The 38th Annual New Mexico Music Awards was held on Sunday, June 1st in Albuquerque at Sandia Resort and Casino in Albuquerque with nearly 400 people in attendance. Attendees and guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner followed by performances from Costley and Crooze, Santa Fe’s Christina Gomez, Felix “Gato” Peralta, country artist Eryn Bent, Sheila Eden and her band Illumina A.D. and the R&B party band, Lo Phat. All of our performers were award winners as well.
Over 40 awards were presented in categories that ranged from Best Adult Contemporary/Adult Pop music to Best Album of the Year.
Also presented were the Eric Larson Lifetime Achievement Award to the family of the late Juan Velasco, longtime radio personality and Shawn Mondragon a/k/a Chaz Malibu, also a radio personality of some note for the last 30 years in the Duke City.
Audra Rodgers & The Sweethearts took home honors for Best Album of the Year. The album was recorded at the Greg Thum Studio in El Prado, New Mexico and produced by Audra Rodgers and Greg Thum.
The coveted Norman Petty Producer’s Award went to Alex Murzyn, Saya Sommers and Mark Sommers for Saya Sommers jazz influenced album Unfettered and recorded at ABQ Post studios in Albuquerque.
Other winners include Santa Fe based Eryn Bent winning Best Country Album for her album Blush and Nathan Dunton taking home Best Pop Album for Running Lights. The artist self-titled album Lumpy won Best Rock Album, Dimian Disanti’s Our Big Backyard won Best Jazz Album honors and Richard Cagle & the Voodoo Choir from Ruidoso were winners in the Best Blues Album category for Zia Blues.
We were honored to present the Eric Larson Lifetime Achievement Award to the family of the late Juan Velasco and to his friend and compatriot, Shawn Mondragon a/k/a Chaz Malibu.
Juan was a longtime radio host at KRST radio in Albuquerque. He was also owner of JFV Entertainment and beloved by fans. Juan was a driving force in the New Mexico Music community, promoting New Mexico artists on his podcast, recommending them for work at local and corporate events. If someone needed help getting their business off of the ground, he was there to help them promote themselves. He loved his family, especially his sons Juan III and Gabriel. Juan passed away suddenly last summer.
We also presented Shawn Mondragon with an Eric Larson Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to local music and musicians through his work on radio over the past 30 years as Chaz Malibu. A musician himself, Shawn has been singing barbershop for 30 years as well, is a founding member of Duke City Sound, a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society and a coach and faculty member at the Harmony College Northwest for three decades. His dedication to local music and musicians is unsurpassed.
The Eric Larson Lifetime Achievement Awards is presented to those individuals who have made a difference in the New Mexico Music Community over their careers. Eric Larson was a co-founder of the New Mexico Music Awards and an award winning composer and producer in New Mexico.
For a complete list of winners, go to https://www.newmexicomusicawards.com/2025-new-mexico-music-award-winners/
The New Mexico Music Awards is sponsored by The New Mexico Music Awards are sponsored by Quickbeam Systems, Guitar Center of Albuquerque and Jason’s Music Publishing with additional support from The Candyman of Santa Fe, High Fidelity Mastering, Grandma’s Music and Sound, ListenNM.com, Two Pups Boutique, and Moonlight Talent Management.