• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Write
  • Intern
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Things To Do
    • Things To Do This Weekend
    • Things To Do This Week
    • Things To Do This Weekend With Kids
  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

Black Fret Awards $100,000 to Austin Musicians

November 10, 2014 by Cris Mueller 1 Comment

Black Fret founders Matt Ott and Colin Kendrick

On left, Black Fret founders Matt Ott and Colin Kendrick (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

The red carpet was aglow with paparazzi flashes as Austin’s music royalty arrived at The Paramount for Black Fret’s inaugural Black Ball. A surge of music and energy was brought to the stage at 7 PM this past Saturday night, kicking off five hours of unique performances from 16 of the 20 grant nominees.

Black Fret lined up a night that will forever remain unmatched (at least until next year’s Black Ball), including talent from:

  • Graham Wilkinson
  • Elias Haslanger
  • Jitterbug Vipers
  • Danny Malone
  • Little Radar
  • Emily Bell
  • The Rocketboys
  • Quiet Company
  • East Cameron Folklore
  • Lincoln Durham
  • Elizabeth McQueen
  • Riders Against the Storm
  • Mother Falcon
  • Jonny Gray
  • Gina Chavez
  • Erin Ivey
  • Amy Cook

The experience was one of a kind, featuring music across all genres, for all walks of life.

Black Fret offers members access to performances featuring the best in Austin music, from intimate living room shows to the grand Paramount Theatre on Black Ball night. Grant nominee Elizabeth McQueen said it best, “I probably wouldn’t have met three quarters of the musicians in Black Fret. But now I know them all, even though I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old.”

Jitterbug Vipers at Black Ball

Jitterbug Vipers colorfully entertained the crowd (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

As grant awards were given throughout the night, members of the audience witnessed sheer delight on the faces of the winners. Black Fret Co-Founder Matt Ott emceed the night, giving the audience insight into the organization and sharing fun quips about the performers. “Elias and I played little league baseball together about 30 years ago…I mean 15 years ago,” Matt commented as Elias Haslanger took the stage.

Danny Malone at Black Ball

“I can’t see y’all out there tonight. Can y’all see me? I look good tonight!” said Danny Malone in between songs (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

Despite the number of attendees and size of the venue, Black Ball remained true to Black Fret’s roots as a truly family style affair.

Black Fret Grant Nominees

Fresh faced, Black Fret team members and nominees posed for a family photo before kicking off five hours of music (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

Black Ball brought in a slew of sponsors, including Gibson Brands Inc., Tito’s Handmade Vodka, LoudMouth Rentals, FX Financial, RK Audiology, Pure Gold Realty, Shady Grove, Nomad Sound and Miscellaneous Rentals. Miles of Chocolate provided heaps of chocolate brownies, and performers mingled in the lobby with guests during intermission.

Elizabeth McQueen and Riders Against the Storm

Elizabeth McQueen featured Riders Against the Storm (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

Emily Bell Performing at Black Ball

Emily Bell started her set by saying, “We’ve become a family,” then kicked off her shoes and danced (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

And the Winners Are…

In true award show fashion, presenters opened envelopes and announced Black Fret grant winners individually. Annual dues from Black Fret’s 100+ members provided the grant funds. Members also selected this year’s 20 nominees, a pool that was narrowed down for Black Fret’s first ten $10,000 grants.

The 2014 grant winners are:

  • Amy Cook
  • Wild Child
  • Mother Falcon
  • The Rocketboys
  • Graham Wilkinson
  • Lincoln Durham
  • Elizabeth McQueen
  • Gina Chavez
  • Erin Ivey
  • Quiet Company
Jonny Gray Performs at Paramount Theatre

Jonny Gray received hoots from the audience as they shouted, “we love you Jonny!” (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

Lincoln Durham Performs at Black Ball

Lincoln Durham took the stage on a set rolled in by one of the night’s sponsors, Nomad Sound (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

Each of the winners will have an opportunity to unlock their grant dollars in 2015 by writing, recording and performing new music and providing community service to other area nonprofits.

In the process, members will receive updates from the winning musicians. Additionally, grant recipients will have continued access to Black Fret’s Advisory Board and mentors, a group consisting of some of Austin’s top music industry leaders.

For more information about Black Fret and membership, visit BlackFret.org. For a complete album of Black Ball photos, visit The Austinot’s Facebook page.

 

@CrisMueller wants to know:

How many of the 10 Black Fret award winners have you seen perform?

Filed Under: Entertainment, Music Tagged With: black fret, paramount

Best of The Austinot

We always have unique content on The Austinot and we love to give things away. You know, like concert tickets, gift cards, and other cool stuff. We only send out our “Best of the Austinot” newsletter twice a month. It’s where we give you a recap of our best articles and give stuff away. Interested? Subscribe to Best of The Austinot here!

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Sandie C
Sandie C
7 years ago

Thanks to Matt and Colin, and the amazing musicians!! What a great night – can’t wait to see what’s coming in 2015!

0
Reply

Connect with Us

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of A...

    Please enable JavaScript

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of Austin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Things to do

Things to do in Austin this week

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of August 8, 2022 include EPIC Sunset Bat Paddle, Carpenter Hotel BBQ Pool Party, and more!

Austin is now among the fastest-growing metroplexes in the US! Keeping up with the growth, luckily, there’s plenty going on in Austin all days of the week. There are things to do on Monday in Austin, of course, things to do in Austin on Saturday night, and everything in between! Some of you may be […]

Horse Riding Lessons in Austin - Texas Trail Rides

Horseback Riding in Austin: Horse Riding Lessons For Adults and Kids Near You

If you’ve always been captivated by cowboy movies about the Wild West and are looking for adult horse riding lessons near me, Austin is the place to be! There are a ton of places that offer horseback riding in Austin with a range of adult horseback riding lessons, including picking your own horse, learning different […]

Things to do in Austin

Top 10 things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of August 5, 2022 include Saturday Family Funday, Back to School Bash, and more!

If there’s one thing about this city, it’s that there is always something going on. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of August 5, 2022, there’s plenty of fun to be had, including the First Friday Ghost Tour, Disney’s Newsies, and more! Top Pick for Summer Camps […]

Things to do in Austin

10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of August 5, 2022 Include Queer Yoga, Grounded Dance Cardio, and More!

  For summer camp information, check out our page for Best Summer Camps in Austin for 2022!  If you would like to discover more Things to do in Austin this Week & Things to do in Austin with Kids this Weekend, check out Facebook for immediate notifications.

Classic Game Fest 2022 in Austin

Classic Game Fest 2022 in Austin: A Can’t Miss Celebration of Retro Videogames

  Remember the good old days of videogames? You and your friends huddled around a tiny CRT TV kicking each other in Street Fighter, battling Bowser in Super Mario Bros, or blasting demons in Doom. Modern videogames offer best in class visuals and expansive experiences. But there’s nothing quite like blowing into a cartridge, slamming it […]

Recent Posts

  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of August 8, 2022 include EPIC Sunset Bat Paddle, Carpenter Hotel BBQ Pool Party, and more!
  • Horseback Riding in Austin: Horse Riding Lessons For Adults and Kids Near You
  • Top 10 things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of August 5, 2022 include Saturday Family Funday, Back to School Bash, and more!
  • 10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of August 5, 2022 Include Queer Yoga, Grounded Dance Cardio, and More!
  • Classic Game Fest 2022 in Austin: A Can’t Miss Celebration of Retro Videogames

Welcome to The Austinot

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We’ll respond if you comment. Heck, we’ll probably invite you to come and hang out with us!

Follow along to help support and learn more about local businesses, artists, and events.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Trending Posts

  • What’s Up With the ‘Live a Great Story’ Messages Around Austin?
  • Guide to Austin’s Dirty Sixth Street
  • 10 Best Lakes in and around Austin
  • Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): Floppy Disk Repair Co.
  • 20 Restaurants Open Late in Austin – Best Late Night Food Places For Tasty Eats

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

wpDiscuz