The region’s finest musicians will be recognized tonight at the 2014 NCEIA Dolphin Awards, to be held at the Ballina RSL Club.
The awards are open to all original music created by musicians in the 66 area code.
There are 20 different categories, with a prize pool of more than $38,000.
Judges this year include Kirk Pengally of INX, Paul Pilsneniks of studio 301, Mark Gable of the Choirboys, Alex Smith from Moving Pictures, Giaran Gribbin of INX and Marcuss Schintler of Weddings Parties Anything.
Since the first event in 1991, organisers said the Dolphin Awards had assisted hundreds of north coast singers, songwriters, composers, graphic artists, record and video producers in developing their careers.
They remain the only regional music awards in NSW, and are held at a different venue each year.
Lismore Indigenous musician Tom Avery, aka Blakboi, will be opening the evening, and has also been nominated for four awards.
During the opening, he will be backed by a ten piece band and a ten piece choir, traditional dancers, hip hop dancers and hiphop outfit TLK.
Top awards include album of the year, song of the year, and male and female vocal.a
The awards begin at 6.30pm.
