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MPG Awards: The Field...

The Music Producers Guild Announces Shortlist For 2013 Awards

Following a record number of nominations for its coveted Awards, the Music Producers Guild today announced the names of those shortlisted in each of the 2013 Music Producers Guild Awards categories. Albums by Florence & The Machine, The Maccabees, Alt-J, Ed Sheeran and Paloma Faith delivered nominations for UK producers Paul Epworth, Bruno Ellingham & Tim Goldsworthy, Charlie Andrew and Jake Gosling, while in the international categories, The Black Keys and Jack White delivered multiple nominations for their producers and engineers.

Now in its fifth year, the Music Producers Guild Awards recognises the enormous contribution made by recording professionals to the success of the UK’s music industry, and for the first time, Sound On Sound are sponsoring an award -- in this case the Breakthrough Producer award, in conjunction with Focusrite. Dave Lockwood, Publisher of Sound On Sound, said "We are delighted to be associated with the MPG Awards, which continue to go from strength to strength and do a great job of showcasing Britain's production and engineering talent."

XFM's John KennedyXFM's John Kennedy announces the nominations for the 2013 MPG Awards

The winner of the Music Producers Guild’s Producer of the Year Award also receives a BRIT Award for Best Producer, and both awards will be presented at the Music Producers Guild’s Awards ceremony, which takes place on February 7th 2013 at the Café de Paris in London.

MPG Chairman Steve Levine says: “An MPG Award is highly sought-after by recording professionals because it represents an endorsement by your peers. Whilst anyone can nominate, only full members of the MPG are allowed to vote for the shortlist and therefore the results are relevant to the creative value of our industry. Those who win an MPG Award are recognised to be at the top of their game as a recording professional.”

The shortlists for each category (in no particular order) are as follows:

•    UK Producer of the Year, sponsored by The BRITS 2013:
Damon Albarn
Paul Epworth
Jake Gosling

•    Recording Engineer of the Year:
Haydn Bendall
Guy Massey
Al O’Connell

•    Mix Engineer of the Year, sponsored by Solid State Logic:
Tom Elmhirst
Alan Moulder
Mark ‘Spike’ Stent

•    Mastering Engineer of the Year, sponsored by Radial:
Matt Colton
Mandy Parnell
Ray Staff

•    Live Production of the Year, sponsored by Shure:
Adele Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2011
Bon Iver at Air Studios
The Olympics – Opening Ceremony

•    UK Album of the Year:
Paloma Faith – Fall To Grace
Florence & The Machine – Ceremonials
Ed Sheeran - +

•    UK Single Song Release of the Year:
Paloma Faith – Picking Up the Pieces
Plan B - Ill Manors
The Maccabees – Pelican
Ed Sheeran – Lego House

•    Re-mixer of the Year, sponsored by Novation:
Mathew Herbert
UNKLE
Jamie xx

•    Breakthrough Producer of the Year, in association with Sound on Sound, sponsored Focusrite:
Charlie Andrew
Bruno Ellingham and Tim Goldsworthy
Jake Gosling

•    Breakthrough Engineer of the Year, sponsored by Genelec:
Dan Austin
Charlie Hugall
Lee Slater

•    International Producer of the Year, sponsored by British Grove Studios:
Danger Mouse (Brian Burton)
Max Martin
Jack White

•    International Recording Engineer of the Year, sponsored by KMR Audio:
Tchad Blake
Vance Powell
Dave Sardy

•    Studio of the Year, sponsored by Pro Sound News Europe:
Black Wookie Studios
RAK Studios
Snap! Studios
Sphere Studios

•    The A&R Award:
Darcus Beese (Universal Island)
Korda Marshall (Infectious Music)
Richard Russell (XL Recordings)

•    The Unsung Hero Award:
Mark Thompson (Funky Junk/Snap Studios)
Sarah Liversedge (The Movement/BDI)
Rebecca de la Porta & Paul Walmsley (Polydor/Fiction)

The recipients of the MPG Innovation Award and the MPG Inspiration Award, both of which are in the gift of the MPG, will be announced at the Awards ceremony in February.

The Music Producers Guild will also honour renowned producer, composer and musician Sir George Martin CBE at its 2013 Awards ceremony by presenting him with the Award for Outstanding Contribution to UK Music, sponsored by PPL. 
Sir George MartinLegendary record producer Sir George Martin is to receive the MPG's Outstanding Contribution to British Music Award

Best known for the integral part he played in the success of the Beatles, Sir George has a career spanning more than six decades, with 30 Number One hits and over one billion records sold.

Steve Levine, chairman of the Music Producers Guild, says: "The Outstanding Contribution Award acknowledges those who have made a significant contribution over a long period of time to the success of the UK music recording industry, so we are thrilled that Sir George Martin has agreed to accept the Music Producers Guild’s highest honour. Many record producers around the world owe George a huge debt of gratitude, not just for his inspired production techniques, but also for his efforts to ensure that all producers rightfully receive a royalty for their work.”

Sir George began his career in the music industry in 1950 when he joined EMI. After five years he became Head of Parlophone and was entirely responsible for the label’s output. During this time he worked with esteemed classical musicians of the day and turned his hand to the pioneering comedy recordings of Flanders and Swann, Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Beyond the Fringe.

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