The TEC Awards have announced actor, comedian, and musician Fred Armisen as host of the 35th Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity Awards (NAMM TEC Awards), being held Saturday, January 18, 2020 in Anaheim, California. Nominees for the awards, which honour individuals, companies and technical innovations used in sound recordings, films, broadcast television, and video games, were recently announced in Nashville at Summer NAMM. The TEC Awards are presented annually as part of The NAMM Show, the global crossroads of the music products, pro audio and sound, and entertainment technology industries.
The in-demand actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician is best known as an alumnus of Saturday Night Live, and as the co-creator of iconic series, Portlandia. Armisen assembled and is the bandleader and frequent drummer for the Late Night with Seth Meyers house band, The 8G Band.
Armisen was in Australia a couple of months ago with his hilarious stand up show ‘Comedy For Musicians But Everyone Is Welcome’ and told us of his first NAMM experience.
“Oh yes! I went last year and in fact I did some of the comedy for musicians there in a Ludwig booth,” he told AM editor Greg Phillips. “It is really incredible. I love seeing any new invention. I’m like, ok that’s a good idea for a bass… that’s a good idea for something that is portable. Then what I also like is when there is a bad idea! I don’t mind that either!”
Presented annually by the NAMM Foundation during The NAMM Show, The NAMM TEC Awards recognizes the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games and other media in 23 Technical and 8 Creative Achievement Categories. The Les Paul Award is given at the event in tribute to musical artists and others whose work has exemplified the creative application of audio technology. Through its Hall of Fame, The TEC Awards also honors the pioneers of audio technology and the music industry’s most accomplished producers and audio technicians. The NAMM Foundation’s TECnology Hall of Fame celebrates innovations and groundbreaking technical achievements of the past.
The Les Paul Innovation Award and NAMM TEC Hall of Fame honoree(s) will be announced at a later date. Past honorees include 2019’s Les Paul Innovation Award Peter Frampton and TEC Hall of Fame inductee, Leslie Ann Jones. Previous Les Paul Innovation Award winners include Jackson Browne, Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Don Was, Slash, Todd Rundgren, Pete Townshend, Steve Vai, and others who have received the award since it began in 1991.
For more information, visit www.tecawards.org