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The Grammies are Coming

I am a little disappointed by the apparent lack of Irish or Celtic music in the list of nominees for this year's Grammy Awards. It is heartening however to see the wealth of Bluegrass, Americana and all round good roots and folk that we at JigTime love so much. The only Irish music I can find in the list is by U2 from the Gangs of New York Soundtrack and although The Hands that Built America is a great song it doesn't really fall into any category we would look at.

I am so happy to see that Warren Zevon is getting some well deserved respect. Zevon sadly passed away earlier this year but his legacy will live in the hearts of people for a long time to come. He was a modern day folk singer and storyteller. His songs are sung by generations of people already and his legend can only grow in years to come. The awards he is nominated for are;
Song Of The Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for Keep Me In Your Heart

Also


Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and Best Rock Song for Disorder In The House with Bruce Springsteen.

All the tracks are from the latest album The Wind.

Sara McLachlan is nominated for Best Female Vocal performance for Fallen. Bob Dylan is nominated in the Best Pop Collaboration with vocals for Gonna change my way of thinking from an album of Dylan's gospel songs. The wonderful Bonnie Raitt is in there amidst those vying for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

It is nice to see some traditional sounds in among the glitz of Nashville in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance Category. June Carter Cash gets a nomination as do Patty Loveless and Dolly Parton. Lyle Lovett and Randy Travis make a welcome return to the list in the Best Male Country Vocal category.

Ricky Skaggs (C) John Cutliffe 2003One of my favorite songs A Simple Life is in for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder in the Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. For Best Country Collaboration With Vocals we have Temptation by June Carter Cash & Johnny Cash a track from Wildwood Flower and James Taylor with Alison Krauss are in with How's the World Treating You. Alison Krauss is also in the Best Country Instrumental Performance with her wonderful Union Station for Cluck Old Hen and Ricky Skaggs is back with Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson and Pick Along from their Three Pickers project.

Lyle Lovett is also nominated in the Best Country Album category for My Baby Don't Tolerate and is up against a great compilation album called Livin', Lovin', Losin' - Songs Of The Louvin Brothers.

Then we have the full list of nominations in a couple of categories close to my heart.

Del McCoury (C) John Cutliffe 2003Best Bluegrass Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)
• Live - Alison Krauss & Union Station
• It's Just The Night - The Del McCoury Band
• Live At The Charleston Music Hall - Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Christmas On The Mountain - A Bluegrass Christmas - Various Artists
• One Step Ahead - Rhonda Vincent

Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album
• Wondrous Love - Blue Highway
• The Walk - The Crabb Family
• A Cappella - Gaither Vocal Band
• Always Hear The Harmony: The Gospel Sessions - Engelbert Humperdinck, The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, The Jordanaires & The Light Crust Doughboys
• Rise And Shine - Randy Travis

Best Traditional Folk Album
• Wildwood Flower - June Carter Cash
• Any Old Time - Steve Forbert
• Bon Reve - Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
• The Three Pickers - Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson & Ricky Skaggs
• Seeds: The Songs Of Pete Seeger, Volume 3 - Pete Seeger & Friends


Best Contemporary Folk Album
Emmylou Haris (C) John Cutliffe 2003• Rules Of Travel - Rosanne Cash
• Stumble Into Grace - Emmylou Harris
• Looking For The Moon - Tom Paxton
• World Without Tears - Lucinda Williams
• The Wind - Warren Zevon





Best Native American Music Album
• Reveal His Glory - Tom Bee
• Flying Free - Black Eagle
• Brotherhood - Black Lodge Singers
• Sanctuary - R. Carlos Nakai
• Still Rezin' - Northern Cree

So lots of good traditional and roots based music to choose from and plenty of fresh stuff too from our favorite artists in all these genres. Maybe next year the Celts will rise again but for now there is enough quality music out there and happily alive and well and in the hands of the greats.

 

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