Comments from Juni Fisher about the WMA/AWA Discussion

Howdy again folks. This was an e-mail I got from Juni Fisher last weekend at the beginning of this discussion. She agreed to let me post it here.


Hi Larry,

I am answering your email, off the forum, since I don't want to call you down on something, you are a nice fella. But to compate the WMA to the AWA is to compare A whole bag of beautiful apples to one rotten one.

The WMA has workshops for youth, for folks wanting to know how to pitch to radio, pitching to festivals, and they added a day-long songwriter workshop this year.

Now in years past, the WMA was taken down by unscrupulous folks, special grants were stolen...yes, stolen, and the possibility of getting those particular ones is lost. BUT, a dedicated and honest group of folks reformed the WMA, and worked hard to recoup, get a new format, and build great relationships. Now the WMA is strong again and growing. The awards are VOTED by the members...not the case with the AWA. Bobby Newton decides the AWA awards. Not informed decisions, as he does not attend shows or showcases....he picks who he wants to add to the membership roster.

Last year we who were still members of the AWA paid an extra fee to be included on the website listing, and those listings did not go up till 10 months after we had paid the fee, and two months before our membership would expire. We were charged for a convention that was not a convention at all. The "showcases" were a lame flop, sound men did not even show up.

Now back to the WMA. The showcases go on throughout the event, pairing folks who are the most experienced for some, pairing the up and comings together for others. There is a Best of the Best Show at the end, and those performers are the proven entertainers who have won awards that year or in years past. OF COURSE IT'S THE BEST...why would we want the public to come see our not so good, in hopes they will get hooked on western music?

The WMA is run by a governing board, with an advisory board. The board members are voted on by the genereal membership, in and OPEN meeting. We all feel a part of the running of the WMA because we ARE a part of it.

I hope you will come to the WMA convention next year and see for yourself that it is a fine organization, full of dedicated, hardworking and honest people who promote WESTERN music.

I have been to three WMA conventions in the past three years...they are on the rise for all the right reasons.
Juni

Juni Fisher
2006 WMA Female Vocalist of the Year
2005 AWA Western Female Performer of the Year
2005 WMA Crescendo Award
Red Geetar Records
www.junifisher.net
Larrivee' Guitars