Fourth Annual Pensado Awards Winners: The List

December 10th, 2017 by David Weiss

The Fourth Annual Pensado Awards brought audio’s elite together for well-deserved recognition on December 3. Together, they threw a party at Los Angeles’ Fonda Theatre that confirmed why studio pros make the world go ‘round.

A sold-out crowd of nearly 700 recording and music industry notables were on hand, rocked out by co-hosts Samantha Maloney (drummer for Hole, Mötley Crüe, Peaches), and producer/engineer/mixer Chris Lord-Alge (Pink, Foo Fighters, Avril Lavigne, Green Day), plus Kosine of production duo Da Internz (Ludacris, Nicki Minaj, John Legend).

(L-R at podium): Break Thru Songwriter honoree James Fauntleroy, with Pensado’s Place co-hosts Dave Pensado and Herb Trawick, at the fourth annual Pensado Awards. (Photo credit: Chris Schmitt Photography. © 2017)

In addition, Miles Copeland himself presented multiple GRAMMY-nominated producer, musician and mixing engineer Greg Wells (Adele, OneRepublic, Keith Urban, Katy Perry, Twenty One Pilots) with the Pensado Giant Award. That segment of the show was also graced by a special taped video tribute to Greg Wells from James Corden, Katy Perry, Hugh Jackman, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, Keith Urban, Mix Master Mike and k.d. lang, as well as a live performance by Greg on drums.

Other presenters on hand included 2018 GRAMMY nominees 1500 or Nothin’; engineer/mixer DJ Swivel (The Chainsmokers, others) and producer/engineer Noah Passovoy (Maroon 5); multi-platinum producer/composer Busbee and Hamilton soundtrack engineer Eboni Smith; Harry Shearer (of This Is Spinal Tap, The Simpsons and much more), CJ Vanston (producer, film composer, keyboardist) and Candace Stewart (Manager, EastWest Studios); mastering engineers Eric Boulanger (La La Land, Green Day, Diana Krall) and Jonathan Wyner; Lindsay Rothschild from YouTube and Matt Terrell from Facebook; and of course Pensado’s Place co-hosts Herb Trawick and Dave Pensado.

Moving moments at Pensado Awards 4 abounded, especially when David Francisco Platillero, a talented young producer-engineer and musician who suffered a severe traffic accident last year that left him unable to walk, came onstage and presented the OMG Mix Of The Year award. At last year’s Pensado Awards, Herb Trawick, Co-host/Executive Producer and Creator of Pensado’s Place, as well as Manager and Advisor to Co-host Dave Pensado, had told David and his family, in front of the entire audience, that next year the audio community’s dream was to have David be able to walk again. One year later, following intensive physical therapy, David walked out on stage by himself.

The following winners were announced at the Fourth Annual Pensado Awards. Congratulations to all the winners, as well as the audio community itself, which benefits in a big way from the event:

OMG! Mix of the Year: Jason Joshua for “Despacito”
Game Changer of the Year Award: Busbee for Keith Urban, Ripcord
Break Thru Songwriter: James Fauntleroy
Master of Mastering: Colin Leonard
Tracking Engineer: Joe Chiccarelli
Outstanding Brand (tie): NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants)
Outstanding Brand (tie): Mix With The Masters
Break Thru Mixer Award: Seth Firkins
Live/FOH: Rachel Rozzi, Florida Georgia Line
Spin Doctor DJ Award: Don Diablo
Pensado Giant Award: Greg Wells
Dave Pensado Educator Award: Reggie Andrews, Locke High School
Herb Trawick Visionary Award: Ray Williams, Xchange

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