★ Indicates Award Recipient

* A CAPPELLA

A CAPPELLA GROUP

- emeritus Sweet Honey in the Rock

• Afro Blue ★
• The Capital Hearings
• The Chromatics
• Suspicious Cheese Lords
• The Tone Rangers
• Traces of Blue
• Vox Pop

A CAPPELLA RECORDING

• An Afro Blue Christmas / Afro Blue ★
• Georgian Sacred Chants / Capitol Hill Chorale
• Runaway Baby/Don't Cry / Vox Pop

* BIG BAND/SWING

BIG BAND/SWING VOCALIST

• Alan Baylock
• Big Joe Maher
• Billy Coulter ★
• Mike Sottong
• Robin Cunningham
• Tom Mitchell

BIG BAND/SWING GROUP

• Airmen of Note
• Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra
• Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra
• King Teddy
• The Natty Beaux ★
• Tom Cunningham Orchestra

* BLUEGRASS

BLUEGRASS VOCALIST

• Dede Wyland
• Dudley Connell
• Frank Solivan ★
• John Seebach
• Lynn Healey
• Norman Wright
• Randy Barrett
• Stacey Rae Sinclair

BLUEGRASS DUO/GROUP

- emeritus Seldom Scene

• Bob Perilla and Big Hillbilly Bluegrass
• Bud's Collective
• Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen ★
• Gold Heart
• Hollertown
• King Street Bluegrass
• Only Lonesome
• Split String Soup

BLUEGRASS INSTRUMENTALIST

• Danny Knicely
• Frank Solivan ★
• Fred Travers
• Gary Alan Ferguson
• Mark Delaney
• Mike Munford
• Rickie Simpkins
• Tad Marks
• Tom Gray

BLUEGRASS RECORDING

• Across Time The Album of the Years Project / Laurence Baer
• Bud's Collective / Bud's Collective
• Chop, Shred & Split / Danny Knicely & Jack Dunlap ★
• Goodby Home / Cabin Creek
• Places I've Been / Gold Heart
• Silver / Walker's Run
• Some Bridges / Ferguson & Ferguson

* BLUES/TRADITIONAL R&B

BLUES/TRADITIONAL R&B FEMALE VOCALIST

- NEW emeritus Mary Ann Redmond

• Jenny Poppen
• Lana Spence
• Liz Springer
• Mary Shaver ★
• Stacy Brooks
• Shirleta Settles

BLUES/TRADITIONAL R&B MALE VOCALIST

• Daryl Davis
• Memphis Gold
• Sol Roots
• Tom Clifford
• Tommy Lepson ★

BLUES/TRADITIONAL R&B DUO/GROUP

- emeritus The Nighthawks

• Bad Influence Band
• Big Boy Little Band
• Big Joe & the Dynaflows
• Built 4 Comfort Band
• Daryl Davis Band ★
• DC Mudd
• King Soul

BLUES/TRADITIONAL R&B INSTRUMENTALIST

• Andy Poxon
• Bobby Thompson
• Daryl Davis ★
• Mark Wenner
• Michael Tash
• Phil Wiggins
• Robert Frahm
• Sol Roots

BLUES/TRADITIONAL R&B RECORDING

• Another Way / Tony Fazio
• Back Porch Party / The Nighthawks ★
• Charlie Sayles and the Blues Disciples / Charlie Sayles
• Coming Home / Kelly Bell Band
• Is It Still Good To Ya? / Gaye Adegbalola & The Wild Rutz
• Let It Go / Moondog Medicine Show
• Live at IOTA / Bobby Thompson Project
• Must Be Crazy! / Andy Poxon
• Old Soul / Jon Spear Band

* CHILDREN'S MUSIC

CHILDREN'S MUSIC ARTIST (Solo/Duo/Group)

- emeritus Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer

• Andres Salguero
• The Grandsons Jr. ★
• Milkshake
• Mr. Gabe
• Rainbow Rock Band
• Rocknoceros
• Uncle Devin Show

CHILDREN'S MUSIC RECORDING

• Church Usher's Dance / Uncle Devin Show
• Dancin' in the Kitchen / Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer ★
• Meet The Rainbow / Rainbow Rock Band
• Metro Train / Mr. Gabe
• Uno, Dos, Tres, Andres! En Espanol y en Ingles / Andres Salguero

* CHORAL

CHORAL GROUP

• Capitol Hill Chorale
• The Choral Arts Society of Washington
• Coral Cantigas
• Gay Men's Chorus of Washington
• University of Maryland Chamber Singers
• The Washington Chorus
• Washington Master Chorale
• Washington Revels ★

* CLASSICAL

CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTALIST

• Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez
• Berta Rojas
• Brian Ganz
• Dan Chadburn
• Jamie Roberts
• Jessica Krash
• Tina Chancey ★
• William Neal

CLASSICAL VOCAL SOLOIST

• Charles Williams
• Emily Noel
• James Shaffran
• Kristen Dubenion-Smith
• Linda Priebe
• Nancy Scimone
• Rosa Lamoreaux ★

CLASSICAL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

• 21st Century Consort
• Bach Consort
• The Folger Consort
• Hesperus
• Inscape
• invoke
• Opera Lafayette
• Smithsonian Chamber Music Ensemble ★

CLASSICAL ORCHESTRAL ENSEMBLE

- emeritus National Symphony

• Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
• Arlington Philharmonic
• Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ★
• Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
• The National Philharmonic
• New Orchestra of Washington

CLASSICAL CONDUCTOR/DIRECTOR

• Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez
• J. Reilly Lewis
• Marin Alsop ★
• Piotr Gajewski
• Richard Scevbo
• Ryan Brown
• Scott Tucker
• Thomas Colohan

CLASSICAL RECORDING

• Christmas in New Spain / The Folger Consort ★
• Keys of Light / Dan Chadburn
• Les Femmes Vengees / Opera Lafayette
• Petrushka / Inscape
• Souls in the Mud / invoke

* COUNTRY

COUNTRY VOCALIST

- emeritus Ruthie Logsdon

• Arty Hill
• Belen Pifel
• Diana Quinn ★
• Karen Collins
• Kent Jenkins
• Mike Woods
• Patsy Stephens
• Ty Braddock

COUNTRY DUO/GROUP

- emeritus Ruthie & the Wranglers

TIE

• Arty Hill & The Long Gone Daddys
• The Highballers
• Honky Tonk Confidential ★
• Karen Collins & Backroads Band ★
• Patsy's Honky Tonk Torch & Twang
• Cancel Vote

COUNTRY INSTRUMENTALIST

• Andy Rutherford
• Chick Hall Jr.
• Ira Gitlin ★
• Lynn Kasdorf
• Mike Woods
• Cancel Vote

* ELECTRONICA

ELECTRONICA ARTIST

- emeritus Bev Stanton

• Beauty Pill
• Dawit Eklund
• Den-mate
• Fort Knox Five
• Olivia Neutron-John ★
• Protect-U
• Rex Riot

ELECTRONICA RECORDING

• Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are / Beauty Pill ★
• Psycho Animus / Dawit Eklund
• Ursula 1000's "Smoke Machine" / Fort Knox Five

* FOLK - CONTEMPORARY

FOLK - CONTEMPORARY VOCALIST

• Abigail Palmer
• Allison Shapira
• Drew Gibson
• Kipyn Martin
• Laura Baron
• Lea
• Luke Brindley ★
• Lynn Hollyfield
• Steven Gellman

FOLK - CONTEMPORARY DUO/GROUP

• Abigail Palmer Group
• Atoka Chase
• The Harley String Band
• ilyAIMY ★
• Michelle Michelle
• The Sweater Set

FOLK - CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTALIST

• Abigail Palmer
• Chris Anderson
• Kristen Jones
• Les Hatley ★
• Mark Sylvester

FOLK - CONTEMPORARY RECORDING

• 1532 / Drew Gibson
• Beeswing / Sweetnova
• Common Thread / Nicole Belanus
• Crack of Light / Luke Brindley
• Earthly Pursuits / The Harley String Band
• Grief, Sir, is the Shadow's Companion / Atoka Chase
• Let You In / Lea
• Songs from the Talking House / Annette Wasilik ★
• Songs of Winter's Cheer / Steven Gellman

* FOLK - TRADITIONAL

FOLK - TRADITIONAL VOCALIST

• Barbara Ryan
• Brian Kay
• Cathy Fink
• Jess Eliot Myhre
• Lisa Moscatiello ★
• Lisa Null
• Patrick Egan
• Peter Brice
• Tom Paxton

FOLK - TRADITIONAL DUO/GROUP

• Ayreheart
• The Bumper Jacksons ★
• Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
• Charm City Junction
• IONA
• Lilt
• OCEAN Orchestra

FOLK - TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTALIST

• Brad Kolodner
• Josh Dukes
• Keith Carr
• Maggie Sansone
• Marcy Marxer ★
• Patrick McAvinue
• Ronn McFarlane
• Zan McLeod

FOLK - TRADITIONAL RECORDING

• Cold Frosty Morn at West River / Maggie Sansone, Andrea Hoag & Sharon Knowles with Patrick Egan
• Live Culture / The Big Cheese Band
• Redemption Road / Tom Paxton
• Too Big World / The Bumper Jacksons ★
• Where Fairies Dwell / Kristin Rebecca

* GO GO

GO GO VOCALIST

• Derrick Holmes
• Frank "Scooby" Marshall ★
• Halima Peru
• Kimberly Scott
• Miss Kimberly Graham
• Steve Roy
• Weencey

GO GO TALKER

- emeritus Chuck Brown

• Andrew "Whiteboy" Johnson
• Anwan "Big G" Glover
• Donnell Floyd
• Gregory "Sugar Bear" Elliott ★
• Killa Kal
• Rappa Dude
• Steven "Buggs" Herron

GO GO DUO/GROUP

- emeritus Chuck Brown Group

• Backyard Band
• Be'la Dona ★
• Experience Unlimited
• Junkyard Band
• Rare Essence
• Team Familiar
• Vybe Band

GO GO INSTRUMENTALIST

- emeritus Chuck Brown

• Bryon "BJ" Jackson
• Cherie "Sweet Cherie" Mitchell ★
• Jacques Johnson Jr
• Jammin Jeff
• Milton "GoGo Mickey" Freeman
• Paul "Buggy" Edwards
• Smoke
• Willie Howell

* GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL

GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL VOCALIST

- emeritus Richard Smallwood

• Bryan Andrew Wilson
• Jason Nelson
• Javon Inman
• Jeremiah Hicks
• Keith Elgin
• Maurette Brown Clark ★
• Robert E. Person

GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL GROUP/CHOIR

- emeritus Sweet Honey in the Rock

• Alvin Campbell & Total Praise
• Anthony Brown & Group therAPy
• Charles Butler & Trinity
• The Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University ★
• Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music
• The Seek and Find Project

GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL RECORDING

TIE

• Anthology Live / Richard Smallwood with Vision ★
• Empty Me / Javon Inman
• Everyday Jesus / Anthony Brown & Group therAPy
• Jesus Revealed / Jason Nelson
• Jesus You're All I Need / The Seek and Find Project
• King Oh King / Maurette Brown Clark
• Love Divine / Robert E. Person
• Majesty / Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music ★
• Praise Him / Jeremiah Hicks

* JAZZ

JAZZ VOCALIST

• Akua Allrich
• Anita King
• Christie Dashiell
• Esther Haynes ★
• Janine Gilbert-Carter
• Lena Seikaly
• Lynn Veronneau

JAZZ DUO/GROUP

- emeritus Ron Holloway Band

• Allyn Johnson Group
• Bay Jazz Project
• The Bruce Swaim Quartet ★
• Chris Vadala & Rick Whitehead
• The Greater U Street Jazz Collective
• Larry Brown Quintet
• Nasar Abadey and SUPERNOVA
• Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
• Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet
• Veronneau

JAZZ INSTRUMENTALIST

- emeritus Ron Holloway

• Allyn Johnson
• Antonio Parker
• Bruce Swaim ★
• Jan Knutson
• Nasar Abadey
• Rick Whitehead
• Reginald Cyntje
• Savannah Grace Harris
• Seth Kibel

JAZZ RECORDING

• Eastern Standard Time / Chris Vadela, Rick Whitehead
• Greener Pastures / Bruce Swaim
• No Words / Seth Kibel ★
• Out of Nowhere / Jan Knutson
• Palo Colorado Dream / Anthony Pirog
• Raitrato Protrait / Michel Nirenburg
• Soul Singer / Akua Allrich
• Spiritual Awakening / Reginald Cyntje
• Under The Current / Richard Walton Group
• Vocal Madness / Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet

* LATIN

LATIN VOCALIST

• Alexis Fleites
• Alfredo Mojica Jr. ★
• Anamer Castrello
• Dayna Aldana
• Deborah Benner
• Maria Isolina
• Rafael Ortiz
• Verny Varela

LATIN DUO/GROUP

• Afrobop Alliance
• Empresarios
• Grupo Tumbao
• Orquesta La Leyenda
• Orquesta Melao
• Pablo Antonio y La Firma
• QuinTango
• Tony Tovar & Proyecto Jazz
• Trio Caliente ★

LATIN INSTRUMENTALIST

• Alejandro Luccini ★
• Alfredo Mojica Jr.
• Amilcar Cruz
• Dany Cortazar
• Gary Socias
• Ivan Nayas
• Joan Singer
• Joe McCarthy
• Rene Ibanez

* RAP/HIP HOP

RAPPER

• Babeo Baggins
• GoldLink
• Head-Roc
• Kidd Flash
• Oddisee
• Tabi Bonney
• Wale ★

RAP/HIP HOP DUO/GROUP

• Cornel West Theory ★
• GODISHEUS
• Gods'illa
• Oy Boyz

RAP/HIP HOP RECORDING

• The Album About Nothing / Wale ★
• Believe In Gods'Illa / Gods'illa
• Coming from the Bottom / Cornel West Theory
• The Good Fight / Oddisee
• Let's Go Champ / Killa Cal
• Movin' On Ft. Louis Lastic / GoldLink
• Oyminati / Oy Boyz
• People of Today / The 1978ers
• Posi + tive / Babeo Baggins
• Y'all Gon' Kno' / Kidd Flash

* REGGAE

REGGAE VOCALIST

• Da Real Storm
• Jacob Hemphill ★
• Lenny Kurlou
• Tony Roy
• Ziah Ayubu

REGGAE DUO/GROUP

• I & I Riddim
• Jah Works ★
• Lionize
• Proverbs
• See-I
• SOJA

* Modern ROCK

MODERN ROCK VOCALIST

• Ashley Cash
• David Combs
• Diana Quinn
• Ella Boissonault
• Jay Burden
• Katie Park
• Margot MacDonald ★

MODERN ROCK GROUP

• Big Hush
• Ex Hex
• Hemlines
• Homosuperior
• Makeshift Shelters
• The Max Levine Ensemble
• Priests
• Tru Fax and the Insaniacs ★

MODERN ROCK INSTRUMENTALIST

• Anthony Pirog ★
• David Combs
• David Wells
• Jim Cash
• Lisa Lim
• Paul Davis

MODERN ROCK RECORDING

• 4Shadows / Tru Fax and the Insaniacs ★
• All Your Homes / Hemlines
• The Mall Madness Demo / Homosuperior
• Something So Personal / Makeshift Shelters
• Who's Smoking Your Spirit / Big Hush

* POP ROCK

POP ROCK VOCALIST

• Cassie Urbany
• ellen cherry
• Jay Nemeyer
• Laura Tsaggaris
• Owen Danoff ★
• Sara Curtin

POP ROCK DUO/GROUP

• Color Palette
• Coup Sauvage and the Snips
• Near Northeast
• Vegas With Randolph
• The Walking Sticks ★

POP ROCK RECORDING

• Curios / Near Northeast
• Heartless / Color Palette
• Live at the Atlas / Laura Tsaggaris
• Michigan Lilium / Sara Curtin
• Pop Dreams EP / The Walking Sticks ★
• Jacob / Vegas With Randolph

* ROOTS ROCK

ROOTS ROCK FEMALE VOCALIST

• Debra Buonaccorsi
• Diana Quinn
• Janine Wilson
• Lauren Calve
• Patty Reese ★

ROOTS ROCK MALE VOCALIST

• Alan MacEwen
• Billy Coulter
• Brian Simms
• David Kitchen ★
• Ken Wenzel

ROOTS ROCK DUO/GROUP

• The Fabulettes
• The Grandsons ★
• The Hummingbyrds
• Ken Wenzel & Cross Kentucky
• Little Pink
• Rock-A-Sonics
• Scott Kurt & Memphis 59

ROOTS ROCK INSTRUMENTALIST

- emeritus Dave Chappel

• Andy Hamberger ★
• Andy Rutherford
• Arch Alcantara
• Brian Simms
• Chris Watling
• Keith Grimes
• Ken Wenzel
• Max Evans
• Mike Woods

ROOTS ROCK RECORDING

• American Vertigo / Andy Hawk & the Train Wreck Endings
• Beneath Potomac Skies / Ken Wenzel
• Between the Creek and the Tracks / Lauren Calve
• Dave Chappell & friends / Dave Chappell ★
• The Hummingbyrds / The Hummingbyrds
• I See Trouble / Bill Starks
• Sin City / Domenic Cicala & Thensome

* URBAN CONTEMPORARY

URBAN CONTEMPORARY VOCALIST

TIE

• Anissa Hargrove
• Carolyn Malachi
• Dari Jay
• Kokayi
• Mycah Chevalier
• Raheem Devaughn ★
• Reesa Renee
• Sylver Logan Sharp ★

URBAN CONTEMPORARY DUO/GROUP

• Abhi//Dijon
• Black Alley
• Eric Scott Band ★
• guiltypleasures
• Pebble to Pearl
• Secret Society

URBAN CONTEMPORARY RECORDING

TIE

• cautionarytales / guiltypleasures
• Everlasting ft. Terrence Richburg / Phil French
• It's Just Music / Ron Ward Jr.
• Lovers Rock / Reesa Renee ★
• Shades of Blue / Richard Harris
• Stay Up / Abhi//Dijon
• Still I Rise / Anissa Hargrove ★

* WORLD MUSIC

WORLD MUSIC VOCALIST

• Amadou Kouyate
• Cissa Paz
• Jean-Francis Varre
• Kristen Long
• Massama Dogo
• Michael Shereikis
• Mike Surratt ★
• Natalie Jean

WORLD MUSIC DUO GROUP

• The Alexandria Kleztet
• Batala Washington
• Black Masala
• Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band ★
• Elikeh
• The Harry Bells
• Mike Surratt & The Continentals

WORLD MUSIC INSTRUMENTALIST

- emeritus Seth Kibel

• Broto Roy
• Carol Arthur
• Cheick Hamala Diabate
• Kristen Jones
• Matt Rippetoe
• Mike Surratt
• Tom Teasley ★

WORLD MUSIC RECORDING

• Cissa Paz / Cissa Paz
• Dreams of India / Tom Teasley ★
• Kingman Island / The Harry Bells
• Leçons D'amour / Natalie Jean

* GENERAL AWARDS

* MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

• Anthony Pirog
• Brian Simms
• Daryl Davis
• Frank Solivan
• Frederic Yonnet
• Jason Moran
• Marcy Marxer ★

* ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Solo/Duo/Group)

• Andres Salguero
• Beauty Pill
• The Bumper Jacksons ★
• Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
• GoldLink
• Wale

* ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• The Album About Nothing / Wale
• Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are / Beauty Pill
• Lovers Rock / Reesa Renee
• Redemption Road / Tom Paxton ★
• Soul Singer / Akua Allrich
• Uno, Dos, Tres, Andres! En Espanol y en Ingles / Andres Salguero

* DEBUT RECORDING

• Cissa Paz / Cissa Paz
• Dave Chappell & friends / Dave Chappell ★
• I See Trouble / Bill Starks
• It's Just Music / Ron Ward Jr
• Out of Nowhere / Jan Knutson
• Retrator Portrait / Michel Nirenberg
• Souls in the Mud / invoke
• Wind Down the Road / Kent Jenkins

* WAMA/SAW SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• Bill Starks ★
• Laura Baron
• Karl Straub
• Kevin Dudley
• Frank Solivan
• Kipyn Martin
• Steve Coffee

* WASHINGTON AREA RECORD COMPANY

• Azalea City Recordings
• Cuneiform Records
• Dischord Records
• Fort Knox Recordings
• Maggie's Music
• Patuxent Music
• Smithsonian ★

* PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

- emeritus Marco Delmar

• Daniel Weatherspoon
• J. Robbins
• Jim Ebert ★
• Kyle Murdock
• Noah Silver
• Rich Shelton
• Zach Dawson

* LIVE SOUND ENGINEER

• Andrew Roberts
• Danny Schwartz ★
• Kirby Yarbrough
• Mike Monseur
• Pat Hester
• Trevor Higgins

* STUDIO ENGINEER

• Bill Wolf
• Bob Dawson
• Charlie Pilzer ★
• Gantt Kushner
• Ken Barnum
• Kevin Jackson
• Marco Delmar
• Mike Monseur
• Sean Russell

* RECORDING STUDIO

• Airshow
• Asparagus Media
• Bias Studios ★
• Cue Recording
• Hit and Run Recording
• Inner Ear
• Night Flight Studio
• Recording Arts

* MOST SUPPORTIVE OF WASHINGTON MUSIC

• Betty Scott
• Caroline Alderson
• David Eisner
• Lorraine Campbell
• Maxx Myrick
• Ron Goad ★
• Ronnie Newmeyer
• Tom Koerner & Debra Sternberg

* Fan Favorite

1. Wicked Jezzabel
2. Andy Hawk & the Train Wreck Ending
3. Carly Harvey
4. Richard Walton Group
5. August

* 2015 Hall of Fame

• John Jennings

* Lifetime Achievement

• Mike Schreibman