WAM Awards update: Hall of Fame inductees, Golden WAM nominees, live performers

Next month’s WAM Awards in Perth announced the two Hall of Fame inductees and the nominees for the Golden WAM category.

Joining the annals of the Hall of Fame are music executive Dixie Battersby and ‘80s guitar band The Stems.

Battersby, one of the real characters of the Perth scene and an enthusiastic supporter of the state’s music started out working in record store Thompsons Records before landing a lengthy stint at EMI Records in 1983.

In 2013 she left EMI (although she still contracts for them) to set up DB Publicity, whose clients included Katy Perry, 360, Angus & Julia Stone, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Sam Smith, Alison Wonderland, Something For Kate, Troye Sivan, Little Birdy, The  Sleepy Jackson and Kasey Chambers.

The Stems signed to Mushroom Records and their 1987 album At First Sight Violets Are Blue was a top seller despite no commercial airplay.

The band continue to play selective shows to this day to sold out audiences in Australia and abroad.

The six nominees for the Golden WAMi, acknowledging their contribution to the WA music industry are:

Caitlin Nienaber, long time breakfast presenter at RTRFM who moved to Sydney to join the ABC this year,

Chris Wheeldon, who began working at RTRFM as a presenter before moving up to being a staff member.

James Newhouse, producer and engineer at his Perth-based Real2Reel Studios,.

Luke Rinaldi, venue booker for Badlands Bar and runs Sweet Mate Music which manages New Talk, Red Jezebel and The Ghost Hotel, and acts as booking agent for Dream Rimmy, The Love Junkies and Lucy Peach.

Tenille Elkins, senior writer services representative for APRA AMCS in WA.

Tom Fisher, singer-songwriter and organiser of the Fremantle Folk Festival.

The WAM awards are staged on Thursday, November 1 at the  Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Perth.

Announced to perform on the night are Hall of Fame inductees The Stems, seven-time WAM Award nominee Carla Geneve, the Gina Williams & Guy House duo, Your Girl Pho, hip hop producer Hyclass and The Gemma Farrell Quintett.

The sound pros at Perth Audio Visual will handle sound production on the night.

Perth Symphony Orchestra founder Bourby Webster and actor and media identity Blake Williams are hosts.