1st Place: Greg Gilbertson
2nd Place: QuinnElizabeth
3rd Place: Jeff White

If finger-picking a guitar was a basic survival skill, Greg Gilbertson would probably be our local alpha-male. If this were a pioneer settlement, some of us would hunt food, some of us would build shelter, some of us would make clothing, and Greg would protect us all with his mind-blowing instrumental guitar solos. His rabid fan following ranked him at first place in the poll, narrowly edging out local folk trio QuinnElizabeth, a group of sisters who create a wall of vocal harmonies backed up by unfussy percussion and solid guitar work. You gave third place to Chippewa Valley music veteran Jeff White, whose mournful guitar and raspy troubadour’s voice make for intense live shows. Sitting at a Jeff White performance, you’d think your chair was resting on some western plain somewhere, not a coffee shop’s floor in Wisconsin. – Mike Paulus

Up-and-Comer: Cranes & Crows