RightOutTV Music & Video Awards 2014 • Alex Woburn & Matt Zarley

The winners of the 2014 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards were announced recently, proving what great music is being made by LGBT artists. Well, that was obvious when I saw the list of nominees, coming from all around the world. RightOutTV was founded by Marlee Walchuk and Tully Callender, devoted to the promotion of LGBT artists and their music all across the globe. The submissions are from many genre, from Rock to Country to Electronica. Once again this year, I was proud to be asked to be a judge, hearing some more great music and discovering a few new artists. But enough with all that. It is time to showcase some very deserving artists. Today I am featuring Alex Woburn (above, left) and Matt Zarley, (above, right).

The first category I bring to you today is 'Best Pop Song'. This was certainly a fun grouping, with many amazing submissions, and five outstanding nominees. The list included Andrew Suvalsky's "Helplessly", Kevin Wood's "Edge of Greatness", Craymo's "Be Myself, and Matt Zarley's "Somebody 4 Everybody". This year, the award went to Alex Woburn and his fantastic song, "Sop Playing the Film". The London-based artist has a fun Pop sound with just the right amount of edge. In June of this year, Alex released the song as a single. So, without further ado, this is Alex Woburn with the 'Best Pop Song', "Stop Playing the Film".

You can purchase "Stop Playing the Film" from iTunes. To learn more about Alex Woburn, visit his official Facebook page. You can also 'subscribe' to his offical YouTube channel, where you can find several great examples of his music.

Next up, we have yet another strong group of songs submitted for the 'Best Electronic/Dance Song', a big category for the awards. The song is a beautiful and honest song about love and life, and was named 'Best Electronic/Dance Song', with strong competition from Sponge Finger's "You're a Bitch", "American Thumpdalina" by Jay Blahnik, Michael V. Doane's "Looking for Love", and "Falling Away" by Kevin Wood. And I must say, Matt is no stranger to winning awards, having taken home several over the past few years. It should come as no surprise to my regular readers, as Matt Zarley and his music has been featured on this blog on several occasions, and for good reason. The Los Angeles-based Zarley makes infectious Pop that is both yummy and addictive. And speaking of yummy, have you seen pictures or videos of this hottie? I know, right?! This is Matt Zarley with the official music video for "Somebody 4 Everybody".

You can purchase the single "Somebody 4 Everybody" from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Matt Zarley, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, and 'follow' him on Twitter.

Marlee and Tully developed RightOutTV to help LGBT artists with promotion, as a way of giving back to the community. The couple are also a musical duo, making up Sugarbeach. They were kind enough to ask me to participate in the awards for the last few years as a judge. To learn more about RightOutTV, visit the RightOutTV website. You can also 'follow' them on Twitter, and 'like' them on Facebook.

RightOutTV Awards 2013 • Best Pop Song & Best Rock Song

Left: Kari K & the Stonewall Riot. Right: Michael V. Doane

I am pleased to showcase the recent winners of the 2013 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards, pointing a spotlight on a few of the many talented members of the LGBT community making music. This year, awards were given in 18 different categories, with 17 different acts receiving them. The awards are given by RightOutTV, a website founded by Marlee Walchuck and Tully Callender. The website promotes Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender artists, allowing a platform for their voices to be heard, and a place for those wanting to support them to visit on a regular basis. “If you watch the awards show you’ll see that we don’t just promote and award these artists because they’re gay. These are high-level, multi-talented, professionals with star quality,” says Marlee Walchuk, co-producer of the awards. “Even though most of these artists are not being heard on mainstream radio yet, they deserve every success enjoyed by their straight counterparts."

Following the studied consideration of the judging panel, the award for Best Pop Song was given to Kari K. & The Stonewall Riot for their wonderful song, "I’m Not the One". I'll be honest, I wasn't on the selection committee for this category, but if I were, I would be hard pressed to come up with a stronger winner! This song, which has a beautiful balance between Rock and Pop, is a bold yet nuanced recording, a standout in any group you could find it in. The band from Austin, Texas, is made up by Kari Kuwamura on vocals, Naomi Toledo on bass, and Selina Maldonadoon drums. This is the official music video for Kari K & the Stonewall's "I'm Not the One".

To learn more about Kari K & the Stonewall Riot, visit their official ReverbNation page. You can also 'like' the band on Facebook, and 'follow' Kari on Twitter. You can purchase the single "I'm Not the One" from iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon.

New York-based singer/songwriter Michael V. Doane is the next featured artist, having been awarded Best Rock Song for "Keep Running". The song, a non-album single released in September, beautifully weds Soul and Rock to separate from the pack. Doane's vocals are strong and crisp, always hitting the notes with a laser precision. There is a wonderful density to the chorus, the sound enveloping the listener like a glove looking to keep you warm. I love it, and hope you enjoy the official music video for Michael V. Doane's "Keep Running".

To learn more about Micheal V. Doane, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, and 'follow' him on Twitter. You can purchase the single "Keep Running" from iTunes, and Amazon. For more about RightOutTV, visit their official website. There you can find music videos and interviews of LGBT artists from around the world. you can also 'like' them on Facebook, and 'follow' them on Twitter.