
North Texas artists decked out in cowboy glam for this year’s “You’re a Star, Baby” theme at the 2nd Annual Dallas Entertainment Awards, hosted at The Studio at The Factory in Deep Ellum. By the time the first winners were announced Wednesday night, the venue had already reached capacity, forcing a one-in, one-out policy—clear proof of the community’s enthusiasm and hunger for celebrating Dallas talent.
Dezman Lehman, aka Dezi 5, the fearless leader of the Dallas Entertainment Awards, was a charming and gracious master of ceremonies. His love of Dallas and Deep Ellum radiated on stage.
Awards were presented by music industry figures deeply rooted in the North Texas scene, including people from the Deep Ellum Foundation, Dallas Observer, Dallas Music Office, music venue owners, talent buyers and more.
A handful of winners got the chance to speak on stage, like best songs across all genres, artist of the year, song of the year, and best drag queen / king. Some took the opportunity to deliver powerful messages of resilience in the face of today’s turbulent political climate.
Best Drag King winner Buck Wylde inspired the crowd with a rallying speech:
“We will not live in fear. We will not kneel in the face of tyranny. To my LGBTQIA+ family and my BIPOC family— we’re going to get through this just fine. Keep your heads up, stay visible, keep creating art, and keep sharing the love.”
One of the night’s biggest winners was Rosegarden Funeral Party, taking home multiple awards, including artist of the year, music video of the year, best rock song, best rock vocalist (Leah Lane), and best drummer (Dean Adams).
Other standout multi-award winners included:
- Remy Reilly – Best Pop Vocalist, Best Americana Act
- Gracen Wynn – Best Pop Song, Best Pop Act
- Cure For Paranoia – Song of the Year, Best Hip-Hop Group Act
- Revelers Hall Band – Best Live Music Residency, Best Traditional Jazz Act
- KXT’s own Jessica Waffles – Best Concert Photographer, Best Radio Host, Best Radio Show
A particularly touching moment came when Jeffrey Liles, this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, took the stage. Known for his pivotal role in shaping Deep Ellum into the vibrant arts district it is today, Liles chose to dedicate his award to a legend who came before him:
“You guys, if you don’t mind, I want to give this award to somebody else. I’m gonna give it to the guy who gave me my start in the business. And that’s Bill of Bill’s Records. Bill’s no longer with us, obviously. He was never able to get one of these; but if anybody deserved it, it was Bill. He put out all of our records, he introduced all of our music to people. He was hugely influential in all of our lives. So I’m gonna give this to him.”
As the night came to a close, the Dallas Entertainment Awards once again proved itself to be a cornerstone of the local music and arts community—celebrating the artists, visionaries, and voices that make North Texas a powerhouse of creativity.
Find the full list of winners at the bottom of this article!























Jessica Waffles is a freelance photographer/videographer and regular contributor to KXT.
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