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ok, here it is, this year's Golden Kayaks ceremony!

ok folks, I thought making you wait 2 more weeks for the results was too long so we're gonna do this year's Golden Kayaks ceremony on a thread. and for what it's worth I promise I'll do the full show every year until I croak unless I end up in another situation like this one. I did want to say this, I feel close to everyone here ~ I feel highly gratified that the site has been able to evolve the way it has, I feel pretty lucky it did, we sure had our ups and downs. Hopefully the new software will be installed soon as we work out the last bugs ~ but let not the way this ceremony arrives hinder the spirit of the event. Indie music has never been better than it is right now.

but let's get to the Kayaks. Anyway this is the only indie awards show where the contestants are chosen by their peers. Hope y'all listen to the winners. Just remember, getting nominated by your peers is pretty huge in itself, if you don't win this yeae, chances are you already have a song on your machine or notebook prime for next year. I thought this year there were a few who really deserved to win but did not, but as I like to say, the main thing is that the music keeps flowin'. and it will.

Best Song in Alternative ~ the nominees are
I Got a Inability - Braniff
La La Love U, Lauren - Conversation Suicide
Might As Well Fucking Dance - The Deefons

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

La La Love U, Lauren - Conversation Suicide

Phlegm's first!

Best Song in Alternative Modern Rock ~ the nominees are . .
Buckskin Sally - Broomstick Witches
My Shadow - Jake

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Buckskin Sally - Broomstick Witches

Another first time winner! Of course all winners will soon have their trophy on the page next to their song and you also get listed on the Golden Kayak Wall Of Fame.

Best Song in Alternative Pop Rock ~ the nominees are . .
Give Me All Your Love - Jeff Allen Myers
Never let this world grind you down - Dave Upton
Turn To Flames - Lastchancelance
Why Don't You Like Me? - Ethan Wang

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

It's a tie! 2 Kayaks going out!

Give Me All Your Love - Jeff Allen Myers

Longtime IMP star gets his first!

and

Turn To Flames - Lastchancelance

Lance now has 10 Golden Kayaks, not too shabby indeed!

Best Song in Alternative Retro and Psychedelic ~ the nominees are . .
In San Francisco - Tom O'Brien
Rosemary Leaves - Tom O'Brien
When We had It Made - bp deignan
You Get Me - Tom O'Brien

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

When We had It Made - bp deignan

a guy who has dropped numerous outstanding tunes on this site gets his first, you gotta love to see that!

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Scott Stambaugh

8/15/2026 5:54:49 PM

Best Song in Ambient/Classical ~ the nominees are . .
Spider Webbing - The Dorroughbys
The March of Father Time - The Dorroughbys
Urban Symphony - Richard Scotti

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Urban Symphony - Richard Scotti

Well, that's 14 Golden Kayaks for Mr. Scotti! Will he catch Bryon someday? Doubtful but it all remains to be seen. Negative Tendencies may win a Grammy in '46. Don't you dare bet against that.

Best Song in Blues ~ the nominees are . .
Highway 61 - Shawn Adam Williams
Rattlesnake - Shawn Adam Williams
Simply Amazing - The Rhythm Kings

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

Simply Amazing - The Rhythm Kings

The tenth Kayak for the Kings!

Best Song in Classic and Progressive Rock, and Guitar Instrumental ~ the nominees are . .
Independent Music - Richard Scotti
Looking Into the Ocean - Contemplating Waves
Maybe Forever - Marty Brodell
Tales Of The Sea - Igor Lisul
The Hero - Igor Lisul

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

Looking Into the Ocean - Contemplating Waves

2nd Kayak overall for Contemplating Waves!

Best Song in Country ~ the nominees are . . .
Lazy Days - The Rhythm Kings
Midnight Rider - Neil w Young
Renaissance Girl - Richard Scotti
Treasures - Neil w Young

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

Lazy Days - The Rhythm Kings

That's 11 total for Bruce and co! 2 this year

Best Song in Easy Listening/Soft Rock ~ the nominees are . . .
Autumn Leaves - Tom O'Brien
Love in the rain - David Steven Guy
Veronica - Steve April
Without Your Shade - Lastchancelance

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

Veronica - Steve April

That's 6 total Golden Kayaks for Steve over the years, I'd add, in 6 different categories!

Best Song in Electronic and Dance ~ the nominees are . . .
Geezy Dee - Chris Hance
IMy My A I - Chris Hance
Walk With Me - Chris Hance
Will You Be My Love New Mix - Chris Hance

Gee, I wonder who is gonna win? :D

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

Walk With Me - Chris Hance

Chris' second Kayak, he won one last year also.

Best Song in Folk/Acoustic Rock/Americana ~ the nominees are . .
A Conversation with My Parents - Tom O'Brien
Goin' Higher - Richard Scotti
It's All In Your Mind - Tom O'Brien
You Call Bingo, I Call Gin - Thomas Lee

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

You Call Bingo, I Call Gin - Thomas Lee

That's Thomas' 2nd overall.

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Scott Stambaugh

8/15/2026 5:55:42 PM

Best Song in Hard and Harder Rock ~ the nominees are . .
1000 tears - Frater
And Into The Earth - Verena Serene
Evil - ChrystalyxBand

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

And Into The Earth - Verena Serene

That's Verena Serene's 4th Golden Kayak, putting together a nice rock resume.

Best Song in HipHop/Rap ~ the nominees are . . .
Family Bloodline Too - ChrystalyxBand
M.E.G.A.N. War - The Dorroughbys

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Family Bloodline Too - ChrystalyxBand

Another first time winner!

Best Song in Jazz ~ the nominees are . . .
Beauty - Tom O'Brien
Gangsta Love - Broomstick Witches
The past is not our future - Paul groover
This Might Be Your Day - Tom O'Brien

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Gangsta Love - Broomstick Witches

Cool, 2 this year for the Witches, that's a nice showing.

Best Song in Miscellaneous and Comedy ~ the nominees are . . .
Life is a passage - Jeff Heller
What Difference Will It Make - Neil w Young
Your Love is Like a Pizza - The Bob Dole Band

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

What Difference Will It Make - Neil w Young

That's 6 overall Kayaks for our site's country icon.

Best Song in Pop ~ the nominees are . . .
Always - Dave Upton
Half forgotten memories - Dave Upton
Ice Cream Pop - - Richard Scotti
Wilson Street - Dave Upton

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Ice Cream Pop - - Richard Scotti

Richard takes home his 15th and 2 this year!

Best Song in R&B/Soul ~ the nominees are . .
City Love (feat. Brian McKnight Jr) - James Artissen
Sincerely Yours - Stoneman

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

City Love (feat. Brian McKnight Jr) - James Artissen

Another first time winner, the future of indie is lookin' fine!

Best Song in Rock ~ the nominees are . .
Blindside - Big Dale
Out of the Ground - Contemplating Waves
Please To Know You - The New Music Sculptors
Real Life - Blabpipe

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Out of the Ground - Contemplating Waves

This band hasn't been around that long and they're up to 3 Golden Kayaks!

Best Song in World Music ~ the nominees are . .
Bouzouki Doobie-Doo - Larree
Elven Mist - The Dorroughbys
Not Berimbau - Chris Hance

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Elven Mist - The Dorroughbys

2nd overall for this outstanding band.

Now, moving on from the songs, to the stars..

Delores Paradise Best Band ~ the nominees are . .
Blabpipe
Contemplating Waves
Conversation Suicide
Psyche's Muse
The Dorroughbys

and the Golden Kayak goes to . . .

Contemplating Waves!

well this band got the headline. 3 this year and 4 overall, that band is hot!

Best Female Artist ~ the nominees are . . .
Chandra Moon
Donna Devine

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

Chandra Moon!

That was Chandra's 4th Kayak and her second time as Best Female Artist. I should mention one other thing. As I was typing this, I heard her new song. God, that was beautiful..

Best Male Artist ~ the nominees are . . .
Igor Lisul
Neil W. Young
Seismo
Shawn Adam Williams
Tom O'Brien

and the Golden Kayak goes to . .

Shawn Adam Williams!

That is Shawn's 4th Golden Kayak, his 2nd for Best Male Artist and he's possibly the youngest one amongst us, though I give him a run for his money. ha ha but yeah I think IMP has a phenom here!

and now, we get to the site MVPs..

Bryon Tosoff Station Manager of the Year ~ the nominees are . .
Larree
Norm (Desperado Revue)
Steve April

Before I get to the winner, our site's patron saint, Bryon Tosoff, took himself out of Kayak eligibility a few years ago. Now he says he won't be posting any more songs cause he wants to spend more time with family. I happen to not quite believe all that and I decided to give him extra incentive heh by rescinding his ineligibility wish. We're just not allowing it anymore so if Bryon happens to do a song, it will be eligible. :D

and, this year's Station Manager of the Year is..

Larree

That's his 7th Kayak and he also won this same category in the first awards show back in 2OO6!

and now we do the Honorable Mentions. All these folks came really close to winning their categories:

Might As Well Fucking Dance - The Deefons
My Shadow - Jake
Highway 61 - Shawn Adam Williams
Autumn Leaves - Tom O'Brien
Love in the rain - David Steven Guy
Geezy Dee - Chris Hance
A Conversation with My Parents - Tom O'Brien
M.E.G.A.N. War - The Dorroughbys
Your Love is Like a Pizza - The Bob Dole Band
Sincerely Yours - Stoneman
Bouzouki Doobie-Doo - Larree
Neil W. Young
Seismo
Norm

That should be the end of the show, but when I got here, something was bugging me. So I decided to do something about it. To my ears, there was one artist here who stood out as just having a tremendous yield of excellent songs in 25/26, like I don't even remember anyone dominating like this artist did in the last year. So I created a new award called the Kayak of Distinction and this person will be the first recipient. This artist is Tom O'Brien.

and that is the show. Your Kayaks will be on your pages and you'll be listed on the Wall of Fame after I get let out of this building. If you listen to the winners you will know why we're the Indie Capitol of the World. signing off

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Old Man Warner

8/15/2026 5:59:06 PM

I don't knoooow. I found this year's show somehow lacking,,

Things just ain't the way they used to be. People ain't the way they used to be..

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Seismo Electrifried

8/15/2026 9:43:25 PM

HUGE Congrats to All Winners in this year's Competition....and in each one of your own way, YOU are ALL Winners, Especially Tom and Chandra. BOTH undeniably WELL DESERVED. And Lest I Forget My Man Larree and Company; ONCE DA MAN, ALWAYS DA MAN. =D

Every Artist/Band I've heard here kicks Ass in one way or another. Keep On Crankin them out and having funn doing it. Proud to Be Here.

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