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

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