And the LAWMA Goes to . . .

THE WINNERS OF THE 1999 L.A. WEEKLY MUSIC AWARDS WERE announced at the Palace on Tuesday night. The Weekly's panel of critics was faced with the formidable task of choosing the best L.A.-based musicians among a truly sensational group of nominees. The panel consisted of Skylaire Alfvegren, Jay Babcock, Adam Bregman, Greg Burk, Kateri Butler, Tom Cheyney, Dan Epstein, Falling James, Ernest Hardy, Glen Hirshberg, Miriam Jacobson, Bill Kohlhaase, Lina Lecaro, Ernesto Lechner, Libby Molyneaux, Brendan Mullen, Carlos Niño, John Payne, Alan Rich, CC Smith, Don Waller and Jonny Whiteside.

There are no losers in the Weekly music awards -- in deciding which artists would be nominated, we had to simply leave out numerous bands and musicians that have more than proved worthy of our praise. Needless to say, they'll no doubt be chosen for honors at next year's awards program. --John Payne

BEST NEW ARTIST: Black Eyed Peas

BEST ROCK BAND: The BellRays

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL BAND: Backbiter

BEST POP/ROCK BAND: Possum Dixon

BEST PUNK/HARDCORE BAND: Leaving Trains

BEST RAP/HIP-HOP ARTIST: Black Eyed Peas

BEST JAZZ ARTIST: Vinny Golia

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST: Rosie Flores

BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES/R&B ARTIST: Etta James

BEST SALSA/LATIN ARTIST: Bobby Matos Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble

BEST INSTRUMENTAL BAND: Davie Allan & the Arrows

BEST NEW GENRE/UNCATEGORIZABLE ARTIST: Nels Cline

JAZZ EMINENCE AWARD: Buddy Collette

ROCK/POP LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: The Cramps

BEST WORLD MUSIC/RECOMBINANT ARTIST: Ozomatli

BEST DJ (Mixmeister): Cut Chemist

BEST DJ (Selector): Rodney Bingenheimer

BEST RADIO SHOW: Blues Hotel (KXLU)

BEST ROCK/POP SONGWRITER/COMPOSER: Beck

BEST DANCE ARTIST: Hepcat

OUTSTANDING CLASSICAL ENSEMBLE/ARTIST: California E.A.R. Unit