Barber has had a harder lock on the local category than The Sopranos at the Emmys---this is her fourth win. It’s the first time somebody named Sarah hasn’t even touched the list in the national category and also makes Barber the first local gal to win that one. She’s had a banner season since the classy release of her debut full-length For All Time in September 2006, grabbing two ECMAs in February of this year as well. “It’s been a few years since I entered onto the scene and the fact that so many people continue to root for me tells me that people are obviously sticking by me as I put out new records, which is incredibly reassuring as an artist,” she writes from the road. “And may I just say in return that (speaking as objectively as possible) I feel that Coast readers are by far the coolest, best-looking readers on the planet. Not to mention the fact that they obviously have impeccable taste.”

1st runner-up: Jenn Grant, 2nd runner-up: Laura Peek