New Mexico’s premiere fine acoustic instrument shop, Guitar Vista has moved to a new location, 201 Dartmouth SE in Albuquerque where Stan and the gang will continue to give the same great service. Their number remains the same, 505-268-1133

Guitar Vista will continue to be the place where you can find new and used Bourgeois, Eastman, Fender, Larrivee, Martin, Epiphone, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Giebitz, New World and Cordoba Classical Guitars as well as the best new mandolins by Bourgeois, Old Wave and Eastman, and used mandolins from Gibson and Weber. Ukes from Cordoba, Magic Fluke, and Gold Tone. New banjos from Gold Tone, and used banjos from Gibson and Vega. Also featured is a terrific selection of small goods and strings.

They also offer a fine selection of used amps from Fender, Epiphone, National, Alamo, and more. Drop by and say hello and find out more at https://guitarvistanm.com/

The 2nd Annual Harvest Wine & Music Festival is offering songwriters an opportunity to showcase their music with a competition leading up to the festival. Songwriters are asked to enter their music in any style via a link to a video or upload of music to their site.

To enter, you must be a current New Mexico resident and 18 years of age or older to apply. If selected as a finalist, you must be available to perform at the Harvest Wine & Music Festival on Monday, September 1, 2025 from 1PM – 5PM at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, NM.

The contest is open to solo singer-songwriters, duos, or trios performing original material. All genres welcome — from folk and country to Latin, indie, pop, rock, and more.

The Winner will receive a $500 cash prize and a featured performance slot at the 2026 New Mexico Wine Festival over Memorial Day Weekend. An additional $500 performance fee payment for the 2026 Wine Festival performance. There will be media spotlight press release and social posts. The runner up will receive $200 cash prize. You must enter by August 1st, 2025.

For complete information, fill out the form online at https://form.jotform.com/251865166687977?fbclid=IwY2xjawLt85pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETBwd2Z5bVBwRlgzcERGYXF3AR7HqTaygMQ1BoifbBI3YTGbuabqhszcpSl3BYtFmY10K83Y5C0Fv4d1g5WSJg_aem_CBOHlqF_LT0KinkTs0nunA

The Harvest Wine and Music Festival offers patrons an opportunity to Savor exceptional wines from award-winning vineyards and boutique wineries while soaking in the rhythms of New Mexico’s best bands. Stroll the scenic festival grounds, indulge in gourmet eats, shop handcrafted, and unwind in our lively, laid-back atmosphere. It’s the ultimate end-of-summer escape.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND
August 30 – September 1 | 12PM – 6PM Daily
Balloon Fiesta Park, ABQ NM
21 and over only.
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE GATE
OR IN ADVANCE

The New Mexico Music Awards produces workshops in a variety of areas including songwriting, copyright and publishing, tech workshops including instrument care and maintenance, studio recording, financial, marketing and contracts.

We also offer specialty workshops including Therapeutic Songwriting workshops for those dealing with Post Traumatic Stress.

We will travel anywhere in New Mexico to provide both amateur and professional artists, musicians, producers and songwriters with the knowledge they need to move forward and to success in their careers.

Our workshops are not limited to anyone and we can craft a music workshop for kids or an advanced recording workshop for seasoned professionals. We have had some of the biggest names in entertainment produce workshop for us including Nathan East, Greg Abate, Jim Riley, Kevin Eubanks and more. For more information on workshops, go to https://www.newmexicomusicawards.com/workshops/

We are always looking for partners to assist us in presenting our workshops. If your business or organization is looking to expand its audience by sponsoring a workshop or if you are a musician, producer, engineer, songwriter or other music industry pro and want to teach a workshop anywhere in New Mexico, reach out to us at contactnewmexicomusicawards@gmail.com or call us at 505-269-7777 and let’s chat.

The 38^th Annual New Mexico Music Awards was held on Sunday, June 1^st 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.

New Mexico Music Award finalist Bette Korbers film Hermosa Mariposa has been selected for the festival held in late May in Frome, Somerset United Kingdom. Bette’s film, about the endangered Monarch butterfly, is one of many under consideration for honors. The festival receives over 1000 submissions each year from over 10 countries.

Historically, monarchs numbered in the billions. Eastern monarchs wintering in Mexico have declined by 90% in the last 30 years. Western monarchs have declined by 95% in the last 20 years, with a close brush with complete collapse in 2020.

They are threatened by habitat loss, climate change, and extensive pesticide use.

Bette’s music and films are a staple at the NMMAs and are always a voice for her activism. At the end of the video, you will hear the sound of butterfly wings, so many you can hear them in the forests of Michoacan. View the film and to find out how you can help save this incredible species, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0GwvmGTsMM

Jono Manson, award winning producer at The Kitchen Sink, is creating a new facility in Santa Fe. Current producing partner Tim Schmoyer will remain in the current space and will re-brand the business as Engine70 Studios. Jono will retain the Kitchen Sink brand. Here’s the skinny from Jono.

“This is a completely amicable reconfiguration of our business relationship, and (Tim and I) have committed to continue to support one another in all of our respective current and future endeavors. I will continue to work at the studio, engineering and producing projects for my current and future clients. So, for anyone with projects currently on the books, or in progress, there will be absolutely no disruption of our work together.

The Kitchen Sink will remain my production company and I am also building a new, state of the art, mix and overdub suite here in Santa Fe, which should be ready for action by May 1st (more news on this to follow!). This will not only create a new creative space for me, but allow me to offer my clients options as to how, and where, we work together. Moving forward, I will be splitting my studio time between the two facilities, and of course continue to work on projects with artists from all over the world. I’m filled with gratitude for all of the love, trust, and support I’ve received from this incredible community and look forward to seeing you again, soon.” JM – Santa Fe April 2, 2025

We look forward to great things coming from both Jono Manson and Tim Schmoyer in the future.

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The boys are back! Songwriters Daniel Boling (The Limeliters) and folk icon Tom Paxton have released the first single, Goodnight, and accompanying video from their forthcoming album on Berkalin Records, It Matters to be released on April 18th of this year.

The 16 songs on It Matters  are taken from weekly songwriting sessions Dan’l and Tom have held online since their 2023 album. There are a wide range of topics including tender love songs, a U.S Marine hero horse, biting commentary on politics, society, religion and war, gentle, self-deprecating humor, love of nature, family and community.

Daniel and Tom recorded their upcoming album at The Kitchen Sink studio in Santa Fe, NM with Producer/engineer Jono Manson. Manson and a dozen friends and fellow musicians pitched in on other instruments and a few harmonies, but the overall feel of the album is stripped-down, acoustic Folk.

Tom Paxton officially retired from touring at the end of 2024 after 64 years. Check out the video online at https://youtu.be/ldfUd1SV6MA