Beech Tree News Network

he 58th annual Grammy Awards were held Monday night, February 15.  The 3 and a half hour show was as heavy on performances as awards.  Some of the performances were upstaged by backstage noise and faulty on-stage activity (Adele’s “All I Ask”). The mics fell on the piano strings.  There were tributes (the Eagles and Jackson Browne tribute to the late Glen Fry).  One of the best tributes, I think, was Lady Gaga’s stellar tribute to the late David Bowie.  His son didn’t seem to care for it but I, and many others, enjoyed it. 
Winners and speeches were, as always, interesting.  Best Rap Album went to Kendrick Lamar for To Pimp a Butterfly.  That’s probably the last time you’ll read that sentence in this column.  Album of the Year went to Taylor Swift for 1989.  That’s a good album, for those who haven’t heard it.  Some people are giving Taylor flak for her veiled jab at Kanye West.  I didn’t give it much thought, actually. 
The 58th annual Grammy Awards were held Monday night, February 15.  The 3 and a half hour show was as heavy on performances as awards.  Some of the performances were upstaged by backstage noise and faulty on-stage activity (Adele’s “All I Ask”). The mics fell on the piano strings.  There were tributes (the Eagles and Jackson Browne tribute to the late Glen Fry).  One of the best tributes, I think, was Lady Gaga’s stellar tribute to the late David Bowie.  His son didn’t seem to care for it but I, and many others, enjoyed it. 
Winners and speeches were, as always, interesting.  Best Rap Album went to Kendrick Lamar for To Pimp a Butterfly.  That’s probably the last time you’ll read that sentence in this column.  Album of the Year went to Taylor Swift for 1989.  That’s a good album, for those who haven’t heard it.  Some people are giving Taylor flak for her veiled jab at Kanye West.  I didn’t give it much thought, actually. 
Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars won Record of the Year for “Uptown Funk”.  As my best friend will attest, I was hooked on this song this past Summer.  It’s a great one for a run playlist on your iPhone.  The song also won best pop duo/group performance.  Song of the Year went to Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”, written by Sheeran and Amy Wadge.  Best New Artist usually goes to an artist who disappears the next day(Esmerelda Spalding, anyone).  This year, however, they got it right: Meghan Trainor won.  I loved her acceptance speech.  It was so genuine.  I will say, however, I thought she’d been around too long to win that award. 
Best Country Album went to Chris Stapleton for Traveler.  I bought this album off iTunes the night after he cleaned up at the CMA Awards.  Spectacular album! Best Dance Recording(not exactly my area of expertise) went to “Where Are U Now” by Skrillex and Diplo with Justin Bieber.  Best Alternative Album went to Alabama Shakes for Sound and Color.  The band later won Best Rock Performance for “I Don’t Wanna Fight”.  Tom Petty had a song by that name.  Not the same song.  I just felt like it was worth noting.  Best Urban Contemporary Album went to “Beauty Behind The Madness” by The Weeknd. 
Stevie Wonder and Pentatonix paid emotional tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White, who passed away several weeks ago.  The previously mentioned Gaga tribute to the late David Bowie and the Eagles/Jackson Browne tribute to the late Glen Frey and the glossed over mention of the late Natalie Cole were also on the show. 
Best Musical Theatre Album went to Hamilton.  Best Rock Album went to Muse for their Drones album.  Best R&B Performance: The Weeknd, “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)”
Best R&B Song: D’Angelo and The Vanguard, “Really Love”
Best Traditional R&B Performance: Lalah Hathaway, “Little Ghetto Boy”
Best Dance/Electronic Album: Skrillex and Diplo, Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü
Best Dance Recording: Skrillex and Diplo With Justin Bieber, “Where Are Ü Now”
Best Music Video: Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
Best Country Song: Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
Best Music Film: Amy Winehouse, Amy
Best Rap/Song Collaboration: Common & John Legend, “Glory”
Best Pop Vocal Album: Taylor Swift, 1989
Best Country Solo Performance:Chris Stapleton, “Traveller”
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Tobymac, This Is Not a Test
Best Roots Gospel Album: The Fairfield Four, Still Rockin’ My Soul
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: Pitbull, Dale
Best Latin Pop Album: Ricky Martin, A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition)
Best Comedy Album: Louis C.K., Live at Madison Square Garden
Best Spoken Word Album: Jimmy Carter, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety
Score Soundtrack for Visual Media:Birdman
Best Gospel Album:Israel & Newbreed, Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
Best Gospel Performance/Song: Kirk Franklin, “Wanna Be Happy?”
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: Francesca Battistelli, “Holy Spirit”
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: Stephen Paulus, Paulus: Prayers & Remembrances
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Joyce DiDonato and Antonio Pappano, Joyce & Tony – Live From Wigmore Hall
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Augustin Hadelich, “Dutilleux: Violin Concerto, L’Arbre Des Songes”
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Eighth Blackbird, “Filament”
Best Choral Performance: Charles Bruffy, “Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil”
Best Opera Recording: Saito Kinen Orchestra; SKF Matsumoto Chorus & SKF Matsumoto Children’s Chorus, “Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade”
Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman
Best New Age Album: Paul Avgerinos, Grace
Best Surround Sound Album: Roger Waters, Amused to Death
Best Orchestral Performance: Boston Symphony Orchestra, “Shostakovich: Under Stalin’s Shadow – Symphony No. 10”
Best Classical Compendium: Giancarlo Guerrero, Paulus: Three Places of Enlightenment; Veil of Tears & Grand Concerto
Best Regional Roots Music Album: Jon Cleary, Go Go Juice
Best Folk Album: Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn
Best Blues Album: Buddy Guy, Born to Play Guitar
Best Bluegrass Album: The Steeldrivers, The Muscle Shoals Recordings
Best Americana Album: Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
Best American Roots Song: Jason Isbell, “24 Frames”
Best American Roots Performance: Mavis Staples, “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean”
Best Tropical Latin Album: Rubén Blades With Roberto Delgado & Orchestra, Son De Panamá
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Los Tigres Del Norte,Realidades – Deluxe Edition
Best Children’s Album: Tim Kubart, Home
Best World Album: Angélique Kidjo, Sings
Best Reggae Album: Morgan Heritage, Strictly Roots
Best Latin Jazz Album: Eliane Elias, Made in Brazil
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Maria Schneider, The Thompson Fields
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: John Scofield, Past Present
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Cécile McLorin Salvant, For One to Love
Best Surround Sound Album: James Guthrie and Joel Plante, Amused To Death
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk (Dave Audé Remix)”
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color
Best Historical Album: Various artists; The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Various Artists, The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32)
Best Album Notes: Joni Mitchell, Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting To Be Danced
Best Recording Package: Sarah Dodds, Shauna Dodds & Dick Reeves; Asleep at the Wheel, Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: Maria Schneider, “Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)”
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: Avi Kaplin, Kirstin Taylor, Kevin K.O. Olusola; “Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy”
Best Instrumental Composition: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, “The Afro Latin Jazz Suite”
MusiCares Person of the Year: Lionel Richie
There was also a good tribute to Lionel including Meghan Trainor, John Legend and Demi Lovato.  All did a great job.  The Grammy’s were pretty hit and miss, as per usual.  For the downtime, I switched to Monday Night Raw.  That was being Tivo’d anyway, so I didn’t miss a thing.  With any event, you have those who liked it and those who didn’t.  The Grammys are no different.  At least people were talking about the event days after.  That’s what you want no matter the event.