Corbin Arena wins APPY award for Best Large Live Music Venue

Mar. 19—PRESTONSBURG — The Corbin Arena has won the Appalachian Arts and Entertainment Award (APPY) for Best Large Music Venue.

The APPY ceremony was held this past Saturday at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.

The Arena previously won this award in 2022 and has now won it again.

Corbin Arena General Manager Kristina Balla said of the facility's win, "It definitely is an honor to be recognized by APPY and our community; it is a big deal for us....When we won 2 years ago, we felt recognized after working so hard to build this venue. Now we just appreciate that we would be nominated for an award like this."

The awards "seek to celebrate art in all its forms and recognize the artists from or living in our communities all along the Appalachian Mountains who are making the world a more beautiful place to live in through art," their website says. Nominees must be from or currently living in an Appalachian state.

Following is a list of winners from Saturday's ceremony:

Best Acting/Drama/Speech/Educator: Crockett Ward

Best Art Educator: Taylor Stacey

Best Dance Educator: Lora Rice

Best High School Band: Estill County

Best High School Choir: Parkersburg High School Chamber Choir

Best Music Educator: Janean Michelle Freeman

Best Sculpture/Pottery: Carvel and Ashley Norman — Dirty South Pottery

Best Social Media Influencer: Kisha Royse

EP of the Year: Zoe Howard — Peace N Whereabouts

Album of the Year: Joe Clark — 10 Years too Late

Best Bassist: Tom Mallory

Best Keyboardist: Jeff Rehmet

Best Drummer/Percussionist: Chris Robbins

Best Painting: Michelle Ward Ciancio

Best Music Festival: Bristol Rhythm and Roots

Best Podcast: Steve Shell and Cam Collins for Old Gods of Appalachia

Best Radio Personality: Brittany Rowe

Best Small Live Music Venue: The Jettie Baker Center

Best Recording Studio/Engineer/Producer: Mill Springs Studio

Best TV Personality: Lynda Fontaine

Best Photographer: Morgan Ravenscraft

Best Jazz/Latin/Big Band/World: The Hunt Butler Band

Best Original Song: Darrell Pittman

Best Pop: Alabaster Boxer

Best Religious/Worship/Spiritual: Jarfly Gospel Hour Band

Best Rock: Shades of Raven

Best Singer-Songwriter: Donnie Bowling

Best Digital Mixed Media: Payton Martin

Best Americana: Ron Short

Best Bluegrass: Jonathan Goodwin

Best Blues: Rachel Crowe

Best Country: Savannah Dean Reeves

Best Funk/R&B/Reggae: Brett Higgins and the Family

Best Indie/Indie Folk: Brando Vanschoyck

Best Logo Design/Graphic Designer: Jess Bowman

Best Cover Band/Variety Act: Thomas Taylor

Best Guitarist: Rob Lightner

Best Strings (Non-guitar/Bass): Tiffany Rose Shanta

Best Female Vocalist: Holly Forbes

Best Male Vocalist: Chase Bush

Best Music Video: The Goodwin Brothers — Everyday Thing

Best Jewelry Design: Tina Rush

Best Tattoo Artist: Matt Bartley

Best Traditional Appalachian: Ashton Brett Dunn

Best Textile: Susan Downs Freeman

Best Large Live Music Venue (501 seats or greater): Corbin Arena

Best Original Movie/Short Film/Documentary: Elaine Sheldon/Curran Sheldon

Best Author/Writer: Storm Young

Billie Jean Osborne Community Arts & Entertainment Award: Gayle Manchin

Star City Award: John McEuen