Grammy Nominations

[BradKlein]

The nominations for BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM:

-Paper Airplane - Alison Krauss and Union Station (Rounder Records)
-Reason And Rhyme: Bluegrass Songs By Robert Hunter & Jim Lauderdale - Jim Lauderdale (Sugar Hill Records)
-Rare Bird Alert - Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers (Rounder Records)
-Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe - The Del McCoury Band (McCoury Music)
-A Mother’s Prayer - Ralph Stanley (Rebel Records)
-Sleep With One Eye Open - Chris Thile & Michael Daves (Nonesuch)

I have to think that Steve Martin has the inside track, but it's a pretty great crowd to be a part of!

[Rex Hart]

Not to be a wet blanket, but I could have already figured out 4 of the nominations.
The grammy selection committee only knows the names of Allison Krauss, Jim Lauderdale, Ralph Stanley and Steve Martin. I have nothing against any of these fine folks, but really, what about Blue Highway or Junior Sisk or The Boxcars or any other great bands that are out there. They may not have the celebrity of the names listed, or starred in movies, or toured with former rock stars, but I can tell you true Bluegrass fans know who is deserving . I remember when Jethro Tull won best heavy metal band.....what a joke. Again, nothing against the nominees, I am a huge fan of Allison and I love early Stanley Brothers and Steve Martin is a great banjo player....just sayin'

[allenhopkins]

Agree with Rex. It's like the current thread on Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists." It's the people that non-bluegrass-fans have heard of. Reminds me of the '60's or so, when there was all this fantastic rock'n'roll being written and played, and "Song of the Year" would go to Herb Alpert or someone like that.

I agree that Steve Martin's the odds-on favorite. When you get bluegrass being played on Leno and Letterman and Ellen DeGeneres, even the Grammy voters are likely to have seen/heard it.