Be sure to "Like"
Ear to the Ground on Facebook!
Here's a little truth for you: periodically, I have moments of doubt about continuing to do E2TG. It usually gets worse toward the end of the year. Truth is, E2TG takes up a fair amount of my time, and I time is often in limited supply. So, when money gets tight or time gets tight or mercury is in retrograde or whatever, I find myself thinking, maybe now is the time to call it quits.
Then comes December and for the last three years the Earie Awards. To me it was just a silly idea and a way to recap the year, but I have found it means something to many of the recipients. and the responses I have gotten have been very affirming of what I do.
About the money thing: about four years ago, I took a look at if it would be possible to make E2TG a money-making endeavor. I came to the conclusion that I could not do it and have E2TG be what I want it to be. This is not say that anyone doing what I do who makes money is doing something wrong. Some of my decision was based on my situation. Anyway, the advantage about it not being about money means I can truly do what I want to do. Which is help bring attention to great music - much of which may fly under the radar.
Since 2014, there has been more of a local Nashville connection, but I have made a point of also featuring music from all over the world. The fact is, there is likely enough music here in Nashville to sustain a blog, but to me, putting such a limitation would be constricting.
Prior to 2014, to be honest, I was not at all connected to the Nashville music community, and E2TG reflected that as the majority of my posts were about non-Nashville bands.
Which brings us to the Artists and Bands of the Year award - or like I have dubbed them - the Golden Earies.
Some history (skip if you know about the history of E2TG Band/Artist of the Year):
When E2TG began in May 2011, I had to go out find bands to write about. I would pick one band every week to write about as our "Band of the Week". When the end of 2011 came, I had a list of 30 something Bands of the Week. I got this silly idea to run a "Readers Poll" to select a Band of the Year. It was silly because I honestly didn't have many "Readers" to poll. So, I ran the poll, and people responded. My page views shot up, it was a tight race, but the poll software I used was pretty wide open and there was some definitely ballot stuffing. Anyway, a band from UK The Mobbs were the winner.
The Band of the Year as so much fun, I got a better program for running a poll, and I started the Band of the Month poll - this ran for about a year. At the end of 2012, all 12 Bands of the Month plus some Wildcards competed for the Band of the Year. A great Upstate New York band called Skeletons in the Piano won that award. By early 2013, I was burned out on the polls. Basically, I didn't want bands expending energy trying to get fans to vote in a silly poll. So, I stopped the polls. For a while, I had Featured Artists every month. And at the end of 2013, I named then Brooklyn band, The End Men as Band of the Year.
2014 was a year of upheaval in my life and a transition for E2TG. At the end of that year, there was no question that Darrin Bradbury would be Artist of the Year. It was equally obvious in 2015 that Jon Latham was the choice for Artist of the Year.
E2TG continued to grow and expands. 2016 came and I simply could not select one Band or Artist. So, I decided to name 3 - Band of the Year and Artists of the Year - divided between Nashville and non-Nashville. Brian Wright and Jason P. Krug were named Artists of the Year (Nashville and non-Nashville respectively). Valued Customer from Toronto won Band of the Year. d
Last year, I expanded the award again to 4 (Bands and Artists of the Year - Nashville and non): Rayvon Pettis and Ladies Gun Club won for Nashville Artist and Band, and Ugggy (of Valued Customer) and The Foresters (won for non-Nashville).
End of history lesson:
Which brings to the present (or recent past). 2018 was a year of unprecedented growth for E2TG in terms of the number of artists and bands we featured. In keeping with our new tradition, for the second year in a row, we have four awards (in the categories explained above and below). There is not one factor that leads me to this decision - rather it is a combination of things.
So, without any more ado - here are the 2018 Golden Earie Awards:
