“Absolutely honored.” “Beyond stoked.” “Humbled and honored to be among such good company.”

The reaction of Michigan artists nominated for 2025 Jammie Awards being presented at The Intersection in Grand Rapids on Feb. 28 is understandable, considering that hundreds of albums and singles by Great Lakes State artists were released last year.

Dozens of regional acts made the final cut as nominees for a bevy of categories: contemporary folk, alternative, rock, hip hop, R&B/soul, Americana, pop, roots, jazz and instrumental albums of the year.

In addition, five acts from Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo will vie for the prestigious album of the year honors: Cal in Red, The Crane Wives, In the Valley Below, Jordan Hamilton and Major Murphy. Artist of the year nominees are The Bootstrap Boys, Candid Antics, The Crane Wives, In the Valley Below and Jordan Hamilton.

Listener’ choice and critics’ choice awards will also be presented during the Jammie Awards show that will feature performances by 18 acts on three stages. Tickets, $10, are available at wyce.org, where fans can also view the lineup of nominees and performers. Grand Rapids radio station WYCE-FM hosts the annual awards.

For first-time performers and award nominees in the lakeshore funk band Money Soup, “it means a ton for us to be part of the Jammies,” said keyboardist Robert Greene. “As a newer band, the opportunity to play for a large, engaged crowd is huge, and the fact that the music community in West Michigan has been so welcoming is amazing.”

Performers this year range from established artists and previous award winners such as Kalamazoo hip-hop cellist Jordan Hamilton and solo act Hannah Laine (of neosoul’s Earth Radio) to emerging acts such as Big Timmy & The Heavy Chevys, Crystal Trench, Headband Henny, Sonny Ski and The Cosmoknights.

“My goal in setting up this year’s lineup was to take a sonic snapshot of the local music you hear on WYCE. Just about every musical itch is scratched with this roster – from longtime favorites and previous Jammie performers to new projects making a splash in the scene, as well as artists who have yet to make their Jammies debut,” said WYCE music and program director Chris Cranick, whose own rock band, Overdrive Orchestra, will also perform.

“As with last year, I chose not to book any performers from the year prior. There are simply too many stellar acts in Michigan that are deserving of the spotlight.”

With so many new releases by Michigan artists, Cranick conceded: “I honestly wish that schedules made it so we could feature even more artists that dropped records last year. It was truly an incredible year for new Michigan music.”

The Jammie Awards unfurl on three stages at The Intersection starting at 6 p.m. Feb. 28, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and an opening ceremony at 5:45 p.m.

Support Our Work

Ottawa News Network is a nonprofit news service dedicated to providing the residents of Ottawa County with trustworthy, community-driven news. ONN treats journalism as a public good — something that enriches lives and empowers Ottawa County’s 300,000-plus residents to stay engaged, make informed decisions, and strengthen local democracy. Please consider giving today.

For the first time, WYCE is charging a $10 entry fee to the Jammies, rather than a suggested donation. 

“There’s still a large amount of people in the community who don’t realize that while the Jammies are a celebration of Michigan music, it is also the single largest fund-raising event for WYCE,” Cranick said.

“We had record-breaking attendance last year, but unfortunately the door donations did not reflect the number of guests. We hope that music lovers will respond positively to this small change. For the same price as a three- or four-band bill, attendees can enjoy 18 artists across a variety of genres while also supporting their local independent radio station.”

— Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.