Beck, Morissette, Cray, Frusciante Among Gibson Guitar Awards Nominees

Feb 11, 2000, 12:20 pm PT

The nominees have been announced and the ballots sent out for the 2000 Orville H. Gibson Guitar Awards, which will be handed out Feb. 22 during a luncheon at the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles.

The nominees comprise a mix of six-string veterans, like Jeff Beck, Robert Cray, and John Scofield, along with host of relatively younger players, like Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews, and John Frusciante.

Bass players are also part of the program: Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit is nominated in the male category along with rock mainstays Sting and Tony Levin, while Melissa Auf Der Maur of Smashing Pumpkins is up against Aimee Mann on the female side.

Most unusual nomination is probably Amir Derakh of Orgy being listed as one of two contenders for the Les Paul Horizon Award which touts "the most promising new guitarist." Derakh's resume, which goes back to the mid-1980s when he played with metal band Rough Cutt, would seem to preclude such an honor.

Comedian Bill Engvall will host the awards, which are voted on by music industry pros. Ticket proceeds benefit the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Foundation, which helps autistic children via music.

Here is the full list of nominees for the 2000 Orville H. Gibson Guitar Awards:

Best Rock Guitarist (Male):
Jeff Beck
Joe Walsh
John Frusciante

Best Rock Guitarist (Female):
Melissa Etheridge
Chrissie Hynde
Alanis Morissette

Best Acoustic Guitarist (Male):
Dave Stewart
Dave Matthews
Lyle Lovett

Best Acoustic Guitarist (Female):
Sheryl Crow
Sarah McLachlan
Ani Difranco

Best Country Guitarist (Male):
Steve Wariner
Clint Black
Dwight Yoakam

Best Country Guitarist (Female):
Emmylou Harris
Kim Richey
Dolly Parton

Best Blues Guitarist (Male):
Robert Cray
Larry McCray

Best Blues Guitarist (Female):
Susan Tedeschi
Deb Davies

Best Jazz Guitarist (Male):
John Scofield
Paul Jackson Jr.

Best Jazz Guitarist (Female):
Leni Stern
Joyce Cooling

Best Bassist (Male):
Sting
Sam Rivers (Limp Bizkit)
Tony Levin

Best Bassist (Female):
Aimee Mann
Melissa Auf Der Maur (Smashing Pumpkins)

Best Classical Guitarist (Male):
Christopher Parkening
Michael Laucke

Best Classical Guitarist (Female):
Lily Afshar
Muriel Anderson

Les Paul Horizon Award -- Most Promising New Guitarist:
Keith Nelson (Buckcherry)
Amir Derakh (Orgy)

-- Troy J. Augusto