Exploring Life & Business with The Josie Music Awards

Today we would like to introduce you to The Josie Music Awards.

Hi Tinamarie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The Josie Music Awards started in 2015 as we saw a real need for independent music artists, songwriters, and music business professionals to come together to celebrate their work and to give them the opportunity for performances, educational classes, networking, media exposure, and more.

The Josie Network began in 2009 with a talk show, The Josie Show, which interviewed guests from around the globe. Some of those interviews included independent artists, celebrities, and legends. Some of the interviews conducted over the years have been with Ray Price, Mickey Gilley, Scotty McCreery, T. Graham Brown, Deborah Allen, and Aaron Tippin, to name a few. All our brands began developing one at a time from this radio talk show, including JMA Music Fest and The Josie Music Awards. The Josie Music Awards is now our largest brand under our parent company, The Josie Music Association, LLC, which comprises fourteen different brands.

This year’s event will be our 9th Annual Josie Music Awards (also known as the JMAs); as we prepare for this amazing weekend coming up October 20, 2023 – October 22, 2023, we are also looking ahead and preparing our 10th anniversary set for 2024.

The Josie Music Awards is unique because there is no cost to submit your material for a review by our all-pro panel of judges. Everyone that submits gets a full review for a possible nomination. We are the largest, independent, multi-genre, privately owned award show organization worldwide. This year alone, we saw over 59,000 submissions, with 2.5% of those making it to a nomination. Our event boasts many opportunities, such as media coverage, performances, educational classes, group events, networking, and more. This year will include three days of events; JMA Music Fest, JMA PreParty Gala, and a Red Carpet Award Show, with various activities, classes, and performances at each.

Another reason we are unique is that we give our nominees the “star” treatment with unique venues and events. The JMA Music Fest will be held this year inside the Nashville Zoo, The Preparty Gala will be held inside the legendary Studio A inside the Grand Ole Opry House, and the Josie Music Awards Show will be held in the Grand Ole Opry House. Some of the other amazing venues we have been to over the years include the renowned Schermerhorn Symphony Center (Nashville), The Nissan Stadium (Nashville), The Celebrity Theatre inside Dollywood (Pigeon Forge), and now we will be celebrating for the second time at the Grand Ole Opry House.

These three events on our JMA weekend will include nearly 60 performances. Some of the notable performers, Lifetime Career Achievement winners, or presenters over the years have been Razzy Bailey, Joanne Cash, Lacy J. Dalton, T. Graham Brown, William Lee Golden and the Goldens, Tim Atwood with Jeannie Seely, Ron & Amy Shirley (Lizard Lick Towing), Bucky Covington, Bobby Mackey, The Malpass Brothers, and more.

When we look back at our very first Josie Music Awards event at the Gaylord Opryland Springs Building, we have such fond memories, and we are so proud of the growth we have seen over the last nearly 9 years. Our very first event saw a total of 800 attendees. Now, in just a few short years, we have seen around 3,000 people joining us to celebrate each year from around the globe. We feel so blessed to be able to do what we love and make a difference in people’s lives and careers.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We have been very fortunate; having built many brands before the Josie Music Awards, it was just a natural flow of progression for the award show to come to life.

We had already built a good name in the independent music industry through our brands and work, and the Josie Music Awards were openly accepted from the beginning.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Josie Music Association, LLC.?
The Josie Music Association, LLC is the parent company of many brands, including The Josie Show, Country Blast Radio, Confidently Ready, IndiesVoice Magazine, The Josie Music Awards, JMA Music Festival, The Independent Country Music Hall of Fame, The Independent Country Gospel Bluegrass Music Association, The Artist Collection (Published Book), Cavalla Records, Indie Star Publishing, Indie Star Entertainment, and more. The first of our brands began in 2009. Our brands focus on music artists, songwriters, and businesses within the independent music community.

We offer many services throughout our different brands, including radio interviews, airplay, book features, magazine features, talent acquisitions, event booking, performance opportunities in the greatest venues/events, stage make-up, talent recognition awards, a large platform for networking, media coverage, press, music/distribution deals, partnering music artists with various professional agencies, songwriting classes, song pitching events, and more.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
The Josie Music Awards will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House on Sunday, October 22, 2023. The Josie Music Awards Pre-Party Gala will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2023, inside Studio A at the Grand Ole Opry House.

The JMA Music Festival will be held inside the Nashville Zoo on Friday, October 20, 2023. Tickets are still available for the Josie Music Awards and JMA Music Festival at our website www.josiemusicawards.com/tickets.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.josiemusicawards.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejosiemusicawards
• Other: www.thejosienetwork.com

Image Credits
Janet Reynolds Photography