This year’s 63rd GRAMMY Award ceremony was originally scheduled for January 31. However, event and production coordinators have announced that the awards will now be postponed to March 14, citing COVID-19 and travel-related concerns.

Harvey Mason, Jr., Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy; Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music, Live Events and Alternative Programming, CBS; and Ben Winston, GRAMMY Awards Executive Producer, Fulwell 73 Productions, issued the following joint statement:

“After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear, we are rescheduling the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards to be broadcast Sunday, March 14, 2021. The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show.

We want to thank all of the talented artists, the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s nominees for their understanding, patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these unprecedented times.”

Louisiana artists nominated include Jon Batiste, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, and the New Orleans Nightcrawlers.

New Orleans Nightcrawlers saxophonist Jason Mingledorff seemed to take the announcement in stride, telling OffBeat, “While initially frustrated with having to wait two more months before we find out if  Atmosphere won the GRAMMY, the Nightcrawlers are happy that they are being safe and taking precautions. Who knows, maybe some of us now may be able to plan a trip to the awards!”