As the founder of the very first awards program for independent musicians anywhere in the world, I have had my share of imitators. With the annual L.A. Music Awards now in it's 19th year, I can truthfully state that there are now literally dozens of similar awards programs across the globe utilizing a similar format to the one that was created solely by me two decades ago. For the most part, I am flattered. After all, imitation is supposed to be the most sincere form of flattery. However, in the case of the two bozo's I am writing about in this latest complaint, both of them are nefarious characters to say the least. One of them, Mr. Ken Andrews, is a full on criminal and a professional con man, having received numerous court judgments against him for thousands of dollars and was once arrested on a child molestation charge against him a few short years ago. He has also had his share of complaints written against him, so my accusations are not unfounded. The other clown and his partner in crime is none other than Mr. Doug Deutsch, a once reputable publicist in the music publications industry. It is my concerted opinion that Doug Deutsch has joined forces with Ken Andrews to offer his publicity clients guaranteed accolades and awards for the funds that they pay him to handle their publicity. How do I know this? Just look at their web site and you will see that nearly all the nominees in their phony awards program are his clients and customers. Not only that, but his company is listed as a title sponsor and he as an associate producer. How sad that this once proud industry has denigrated to such a low level. Now they have stepped over the line by prefacing their awards program with OUR GOOD NAME, calling themselves the Los Angeles South Bay Music Awards. This is already starting to cause confusion to the independent music community, which is exactly what they are hoping to do. Success has it's price, now I am paying that price with the outstanding reputation we have built over the past 20 years.
So what distinguishes the real L.A. Music Awards program from this cheap imitation? Well, for one thing we have a series of on going events that last the entire year called the Los Angeles Music Awards Showcase Series. These events are done to help create a VALID nominee pool so that we can form a ballot that is put before our voters each October, a month prior to our main event. These two dirt bags do no such events, only the one event that they are trying to pass off as legit. Another are sponsors. They have none, save for Doug's publicity firm. We usually get an average of about 20 every year. We have no proprietary interest in our nominees like these two phonies because we are a community event that is supported by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and it's member businesses. They don't belong to any reputable organizations and have zero credibility in the entertainment industry. Now, by using our good name to further their bogus activities, artists and bands who have it tough enough already, are now getting burned even more. This is so very sad and I can only hope that at some point divine intervention might occur and that lightning might strike both of these two, leaving burnt to a crisp, much like what they are both doing to a once proud and noble community enterprise. Being an awards show producer is a privilege not some scheme to swindle gullible and often desperate artists looking for a little recognition for their creative works.
Finally, let me just say that when you are looking at being a part of an awards program, make sure that they have a tradition of success and are an original concept. Clearly, these two are taking our brand name that we have invested over $1 million into to build and maintain, and they are both willfully, maliciously and callously misleading the independent music community. Be vigilant people, and only give your hard earned money to reputable award programs. Clearly, Ken Andrews and Doug Deutsch are not reputable, only reprehensible.
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