// ARTICLES
Hilton up for local musical awardThe Desert Sun
August 25, 2005
Tyler Hilton, Queens of the Stone Age and Kal David are among the diverse musical artists due to receive recognition today at a party to announce the first nominations for the Coachella Valley Music Awards.
The Desert Sun has learned that music legends including Brian Setzer, Eric Burdon of the Animals and Shelby Lynne also will receive nominations.
Local promoter Tracy Dietlin of Mystic Avalanche is planning a nomination party at 6 p.m. at Pinnacle restaurant in Palm Desert as a prelude to the awards ceremony Sept. 27 at Spotlight 29 Casino.
Four special awards also are scheduled to be presented Sept. 27 to notable valley artists, although the artists haven't yet confirmed their attendance.
Hilton, the La Quinta High School graduate who has become a teen idol with a recurring role on TV's "One Tree Hill" and his upcoming part as Elvis Presley in the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line," is scheduled to receive a Breakthrough Artist of the Year award.
Hilton, on tour with Hilary Duff in the Midwest, had planned to fly in for the awards, he said by telephone Wednesday, but learned Monday he has to be in North Carolina working on his expanded role in "One Tree Hill."
He said he was excited about the awards show because "Queens of the Stone are from the Desert, Alison Lohman is from the desert. There are a lot of cool artists in the desert, so I think an awards show like that is a good sampling of all the talented people."
The Palm Desert-based Eagles of Death Metal, which is scheduled to tour Europe with the Foo Fighters and Futureheads this winter, is due to receive a Breakthrough Band of the Year Award. Dietlin said band leader Jesse Hughes has said he wants to attend the show, but he, too, may have a scheduling conflict.
Mario Lalli Jr., who plays in several contemporary rock bands and who co-owned the Indio alt- rock club Rhythm & Brews, is scheduled to receive a Pioneer Award. His appearance is in question because he was recently in a car accident with his father, former Mario's restaurant owner Mario Lalli Sr.
A Trailblazer Award also will be awarded to the pioneers of the underground "generator" scene of the late 1980s and early '90s, including Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and his bandmate in Kyuss, Brant Bjork.
Fifteen bands are expected to perform at the awards ceremony. Tickets are being sold through Ticketmaster and Spotlight 29 for $30.
Dietlin said a local awards ceremony is important to show that the low and high desert scene - collectively called the Coachella Valley - is producing music as distinctive as any other region with an awards show.
"Just the fact that Queens of the Stone Age have garnered the success that they have, and Eagles (of Death Metal) are following in their footsteps, and Tyler has broken out. With all the native musicians we have in the valley, I feel like we're getting ready to be the next Seattle or Austin or Minneapolis," she said. "We really have the ability to become something like that because of that sound we have."
The ceremony will honor bands in categories such as Best Hard Rock Band, Alternative Rock Band, Metal Rock Band and R&B Band.
John Stanley King was one artist with multiple nominations, including Best Cover Band, Best Duo with Rob Martinez, and Best Jam Band.
The nominations for Best CD for a Major Label Band were Queens of the Stone Age for "Lullabies to Paralyze," Lynne for "Suit Yourself," Concrete Blonde for "Mojave," Setzer for "Rumble in Braxton" with the Stray Cats, and Burdon for "My Sweet Life."
The nominations were still being counted at press time from ballots cast by 117 judges in the local media music industry.
Feisty Joe, nominated for Best Pop Rock Band, is one of several bands scheduled to play at tonight's nomination party. Admission to that is free.
