Big John Trimble's East Coast Opry regular cast member Trish Bonwell was the big winner at the first Virginia Sound Achievement Awards. The awards were the brainchild of the Virginia Sound Radio Show hosted by Steve Gilnet and Sherry Massaro, to honor those artists who are recording Country Music in the state of Virginia.

Virginia Sound listeners voted for artists from March through September
either by email or by ground mail. There were over a thousand votes cast from throughout the state and as far away as England. The top three vote-getters were announced in eleven different categories and the top vote winner was declared the winner at a packed Ashland Theater on November 3rd.

Ms. Bonwell picked up awards in several different categories including Country Music Artist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year (for her song "Road Less Travelled"), and Entertainer of the Year.

An East Coast Opry favorite, Ms. Bonwell was excited to be listed in six different categories. "It's really an honor to be included in this kind of company," she says, "and to win even one award would have been a great thrill. I'm overwhelmed and humbled by the fans' response. This means a lot to me, especially since it was the fans who voted for all of these awards. Thank you. Thank everyone who voted for me."

The other winners were Churchyard Grass from Varina (who won both Bluegrass Artist of the Year and Gospel Artist of the Year), Joe Kelley from Richmond (for Specialty Vocalist of the Year), Michael Wayne from Virginia Beach (who took Male Vocalist of the Year), Burnt Taters from Ashland (which won Duo or Group of the Year) and Nancy Moran, formerly of Richmond (who won Song Writer of the Year).

It was a bittersweet evening for Ms. Bonwell as she was competing against many of her friends and colleagues from the East Coast Opry. "How can you compete against friends like these," she asked. "We were all pulling for each other, we were all excited and had our fingers crossed all night long."

Other East Coast Opry nominees included Heather Berry for Country Artist of the Year, Hometown Grass for Bluegrass Artist of the Year, Mark Daniel for Male Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, Southern Sweethearts (Carol & Stan Bateman) for Duo or Group of the Year, Hank Scroggins for Specialty Vocalist of Instrumentalist of the Year, and Keith Scroggins for Song of the Year ("Change Your Mind").

The East Coast Opry salutes Trish and all of the other winners and nominees. Y'all really are winners in our book, and we look forward to hearing you all sing for us real soon.

Congratulations!