19th Annual Parnelli Awards

Michael T. Strickland with the Parnelli Visionary Award and Garth BrooksThe 19th Annual Parnelli Awards was well on its way to becoming a record-breaking, talent-heavy, memorable event. And then Garth Brooks showed up, surprising the more than 750 people who packed the Anaheim Hilton’s Pacific Ballroom during the NAMM show on Jan. 17. He was there to honor Bandit Lites founder and Visionary Parnelli award winner Michael T. Strickland.

Brent Smith, Garth Brooks and Michael Strickland

Brooks made his surprising entrance after Brent Smith, lead vocalist of Shinedown and the scheduled presenter, had already made a fitting tribute, and the video sent in by longtime Bandit client Alice Cooper had gotten the crowd laughing. And that’s when the audience was stunned by the announcement of Brooks, who took the stage and shared some insights and jokes. When the clearly overwhelmed Strickland finally took the stage, for one rare moment, he was at a loss for words. To Smith, he said, “I believe you’ve been upstaged!” Then, in Strickland’s version of “there is no ‘I’ in ‘team,’” he brought many long-time Bandit associates to the stage

Karrie Keyes and Stone Gossard from Pearl Jam

Paving a Rocky Road

Earlier in the star-studded event, guitarist and co-founder of Pearl Jam Stone Gossard came to the stage to present the Audio Innovator Award to Karrie Keyes. In addition to working with that band for 29 years, Keyes co-founded SoundGirls.org, an organization that encourages and supports women interested in the industry. “Historically, the sound engineer position has been filled with guys, [but] all that is changing,” Gossard said, in a speech that was equally touching and funny. “It took a Karrie Keyes taking huge chances, displaying courage, resolve, wit, and resiliency to pave that road. Can we just admit now that women all across the world will not accept being shut out of anything that they decide is cool? And thank God, because they will make it better.”

When Keyes took the stage, she thanked friends, family, Dave Rat of Rat Sound who gave her her start, plus Pearl Jam members. But she also had a message to deliver: “To not acknowledge that much of the industry is a boys’ club would be a disservice. Tonight, there are 64 people nominated for awards, of which only seven are women…So I ask you, the leaders in our industry, to think about this and somehow bring and welcome more women into the industry.” Her speech moved industry members, and the push for diversity became a recurring theme throughout the night.

Mark (“Pringle? Spanky? Ringo?”) Spring and Charlie Hernandez

Top Ten List

Longtime Paul McCartney production manager Mark “Springo” Spring received the Parnelli Lifetime Achievement honor at the gala after some hilarious roasting by presenter Charlie Hernandez and a video tribute crafted by another former Parnelli Lifetime Achievement award winner, Jake Berry, riffing in his version of David Letterman’s Top Ten lists, in this case, “Jake’s Top 10 Reasons Why Springo Should Get the Lifetime Achievement Award.” They included Number 4, “Sir Paul [McCartney] told us to do this,” and while that claim remains dubious, Springo fan McCartney did send in a video tribute.

NextGen Parnelli award recipient Henry Bordeaux with *PLSN* editor and presenter Nook Schoenfeld

NextGen Award

The 2020 ceremony was also the first to present the NextGen award to recognize newer talent. It went to Henry Bordeaux, whose multiple hats include serving as tour manager for Tyler, The Creator’s Igor tour.

Springo (center) flanked by well-wishers Dale “Opie” Skjerseth and Jake Berry

Stars (and Backstage VIPs) Shine

The gala was hosted by bassist and vocalist John Waite (“I Ain’t Missing You At All”), and the first presenter was rock legend Carmine Appice (Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne). Indianapolis-based singer/songwriter Tim Brickley performed live before and after the show, and during the emotional In Memoriam tribute to those we’ve lost in 2019, when he sang Jackson Browne’s “For a Dancer.”

These artists joined other presenters including backstage VIPs (and Parnelli winners) LeRoy Bennett, Baz Halpin, Michael Tait, Tamlyn Wright and NextGen nominee Amanda Davis (Janelle Monáe, Tegan and Sara and Ella Mai). Then Timeless Communications founder and Parnelli executive producer and co-founder (with the late Patrick Stansfield) Terry Lowe once again took the stage to welcome attendees and thank the event sponsors while also paying tribute to longtime Parnelli Board Member and show manager Stephen Gudis, who passed suddenly a week before the show.

“Every year it seems we hit a new level of excitement for the Parnelli Awards, and this years event will truly be tough to out do,” Lowe reflected after the show. “As we enter in to our 20th year for the Parnelli’s what gives me the most joy is how the artists are embracing the show to express their appreciation for the production community. This is at the heart of what the Parnelli’s are about.”

Preliminary preparations are already being made for the 20th annual Parnelli Awards, which are set to take place Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, once again at the Anaheim Hilton during Winter NAMM. For more information go to www.parnelliawards.com.

And the Parnelli Winners Are: