Hall of Fame

Dusty Brown
Siblings are nothing new in the music business. Famous brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb brought us the Bee Gees; Donnie and Marie Osmond took their pop tunes to the boob tube; and, most recently, Aly and AJ have delivered the tween-pop goods. So, what have Dusty and Jessica Brown got that these other sonic siblings don’t? For starters, the electronic-music duo has picked up several Sammie awards, earning them an induction into the Sammies Hall of Fame. Take that other siblings! Dusty’s brooding electronic blips and bleeps and Jessica’s melodic vocals have been a staple of the local music scene for more than five years. They’ve earned the respect of local musicians and critics, including SN&R contributing writer Christian Kiefer, who had this to say about the duo: “Dusty Brown’s music has a weirdly unstuck-in-time quality that moves it beyond the bounds of ordinary pop music.”

Jackie Greene
It’s been said that once a person has reached the peak of a mountain, they’re no longer a climber, but merely a bum with a view. While some may consider being inducted into the Sammies Hall of Fame more of a molehill than a mountain, we’re certain the view must be nice just the same. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being able to keep climbing, something singer-songwriter Jackie Greene continues to do. Nearly five years after emerging on the local Americana scene, this talented and driven folk musician shows no signs of slowing, let alone stopping. He’s released four albums, including his most recent, American Myth, on Verve Forecast; and toured endlessly—he’s currently tearing it up on the east coast. Rest assured, this dedicated musician won’t stop climbing until he’s reached the top of every mountain.

The Knockoffs
It’s about damn time. The Knockoffs have changed members more times than Menudo in their 13-year history, always anchored by the playful punk presence of vocalist Tom Hutchinson. Through the years the band has competed in amateur wrestling matches (sometimes on stage, while still holding instruments), released three albums and a DVD concert video, and sang anthems like “Pensyltucky Girl” and “You Make Me Sit Funny” on nearly every bar stage in Sacramento. Through it all, they’ve kept their sense of humor. Now they join the ranks of the Groovie Ghoulies and the Deftones as the third punk act to enter the Sammies Hall of Fame.

Las Pesadillas
Typically, to be inducted to the Sammies Hall of Fame, a band has to win a Sammie in the same category three times. We’re making an exception for Las Pesadillas. This notoriously hard-to-define band has won six Sammies to date, in five different categories: outstanding rock band, outstanding country/bluegrass band, best songwriter, best local act and best CD. Then, just when we were wondering if Las Pesadillas was going to branch out into jazz or hip-hop, the band really surprised us by breaking up at the height of its popularity. You can still see Noah Nelson, Damian Sol, Jonathan Mack and Jason Cox performing in other projects around town, and you can catch them onstage when they accept their Hall of Fame award—for outstanding band in any category.