Sxsw Austin Music Awards 2007-2008
[ Bolded Are/Were Natural Ear Music School Students ]Teen Band

1. Jenny Wolfe & the Pack

2. Sarah Jarosz

3. The Fireants

4. The Steps

5. Superpal Universe

6. Loose Cannons

7. Blues Mafia

8. Aftermath

9. High on Hotdogs

10. Rubber Monster

Best Preteen Band: Critics Pick, Kids: Loose Cannons
From The Austin Chronicle’s 2005 Best Of Austin Edition

This quintet of four 11-year-olds and their 9-year-old keyboardist exploded onto the scene three years ago from Natural Ear Music Camp.

Their repertoire of Texas and roots-rock plus classic Sixties songs is impressive – just listen to Daniel whoop on “Lucille.” Still, it’s their miniset of Roky Erickson and 13th Floor Elevators songs, recently performed for Roky himself, that make them the coolest and realest kid band around.

2004, CRITICS, Kids

Best Way to Rock This Town

Natural Ear Music Camp

How cool is this? You’re 10 years old, a veteran of summer music camps, can play enough 13th Floor Elevators songs for a mini-set, and Roky Erickson shows up for your gig! Natural Ear Music Camp founder Michele Murphy and camp director Alvin Crow were thrilled with his appearance, but the spotlight was on the kids. Since the early Nineties, Murphy has been developing the successful summer programs that teach kids not just how to play but the dynamics of performing in a group. Where else but Austin would hedge its bets for the future by creating its next generation?

Best Performing Bands
Best Kid Band

From the Austin Chronicle’s 2004 Best of Austin Edition

Reader’s Poll

1. Misspent Youth

2. Palm School Choir

3. The Flames

4. The Avoiders

5. The Wild Things

6. Loose Cannons

7. Sarah Jarosz

8. Newboy

9. Video Screams

10. Minority

Our alumni are out there in the world now…look for them! Zac Colwell, Suzanna Choffel, Will Knaak, Corrinna Kalish, Ariel Abshire, the Thompson brothers (Steps); Troupe Gammage, Nick Hurt, Chris Saad, Django Walker, Jimmie Graves (Cyril Neville), Jenny Wolfe, the Aviators.