The late rock’n’roll legend (and Syracuse University alum) Lou Reed will be celebrated with a Lifetime Achievement Award during this year’s Syracuse Area Music Awards (Sammys). The announcement was made during the Feb. 5 press conference held at Eastwood’s Palace Theatre, as light music from Mark Nanni and Monk Rowe (who was named music educator of the year at the 2018 ceremony) provided a smooth earful amid the bijou’s lobby filled with local musicians and fans.
Accepting the award for Reed (1942–2013) will be his widow, avant-garde composer and film director Laurie Anderson. Other inductees to the Sammys Hall of Fame include pioneering local doo-woppers Little Jan and the Radiants, WAQX-FM 95.7 radio veteran and music promoter Scott Dixon, the late drummer Al Falso (1925–1993) and longtime duo Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman.
Trombonist Melissa Gardiner has been named music educator of the year, and music photographer Jack O. Bocchino will receive the inaugural Spirit of the Sammys Award, which will be named after him for future Sammys presentations. A special Founder’s Award will be given to downtown busker Elijah Harris Jr., also known as Eli. At the press conference, Syracuse Jazz Fest impresario Frank Malfitano noted, “Calling Eli a street musician is like calling Picasso a housepainter.”
The Sammys Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony will be held Thursday, March 7, 7 to 10 p.m., at Upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, 246 W. Willow St. Tickets are $25 and available at syracuseareamusic.com.
The Sammys bandwagon continues with the awards presentation on Friday, March 8, 7 p.m., at the Palace, 2384 James St. Awards in 13 recording categories will be handed out between live performances from Stroke, Barroom Philosophers, Sean McLeod with Alani Skye, Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman, and a Lou Reed tribute band featuring original band members guitarist Stuart Heinrich and bassist Ellard “Moose” Bolles.
There will also be people’s choice awards for best band, venue and music festival, and the Brian Bourke Award for best new artist. Tickets are $20, available at Armory Square’s Sound Garden and at syracuseareamusic.com.
Of the 111 submissions, the winnowed field of Sammys nominees include: