April 24, 2015 at 2:28 p.m.
Rhinelander musician wins two WAMI awards
Rhinelander musician wins two WAMI awards
By Kayla Thomason-
Brian McLaughlin won Music Artist of the Year and Music Teacher of the Year in the northwest quadrant.
He and two others were nominated in each category and the public chose the winner. The voters' favorites received an engraved crystal award.
"The top three go-getters in each category are your nominees," McLaughlin said.
He was nominated last year, but this was his first time winning a WAMI award.
"I'm just super happy to be part of the Northwoods community and I'm just really happy to bring those awards back home," McLaughlin said. "I got great support from the people here in the Northwoods, I could have never done it without that."
McLaughlin's wife, Jackie, was present to see her husband win.
"Everybody is just ecstatic about it," he said of his family's reaction to winning.
Rhinelander had a presence in the four People's Choice categories and walked away with three awards.
Hodag Country Festival won the Live Music Venue of the Year and 97.3 WHDG was nominated for Radio Station of the Year.
McLaughlin has been a singer/musician for 34 years and has followed the WAMI awards for many years.
He performs in the Northwoods regularly, singing Top 40 hits from the 1970s to the present. He also teaches music at private facilities around Wisconsin.
"Kind of in a nutshell, I've spent years playing in bands all over the state, but now that I moved up into the Northwoods I began playing as a solo entertainer and once I got up here it just started clicking, everything's just been going positive," he said. "That's what makes winning this award so much more special, it's part of wanting to move up here and be a part of the community up here. It means a lot to me and my family. They couldn't be any happier."
Visit bmacentertainment.com for information on McLaughlin's upcoming shows and classes.
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
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