Lorraine Ali Tops 1997 Music Journalism Award Winners

Posted on July 28, 1997

The winners of the third annual Music Journalism Awards were announced at a gala event Thursday night at Slim's nightclub in San Francisco.

Lorraine Ali, the New York-based freelance writer whose work is featured in Rolling Stone, Option, Request, Mademoiselle and the Los Angeles Times, was named winner of the top award, Music Journalist of the Year, for a collection of her work from 1996. She receives a special trophy and a cash award of $2,000. Last year, Ali was honored at MJA as winner of the National Magazine award for best feature story.

Cheo Hodari Coker of the Los Angeles Times was named Second Place Winner in the competition for Music Journalist of the Year.

More than 30 other awards were presented to writers, editors, photographers and broadcasters, and a complete list is available on the internet at mediamanager.com.

The event featured a surprise musical performance by Ramblin' Jack Elliott, the legendary folk singer. Performers included Skol Patrol, Smitty, and a late-night jam session which included many of the finalists. Presenters included Thomas Dolby, Penelope Houston, Merl Saunders, Sy Klopps, members of Imperial Teen and Salmon, and comedian Johnny Steele. The artist Rappin 4-Tay accepted an award on behalf of hip-hop writer Billy Jam, who won for an interview he conducted when 4-Tay was in San Quentin. Michael Goldberg, a previous winner of Journalist of the Year and Editor-In-Chief of the online music magazine Addicted to Noise, presented the award to Ali.