Thursday, February 5, 2009

NolaGrammy Nominees (c/o Weekly Beat)

MICHAEL DOUCET VS. MICHAEL DOUCET

On Sunday night, the 51st annual Grammy telecast will air and for the second time, the Best Cajun or Zydeco Album award will be given. The nominees this year are all from Louisiana:

BeauSoleil ave Michael Doucet: Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Michael Doucet: From Now On
Pine Leaf Boys: Homage Au Passé
Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys: Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Cedric Watson: Cedric Watson

With the inclusion of the MunckMix CDs live from Jazz Fest, that means BeauSoleil's Michael Doucet is competing against himself. Or, for those with betting interests, he has a two out of five chance of taking home a trophy. This year's Best Contemporary Blues Album is also dominated by Louisianans - real and honorary - as Irma Thomas' Simply Grand, Dr. John's City That Care Forgot and Marcia Ball's Peace, Love & BBQ are all nominated. Of course, Lil Wayne leads all nominees, contending in eight categories, but we have connections to numerous nominated artists and recordings. Drummer Doug Belote wrote to remind us that one track on Best Country Instrumental nominee Jerry Douglas' Glide was cut in New Orleans with New Orleans musicians. Songwriter Jim McCormick similarly corrected Alex Rawls' list of Louisiana connections to the Grammy. We knew he had a track on Randy Travis' Best Country Album nominee Around the Bend, but we neglected to mention his track on nominee Trisha Yearwood's Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love. Good luck to everyone up for Grammy or a small piece of one.

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