The nominations for the Grammy Awards were announced last night, and Louisianans are scarce among the nominees. Lil Wayne is nominated for five awards—only Kanye West (seven), Adele (six), the Foo Fighters (six) and Bruno Mars (six) received more—but after Weezy, there are few nominees. New Orleans-born Oakland resident Ledisi was nominated in all the major R&B categories for her album Pieces of Me.
Earlier this year, the Best Cajun or Zydeco Album category was consolidated into the Best Regional Roots Music Album category, where C.J. Chenier’s Can’t Sit Down competes with Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys’ Grand Isle, Rebirth Brass Band’s Rebirth of New Orleans, Wao Akua (The Forest Of The Gods) by George Kahumoku, Jr., and Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra’s Not Just Another Polka. In the past, Kahumoku’s album would have been in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category and Sturr would have been in the Best Polka Album category—both among the categories merged. On the other hand, Rebirth was a beneficiary of the new category because there wasn’t a natural home for brass bands before. If anything, brass would have been considered in the jazz categories.
Here are the nominations with Louisiana ties (bolded). If we’ve missed someone, let us know.
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Duets II
Tony Bennett & Various Artists
[Columbia Records]
The Gift
Susan Boyle
[Syco Music/Columbia Records]
In Concert On Broadway
Harry Connick Jr.
[Columbia Records]
Music Is Better Than Words
Seth MacFarlane
[Universal Republic]
What Matters Most – Barbra Streisand Sings The Lyrics Of Alan And Marilyn Bergman
Barbra Streisand
[Columbia Records]
Best Rock Album
Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul
Jeff Beck
[ATCO]
(Note: included because Trombone Shorty makes a guest appearance)
Wasting Light
Foo Fighters
[RCA Records/ Roswell Records]
Come Around Sundown
Kings Of Leon
[RCA Records]
I’m With You
Red Hot Chili Peppers
[WB]
The Whole Love
Wilco
[dBpm Records/ Anti Records]
Best R&B Performance
“Far Away”
Marsha Ambrosius
Track from: Late Nights & Early Mornings
[J Records]
“Pieces Of Me”
Ledisi
Track from: Pieces Of Me
[Verve Forecast]
(Note: included because Ledisi was born and a child in New Orleans)
“Not My Daddy”
Kelly Price & Stokley
Track from: Kelly
[My Block/Sang Girl/Malaco]
“Is This Love”
Corinne Bailey Rae
Track from: The Love EP
[Capitol]
“You Are”
Charlie Wilson
Track from: Just Charlie
[Jive Records]
Best R&B Song
“Far Away”
Marsha Ambrosius, Sterling Simms & Justin Smith, songwriters (Marsha Ambrosius)
Track from: Late Nights & Early Mornings
[J Records; Publishers: Marshmellow Music/SPZ Music/Downtown DMP Songs, N.Q.C. Music/F.O.B. Music, YS Publishing, Stone Agate Music]
“Fool For You”
Cee Lo Green & Jack Splash, songwriters (Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona)
[Radiculture/Elektra; Publishers: Jacks Love Emporium/Radiculture Publishing/EMI Blackwood Music, Chrysalis Music/God Given Music]
“Not My Daddy”
Kelly Price, songwriter (Kelly Price & Stokley)
Track from: Kelly
[My Block/Sang Girl/Malaco; Publishers: For The Write Price/Roynet]
“Pieces Of Me”
Charles Harmon, Claude Kelly & Ledisi Young, songwriters (Ledisi)
Track from: Pieces Of Me
[Verve Forecast]
“You Are”
Dennis Bettis, Carl M. Days, Jr., Wirlie Morris, Charlie Wilson & Mahin Wilson, songwriters (Charlie Wilson)
Track from: Just Charlie
[Jive Records; Publishers: Nephew Wirlie Music, Pacific Coast Pirate Publishing, P Ty Music, Escribir Publishing, Mammas Pebbly Publishing]
Best R&B Album
F.A.M.E.
Chris Brown
[Jive Records]
Second Chance
El DeBarge
[Geffen]
Love Letter
R. Kelly
[Jive Records]
Pieces Of Me
Ledisi
[Verve Forecast]
Kelly
Kelly Price
[My Block/Sang Girl/Malaco]
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
“Party”
Beyoncé & André 3000
Track from: 4
[Columbia Records]
“I’m On One”
DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
Track from: We The Best Forever
[Cash Money/Universal Motown]
“I Need A Doctor”
Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey
[Aftermath]
“What’s My Name?”
Rihanna & Drake
Track from: Loud
[Def Jam]
“Motivation”
Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne
Track from: Here I Am
[Universal Motown]
“All Of The Lights”
Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie
Track from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
[Def Jam]
Best Rap Song
“All Of The Lights”
Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
Track from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
[Roc-A Fella; Publishers: Very Good Beats/Hip Hop Since 1978]
“Black And Yellow”
Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa)
Track from: Rolling Papers
[Rostrum/Atlantic; Publishers: PGH Sound/WB Music/EMI Music]
“I Need A Doctor”
Andre Young, Marshall Mathers III, Alexander Grant & Skylar Grey, songwriters (Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey)
[Aftermath]
“Look At Me Now”
Jean Baptiste, Chris Brown, Ryan Buendia, Trevor Smith, Dwayne Carter, Jr. & Wesley Pentz, songwriters (Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes)
Track from: F.A.M.E.
[Jive Records; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Culture Beyond Ur Experience, I Like Turtles Music/Downtown Music, Cherry315 Publishing/The Bad Bad Guys, Meloist Music, Mack Music/Young Money Publishing/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, T’Ziah’s Music]
“Otis”
Shawn Carter & Kanye West, songwriters (James Brown, Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Roy Hammond, J. Roach, Kirk Robinson & Harry Woods, songwriters) (Jay-Z & Kanye West)
Track from: Watch The Throne
[Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam; Publishers: Hip Hop Since 1978, EMI Robbins, BMG Gold/Hot Buttermilk Music/BMG Platinum/First Priority/Swing Beat Songs, Universal Music, Dynatone Publishing]
“The Show Goes On”
Dustin William Brower, Jonathon Keith Brown, Daniel Johnson, Kane & Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, songwriters (Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci & Eric Judy, songwriters) (Lupe Fiasco)
Track from: Lasers
[1st & 15th/Atlantic; Publishers: Hey Lu Chill, Heavy As Heaven/Universal/Artist Pub. Group West, Dustin William Brown Pub. Designee, Jonathan K. Brown Pub. Designee, Sony/ATV, Best Dressed Chicken In Town, Tschudi Music, Ugly Casanova]
Best Rap Album
Watch The Throne
Jay-Z & Kanye West
[Def Jam]
Tha Carter IV
Lil Wayne
[Cash Money/Young Money/Universal Republic]
Lasers
Lupe Fiasco
[1st & 15th/Atlantic]
Pink Friday
Nicki Minaj
[Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown]
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
[Def Jam]
Best Gospel Album
The Love Album
Kim Burrell
[Shanachie Entertainment]
The Journey
Andraé Crouch
[Riverphlo Entertainment]
Hello Fear
Kirk Franklin
[Verity Gospel Music Group/ Fo Yo Soul Ent.]
Something Big
Mary Mary
[Columbia Records]
Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition
Trin-I-Tee 5:7
[Music World Gospel]
Best Americana Album
Emotional Jukebox
Linda Chorney
[Dance More Less War Records]
Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down
Ry Cooder
[Perro Verde Records LLC/Nonesuch]
Hard Bargain
Emmylou Harris
[Nonesuch]
Ramble At The Ryman
Levon Helm
[Vanguard/Dirt Farmer Music]
Blessed
Lucinda Williams
[Lost Highway Records]
(Note: included for her years spent in New Orleans and Lake Charles)
Best Blues Album
Low Country Blues
Gregg Allman
[Rounder]
Roadside Attractions
Marcia Ball
[Alligator]
(Note: included for her long-time association with New Orleans)
Man In Motion
Warren Haynes
[Stax Records]
The Reflection
Keb’ Mo’
[Yolabelle International/Ryko Records]
Revelator
Tedeschi Trucks Band
[Masterworks]
Best Folk Album
Barton Hollow
The Civil Wars
[Sensibility Music LLC]
I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
Steve Earle
[New West Records]
(Note: included for his time on Treme)
Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes
[Sub Pop]
Ukulele Songs
Eddie Vedder
[Monkeywrench Inc./Universal Republic]
The Harrow & The Harvest
Gillian Welch
[Acony Records]
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Can’t Sit Down
C.J. Chenier
[World Village]
Wao Akua (The Forest Of The Gods)
George Kahumoku, Jr.
[Daniel Ho Creations]
Rebirth Of New Orleans
Rebirth Brass Band
[Basin Street Records]
Grand Isle
Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
[Mamou Playboy Records]
Not Just Another Polka
Jimmy Sturr & His Orchesta
[Starr Record]
