Announced LIVE on 94.9 the Surf Friday, September 18th
Nominees for Engineer(s)
Brad Cox – “My Heart Is Not A Toy” (Jim Quick & Gary Lowder)
David Rhyne – “I’ll Be There” (Too Much Sylvia)
Doyle Wood – “Heaven is Not That Far Away” (Rivermist)
Guy Brooks & Hubert Dean – “Love Is What I’m Talking About” (The Castaways)
Keith Houston – “Pretty Lady” (North Tower)
Rick Strickland – “Every Road” (Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson)
Nominees for Producer(s)
Brad Cox – “I Tried” (The Tams)
Brad Cox – “My Heart Is Not A Toy” (Jim Quick & Gary Lowder)
Chris Biehler – “Pretty Women Everywhere” (Craig Woolard)
Doyle Wood – “Heaven’s Not That Far Away” (Rivermist)
Guy Brooks & Karen Clayton – “Love Is What I’m Talking About” (The Castaways)
Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson – “Every Road” (Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson)
Wayne Troutman – “Pretty Lady” (North Tower)
Nominees for National Dance Song
“Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley
“Honey” – Lenny Kravitz
“I Just Might” – Bruno Mars
“Just One More” – California Honeydrops
Nominees for Concert Series of The Year
Blackmon Amphitheatre Concert Series – Mt. Airy, NC
Calabash Concert Series – Calabash, NC
Coolin’ Out Concert Series on Main – Stanley, NC
Lake Life Live – Clarksville, VA
Midtown Concert Series (North Hills) – Raleigh, NC
Music on Main (Horseshoe) – NMB, SC
Shoe Center Customer Appreciation – NMB, SC
Nominees for Syndicated Radio Show
“At the Beach w/ Pat Gwinn” – Gwinn, Benningfield, Ryan, Douglas
“John Hook’s Beach Music Top 40” – John Hook
“Swamp Soul” – Jim Quick & Bo Gilbert
“On the Beach w/ Charlie Brown” – Charlie Brown & Chris Beachley
Nominees for Internet Station
Back To The Beach Radio – Rock Hall
Beach Waves Radio – Townsend Link, Ben Morris & Scott Walker
Flip Flop Live – Andy Lucy & Jonathon Sharpe
RIPTIDE Radio – Scott, Henriksen & Dennis
Nominees for Internet Show
“Beach Bound and Down” – Townsend Link
“Carolina Beach Party” – Johnny B
“Deckerz Deck Party ft. Ray Scott” – Ray Scott
“Highway 17” – Ben Morris
Nominees for Internet DJ
Ben Morris (Beach Waves Radio)
Johnny B (Riptideradio.com)
Townsend Link (Beach Waves Radio)
Wayne Free (Beach Waves Radio)
Nominees for Event of The Year
Carolina Beach Music Festival 2026 – Carolina Beach, NC
Flem Whitt Beach Music Festival – Hyco Lake, NC
NC Beach Blast Festival 2025 – King’s Mountain, NC
Shaggin’ For A Cause 2026 – South Hill, VA
Stuart Beach Festival 2026 (Hot Fun in the Summertime) – Stewart, VA
TR’s Cancer Fighters 18th Annual Oyster Roast – North Myrtle Beach, SC
Nominees for Radio Station of the Year
96.5 FM – WPCC (Clinton, SC)
97.9 FM – WTRG (Gaston, NC)
98.3 FM – WLUS (Oxford, NC)
99.1 FM – WDZD (Monroe, NC)
99.3 FM – WZAX (Nashville, NC)
102.9 FM – WELS (Kinston, NC)
Nominees for Club (Bill Griffin Award)
Loafers Dance Club – Raleigh, NC
Lynn’s Dance Club – Charlotte, NC
Memories Beach Club – Atlantic Beach, NC
OD Arcade – N. Myrtle Beach, SC
OD Pavilion – N. Myrtle Beach, SC
Nominees for Live Music Venue (Cecil Corbett Award)
Blackmon Amphitheatre – Mt. Airy, NC
Castaways Keys – N. Myrtle Beach, SC
Deckerz – N. Myrtle Beach, SC
Scallywag’s Bar & Grill – New London, NC
Spanish Galleon – N. Myrtle Beach, SC
Nominees for Michael Branch Award
Andy Lucy & Jonathan Sharpe (Flip Flop Live)
Abby Lee Carter (Brio Live)
Bo Gilbert (Grand Strand Marketing Group)
Melissa Hinson (OD Mafia)
Pat Patterson (Beach Music 45)
Renee Chesson (Beach Music Cafe)
Wayne Troutman (Ocean Drive Productions)
Nominees for Live Production
Bob Blair (Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot/North Tower)
Daniel Medley (The Tonez)
Mike Ashworth (The Castaways)
Steve Davis (The Band of Oz)
Steve Jones (Rivermist)
Steven Edwards (The Embers ft. Craig Woolard)
Timm Denning (Jim Quick & Coastline)
Nominees for Club / Mobile DJ (Richard Nixon Award)
Andy Lucy
Eric Bowman
Jay Kinlaw
Justin Rouse
Pat Patterson
Shaun Lamm
Nominees for Radio Show of The Year (Charlie Byrd Award)
Best Day Ever Show – Jim Quick
Carolina Ocean Drive – Mike Brooks & Alan D
Morgan In the Morning – Jim Morgan
Surf Countdown – Jay Kinlaw & Bo Gilbert
The Beat of The Beach – Pat Patterson
The Craig Woolard Show – Craig Woolard
The Wave Beach Music Countdown – Eric Bowman
Nominees for Radio DJ of the Year (Larry Crockett Award)
Andy Lucy – 97.9 WTRG FM (Gaston, NC)
Craig Woolard – 107.9 FM / WNCT (Greenville, NC)
Eric Bowman – 99.1 FM / WDZD (Monroe, NC)
Jay Kinlaw – 94.9 FM / WVCO (Loris, SC)
Jim Morgan – 94.9 FM / WVCO (Loris, SC)
Jim Quick – 94.9 FM / WVCO (Loris, SC)
Mike Brooks – 98.3 FM / WLUS (Oxford, NC)
Pat Patterson – 96.5 FM / WPCC (Clinton, SC)
Shaun Lamm – 99.3 FM / WZAX (Nashville, NC)
Nominees for Album of the Year
“Best Of The Band” – Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot
“Power of Two” – Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson
“Reaching For The Top” – Rhonda McDaniel
“Right Place Right Time” – Rivermist
Nominees for Music Video of the Year
“Forevermore” – Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot
“I’ll Be There” – Too Much Sylvia
“Lady of The Island” – Rivermist
“No Place Like New Orleans” – Sylvia Johns Ricthie
“Someday at Christmas” – Craig Woolard & Jackie Gore
“The Sea Sand and You” – Deb Browning & Townsend Link
Nominees for Song Writer(s)
Charlie Sattenfield and Brad Cox – “I Tried” (The Mighty Tams)
Guy Brooks – “Love Is What I’m Talking About” (The Castaways)
Jim Quick – “Wait For Me” (Jim Quick, Allie Privette & R. Mark Black)
Jonathan Treece – “NMBSC” (The Tonez)
Rick Strickland – “Every Road” (Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson)
Wayne Free – “I Love Kissing You” (Wayne Free)
Nominees for Collaboration or Duo
“Getaway Car” – Deb Browning & Michael Fite
“Jump On It” – Rhonda McDaniel & Gary Lowder
“My Heart Is Not A Toy” – Jim Quick & Gary Lowder
“Suspicious Minds” – Jennifer James & Brad Cox
“The Sea Sand & You” – Deb Browning & Townsend Link
“Wait For Me” – Jim Quick, Allie Privette & R. Mark Black
Nominees for Instrumentalist
Art Amaral – Sax (Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot)
Brady Hastings – Sax (Castaways)
Craig Woolard – Sax (Embers)
Guy Brooks – Bass (Castaways)
Rick Strickland – Guitar (Rick Strickland Band)
Rhonda McDaniel – Keyboard (Carolina Coast Band)
Tom Bagley – Guitar (North Tower)
Nominees for Rising Star(s)
Groove Harbor Band
Jennifer James
Mac Daddy’s Band
Vaughn Penn
Nominees for Smoothie/Ballad
“Every Road” – Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson
“Forevermore” – Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot
“I’ll Be There” – Too Much Sylvia
“Love Is What I’m Talking About” – The Castaways ft. Karen Clayton
“Soul Full of Sunshine” – Gary “Alex” Alexander
“Wait For Me” – Jim Quick, Allie Privette and R.Mark
Nominees for Song of the Year
“Every Road” – Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson
“I Can’t Wait For The Weekend” – Rhonda McDaniel
“I Tried” – The Tams
“I’ll Be There” – Too Much Sylvia
“Love Is What I’m Talking About” – The Castaways
“Pretty Lady” – North Tower
“Pretty Women Everywhere” – Craig Woolard
Nominees for Female Vocalist
Deb Browning
Karen Clayton (The Castaways)
Laura Kepley (The Tonez)
Lesa Hudson
Rhonda McDaniel (Carolina Coast Band)
Terri Gore (Classic Soul)
Nominees for Male Vocalist
Allen Pier (Rivermist)
Gary Lowder (Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot)
Jonathan Treece (The Tonez)
Rick Strickland
Rickey Godfrey (Carolina Coast Band)
Steve Long (Too Much Sylvia)
Nominees for Group of The Year
Band of Oz
The Castaways
The Embers ft. Craig Woolard
Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot
Jim Quick and Coastline
North Tower
Too Much Sylvia
Nominees for Entertainer
Craig Woolard (w/ Embers feat. Craig Woolard)
Gary Lowder (w/ Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot)
Jim Quick (w/ Jim Quick & Coastline)
Karen Clayton (w/ Castaways)
Lesa Hudson (w/ Rick Strickland Band)
Steve Long (w/ Too Much Sylvia)
Townsend Link (w/ The Pink Slips)