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The Grammy Awards are here again, and Joyce
Harrison, Tennessee writer and musician, gives us the view
from the other side of the Grammy ballot.
GRAMMY GUESSWORK
By Joyce Harrison
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It's
voting time. No, no. You didn't miss the presidential election.
This is much bigger. Grammy voting time. A religious moment for
those of us who are music compulsives.
The final ballot sits in front of me, as intimidating as a blank
sheet of paper to a writer. Which I am, as well as a card-carrying
member of the Grammy organization, the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences. One of those 14,000 some professionals who are
responsible for making sometimes predictable and sometimes "totally
weird" choices. You gotta wonder how many of that number actually
vote.
Any independents? No labels listed. I know Sixpence None The
Richer (pop vocal) is on an indie. No sign of Creed.
Probably some rap and rock artists are on baby labels, but even
a lot of those have connections with the big boys. If the Warner
- EMI deal goes through we'll be down to only four major labels.
Pitching acts and songs and having doors slammed will happen in
a few short blocks! Note the majority of artists who make it to
the Grammy finals are well-packaged which takes the heavy money.
If music reflects the times, and our times are inundated with slick-harmony
boy groups and teen glamour girls, wouldn't you conclude this is
a Liberace kind of era?
No more delay tactic. Get to it. We're talking 27 fields, 98 categories.
Whew! Onto the big awards…
Album of the year:
TLC, Backstreet Boys, Dixie Chicks, Santana, and Diana
Krall. With all the music I follow, why am I vague on Diana
Krall's album? Jazz? Yes. I finally caught her for the first time
on TV just this week and was, in two words, blown away. Incredible
phrasing! I'll have to get her album…That's what the Grammy's and
the Oscars and all are about, isn't it? Not just recognition, but
careers; sales, in capital letters. That's okay. For the legions
of us who keep trying, at least someone gets fifteen minutes at
the top.
The nominees are very repetitious this year. Not unusual. Last year,
Lauryn Hill walked away with Grammy tonnage. (Not my vote
though.) This year, it's Santana, deserved I figure for "
Smooth" and for longevity.
Some I-don't-get-its:
Susan Tedeschi (sorry but, who?). Then there's Sting,
Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty. Great talents but-this
past year? Ditto for Barry White. And what's Lyle Lovett doing listed
again as country? I also don't get Tori Amos and Sarah
McLachlan in the rock vocal performance. All this time, I thought
rock was, well, rock. The Pretenders and like that.
Go ahead and scream, but I bought Britney's single at the
end of '98. I like Ricky Martin. Love Lou Bega and
Mambo No. 5, Kid Rock's whole album, Metallica,
Brian McKnight, Moby, The Dixie Chicks, Blink182
(didn't make the finals either), music by Richard Strauss
and so on. What you like is what you like. Music should be visceral
before intellectual. I vote for the music I personally think is
worthy and that's not necessarily who wins.
This deciding business is definitely going to take a while. Having
been to the awards three times (I paid for my own seat way way way
up high in the back), I can tell you it's fun, albeit expensive
and long. So this no-disposable-income-AGAIN year, I'll just sit
on the edge of my seat with a good view of the TV and be surprised
or not surprised, just like you. If you're curious enough to want
to know my choices, I'll post them on WOMANROCK.com after the awards,
February 23. But for now, your guess is as good as mine.
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