Some thoughts on the nominations for the 52nd GRAMMY Awards in the American Roots Field (Field 13).
Best Americana Album
- The brand new Best Americana Album category has kicked off by presenting a heavyweight battle. Between them, the nominees have won 29 GRAMMYs (Bob Dylan 9, Levon Helm 1, Willlie Nelson 7, Asleep at the Wheel 8, Wilco 1 and Lucinda Williams 3). I suspect that Dylan will win because, well, he’s Dylan and his album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart, and he’s probably the world’s greatest living pop songwriter, and so on. I have to admit to some interest as to whether he will interrupt the Neverending Tour to show up at the ceremony.
Best Bluegrass Album
- Rhonda Vincent has won 14 International Bluegrass Music Association awards, but has yet to win a GRAMMY. This could be her year.
- In case the name Michael Martin Murphy sounds vaguely familiar but you can’t quite place it, you might be remembering him as the singer who was all over pop radio in 1975 with the hit song “Wildfire” and had a string of country hits throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. He has since developed into one of the leading musicians performing cowboy music.
- Yes, it really is that Steve Martin. If he were to win, it would be his fourth GRAMMY. He has two for Best Comedy Album and one as a banjo player (with an all-star band) for Best Country Instrumental Performance. He could seriously win this category on the merit of his performance and not just because he’s Steve Martin and he performed bluegrass on Saturday Night Live.
Best Traditional Blues Album
- Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is a folk music legend, and his album produced by Joe Henry of songs by traditional blues legends, many of whom he knew and performed with, is probably the sentimental favorite in this category, at least in the folk world.
- Blues aficionados might lean towards longtime bluesman John Hammond, who has received a GRAMMY for being on a compilation album, but not for a full album of his own work.
Best Contemporary Blues Album
- Would you believe that Mavis Staples has never won a GRAMMY, not even with the Staples Singers? I couldn’t either. I think this is her year.
- Ruthie Foster is an amazingly talented singer, and it’s nice to see her get the recognition.
Best Traditional Folk Album
- Lots of intriguing albums in this category. The Utah Phillips tribute album is the sentimental favorite, as Utah Phillips was a beloved performer, storyteller and mentor to many within the folk community. His album with Ani DiFranco introduced him to a new generation of fans, and the tribute album issued by her label (Righteous Babe) contains a nice mix of heavyweight artists (Pete Seeger, Emmylou Harris, Tom Paxton) and lesser-known artists.
- Another strong competitor is the Loudon Wainwright III tribute to Charlie Poole, a pioneer of country music who has not received the recognition he has deserved.
- Maura O’Connell has long been known as a really fine interpreter of songs, and her new CD of traditional and contemporary really showcases her voice by stripping away the instrumentation. The album consists of O’Connell singing unaccompanied with a variety of guest artists, including Alison Krauss, Paul Brady and Moya Brennan.
- The GRAMMYs eliminated the Polka category, but that didn’t deter the polka legions, who have inexplicably nominated Jimmy Sturr for his 19th GRAMMY, this time for Best Traditional Folk Album.
Best Contemporary Folk Album
- Remember: contemporary folk generally translates to singer/songwriter we can’t really place anywhere else.
- Only Neko Case in this category has not already won a GRAMMY award, and she really has a good chance to win this category, despite competing with so many past winners – her album is that good.
- Elvis Costello seems to have a new persona with every album, and on this album he teams up with T-Bone Burnett to front an all-star string band.
- If Steve Earle’s Townes Van Zandt tribute album causes people to go back and find the originals, then that will be awesome.
Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album
- It’s the battle of generations in this category, with the oldsters represented by BeauSoleil Avec Michael Doucet, Buckwheat Zydeco and The Magnolia Sisters, and the youngsters represented by Pine Leaf Boys and Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole. Wilson Savoy, of Pine Leaf Boys, is the son of Ann Savoy of The Magnolia Sisters. In addition, Cedric Watson is a former member of Pine Leaf Boys.
