30th Annual NAMM TEC Awards Wrap-Up

Recording, audio and music industry professionals gathered to honor excellence in sound technology and creativity at the 30th Annual NAMM TEC Awards, held on January 24, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. The professional audio and music production industry’s most prestigious awards celebrate excellence in 30 creative and technical achievement categories.

The awards are held annually during the Winter NAMM Show, the world’s leading global music industry trade event, which draws more than 95,000 members of the music products industry to Anaheim.

Comedian and musician Sinbad served as the evening’s host. Presenters for the evening included Michael Braunstein (executive director of the Les Paul Foundation); producer Don Was; musician and actor Harry Shearer; Bernie Williams (guitarist and former New York Yankee); singer/songwriter Orianthi; film composer CJ Vanston; guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter; pianist/composer Bob James; Larrabee Sound Studios manager Amy Burr; producer/engineer Lenise Bent; producer/engineer Young Guru; engineer Dave Reitzas; director/producer Brett Leonard; composer/sound effects designer Frank Serafine; producer Jack Douglas; and producer/engineer Al Schmitt.

Nathan East accepts his induction into the NAMM TEC Awards Hall of Fame. Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images for NAMM.

Bassist Nathan East performed several songs after he and engineer/producer Ed Cherney became the newest inductees to the NAMM TEC Awards Hall of Fame.

Guitarist Slash rocked the house with a performance after receiving the evening’s highest honor, the Les Paul Award, named for the revolutionary inventor and esteemed musician. A tribute band played along and included Orianthi, Don Was and Kenny Aronoff. The Les Paul award recognizes individuals or institutions that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of audio and music technology.

“The people and products that were nominated at this year’s TEC Awards, especially on this milestone 30th anniversary, deserve our respect and admiration,” says Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “And those select few who have gone home with a coveted TEC Award have set a high bar for the industry. These are the tools and sounds that will shape the music we will be listening to for years to come.”

The winners of the 30th annual NAMM TEC Awards are as follows:

CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT

Record Production/Single or Track
“Happy,” Pharrell Williams

Record Production/Album
Lazaretto, Jack White

Tour/Event Sound Production
Sting & Paul Simon: On Stage Tour

Remote Production/Recording Or Broadcast
56th Annual Grammy Awards

Film Sound Production
Gravity

Television Sound Production
Game of Thrones

Interactive Entertainment Sound Production
Call of Duty: Ghosts

Studio Design Project
Berklee College of Music, 160 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Ancillary Equipment
API 505 DI 500-Series DI Module