Youngstown Music Awards Event finalizes its lineup of bands

August 12, 2014 at 12:05a.m.

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Website: ytownmusicawards.com

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By GUY D’ASTOLFO

The lineup has been set for the inaugural Youngstown Music Awards ceremony, which will be Nov. 30 at Rodeo Music Hall in Austintown.

Left End was announced as the headliner several weeks ago. Other performers, revealed this week, will include Human Beinz, White Noise, Lazarus and JD Eicher.

Left End, one of the most- popular groups to come out of Youngstown, will receive an honorary award at the YMA ceremony. The hair metal band came out of the gate strong in the early ’70s. It had a recording contract and shared the stage with bands like ZZ Top, Foghat and the Eagles, but full-blown fame eluded it.

The ceremony will include a memorial for Dennis T. Menass, the Left End frontman who recently died. Several local singers will join the band to pay tribute to its late singer, including Jimmi Migliozzi of Huckin Fillbillies, John Yuhas of Leddfoot, Daniel Butch of Haymaker, and Leanne Binder.

Human Beinz, who had a hit in 1967 with “Nobody But Me,” rarely play reunion shows.

White Noise flirted with fame in the early ’90s when it signed a contract with ATCO records.

The YMAs are the brainchild of local musician-promoter Michael Kermec, who also plays guitar in the duo Perfect Pair. Its goal is to honor the the area’s favorite bands and musicians across a variety of genres. Fans will determine the winners in online voting at ytownmusicawards.com. Voting ends Sept. 1.

Kermec said he is lining up some local celebrities to serve as announcers at the ceremony and give out the awards. The names will be revealed at a later date.

Kermec is partnering with Creative Bridge Coalition as a charity for the YMA ceremony.

The CBC was founded by Bill Bodine, a musician from Youngstown who played with a lot of top acts in town in the ’70s.

The CBC specializes in raising money for music programs for special-needs children. A portion of proceeds from the YMAs will benefit the Rich Center and Fairhaven, both of which will have a presence at the event.

Tickets will go on sale in early September, said Kermec. Demand appears to be strong — about 700 pre-sale tickets have already been sold.