the first not surprising in the slightest, OUTstanding Spiritual for the song I Will Choose To Love.



Boltz picked up his second trophy of the evening when he was named OUTstanding Songwriter of the Year for his defiant Don't Tell Me Who To Love.



His third and final award for the night was for OUTstanding Album of the Year, True. The 2010 release is a 13-song collection that includes the award-winning songs featured above. You can purchase the album on iTunes here, and on Amazon.com here. For more about Ray Boltz, check out his official website here. To get more information about the OUTMusic Awards, you can check out their website here. I will try to feature all the winners of OUTMusic Awards in the coming weeks.

Nhojj - It Gets Better with Love

The OUTMusic Award winning artist has added his effort to the It Gets Better campaign the way he knows best by adding his songwriting skills and amazing voice to the chorus of people who speak to the LGBT Youth suffering from bullying and discrimination. Like the rest of Nhojj's music, Things Will Get Better is beautiful, with an ethereal quality and sung from the heart. But rather than have me blather on, this is the song.



It is availabe for purchase on Bandcamp for 99 cents. You can click here to buy it here. The lyrics to the song are:

Is this what they say?
Is this what they do?
That makes you want to fade away

Are these the words that they use?
Do they bully and abuse?
Just because you’re gay

Well I’ve been there before and I know how you feel
We all walk through this door
And somehow learn to live
And on the other side
You can stand with pride

Things will get better
Things will get brighter
I promise it will

Things will get better
Your days will look brighter
I promise it will

Amazing Grace
How sweet the sound
Love saves a child like me
I once was lost
But now I’m found
Was blind, but now I see

Things will get better
Life will shine brighter
I promise it will

Some will be nicer
Some will be kinder

Things will get better
Love will bring laughter

Things will get better
Love will bring laughter

Nhojj is no stranger to supporting others in the LGBT community. The out singer/songwriter won the OUTMusic Award from the song Love was voted 2009 Outstanding R&B/Soul Song of the Year, by The Alliance of LGBT Recording Artists & Performers. It marked the first time an African American male won an OMA. For the 2010 OMAs, the video for the song has been nominated.



Earlier this year, Nhojj made history a second time when his gay music video Love topped the MTV Music video chart. He has been featured in The Advocate, About.com, and appeared on LOGO, New York 1, WNYE / WNYC TV Channel 25, an affiliate of the PBS Television Network. To find out more about this amazing artist, check out his official website here.