Monday, February 1, 2010 Americana Goes to the GRAMMYs
Wow, what an amazingly nowhere show. Are sequins and skin the metric for success in the new era? Does the world need another robotic dance troop born of break-dancing circa '80-something? Might the falling ratings and sales figures for music in general have anything to do with the quality of the music? And why doesn't the Grammy Association take a chance and bring the best in music of all kinds forth to the television viewing public? Instead, we are treated to a one dimensional, over the top extravaganza of costumes, extras, and overwrought performances. Not to take away from Andrea Boccelli, Jeff Beck, Zac Brown and Kings of Leon, but for the most part, I really don't care about most of what I watched last night. And why don't the Grammys even scroll the pre-telecast winners as they used to do? Then it is capped with the In Memoriam segment. One wonders if the artists that are NOT on the telecast will be able to achieve consensus enough among the American audience to have their lives noted on future Grammys.
I do care about so many categories that the Grammys award, though, and we would like to give a shout out to Levon Helm for bagging the first ever singularly branded "Best Americana Album" category for Electric Dirt. And Kudos to Steve Earle, Buckwheat Zydeco, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Bela Fleck, Steve Martin, Derek Trucks, Loudon Wainwright III and Bill Miller for keeping it real!
-Jessie
Reader Comments (2)
What a disappointment last night, oh wait, there was an Americana category? If i wasn't aware of it before hand i never would have known. I could have heard about the winners i liked before the show started and saved myself the grief of having to watch that fiasco.
like my MeeMaw before she passed on , my Grammy is showing signs of dementia
the movie makers appear to have a better recognition of "Good" music than the morbidly misguided music industry. America might ask Oscar to point out what is Real Music is.
ClearChannel and conglomerate radio has ,for more than two decades' musically malnourished our masses.
seeing this year's Most Honored perform and knowing so many better acts that didnt even garner consideration, Whoa;
it makes me think Milli Vanilli might have a chance to be reinstated .
Grammy recoginition appears now ,no more significant or prestiegous as a Nickolodian KIds-Choice honor or a spot on the 2010 NBA AllStar Team.
Oscar just might steer their ear in the Right direction .
BRINGUM TO BINGHAM.
Maybe some will
recognize REAL.
if not i hope Obama might step in and name Jessie Scott , the first national music czar
that may be the solution to the worlds woes
peace love and ragweed,
mg