11:26 They did it. Dixie Chicks, Album of the Year. I’m so damn happy!
11:24 Don Henley is here, and gave a shout out to the Chicks, hope he says their name again!
11:23 3 out of 8 for Mary J. Isn’t that exactly what happened to Mariah last year?
11:20 Is there gonna be a cool surprise presenter for Album of the Year? Was it announced and I missed it?
11:18 While I’m on the subject, Chicks had help from Chili Peppers and John Mayer on their album. They’ve got a ton of Grammys between them tonight. Think they’re gonna party together? Will Reba be invited?
11:15 Anybody totaling up how many wins Rick Rubin has so far? Gotta be at least four. He’s the new Babyface!
11: 15 Best Rock Album: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium. Will they win Album of the Year? Did they thank Kathy Mattea for giving them a video to rip off from? (C’mon, “Dani California” and “I’m On Your Side” follow the same basic concept, just different budgets.)
11:14 Holy crap, it’s Al Gore! Chicks, Madonna, Vince, Al Gore. Were these Grammys designed with me in mind or something?
11:05 Chicks are the first country act to win both Record and Song of the Year in one year. This is the first year ever that country music claims three of the big four. Can they get all four?
11:00 Record of the Year: Dixie Chicks, “Not Ready to Make Nice.” I just can’t believe it. 14/21.
10:56 I feel like I’ve heard all the Justin Timberlake I need to for the rest of ’07.
10:40 Tonight, the role of Valerie Cherish will be played by Mary J. Blige.
10:34 Good representation of country music in the memoriam reel.
10:07 These live blogs always seem to lead to site milestones. Country Universe just hit 50,000 total views since switching to WordPress last summer. I’m amazed!
10:02 Best New Artist: Carrie Underwood. Darn right. Kevin’s Picks: 13/20. It all comes down to the Chicks for my final two.
9:52 God, Rascal Flatts just suck. I want to say something more articulate, but they just suck suck suck suck suck.
9:50 Carrie Underwood could teach Beyonce and Blige a thing or two about emoting without overdoing it.
9:41 Best Country Album: Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way….Natalie just quoted “The Simpsons”, the Chicks are 3 for 3 and Kevin’s Picks: 12/19. For those keeping track, this matches the three Grammys the Chicks got for Home.
9:25 Best Rap Album: Ludacris, Release Therapy
9:20 Gnarls Barkley are so frickin’ cool. Oh and Kevin’s Picks: 11/18.
9:15 For those who missed it, Song of the Year: “Not Ready to Make Nice”.
9:10 Song of the Year: HOLY COW!
9:07 I like the way Shakira hides behind her hair so people can’t tell she’s lip-synching.
8:57 Best Pop Vocal Album: John Mayer, Continuum. He’s racking ’em up, isn’t he? Timberlake is the first Album of the Year nod to lose in its genre category. Mayer has won pop, RHCP won rock and Gnarls Barkley won Alternative. Chicks are up for Country, but it hasn’t been announced yet.
8:56 This performance is so long, it’s going to spill over into the Oscars.
8:52 Man. John Mayer has a lot of hair.
8:47 Stevie Wonder is overjoyed, overloved, overwhelmed, overanimated, overactive, head over heels. Mayer, Rae and Legend have got him all hot and bothered.
8:39 Blige wins Best Female R&B. Smart move showing these on the broadcast this year. Mariah Carey won three R&B awards last year but none were on the telecast. Blige is getting some real screen time for her wins.
8:36 Timberlake’s doing a more straight-up performance than I would’ve expected. Dude can sing.
8:26 I forgot about Queen Latifah. Why is Justin Timberlake doing the Idol duet thing? He’s won four Grammys, for crying out loud.
8:23 Best R&B Album is Mary J. Blige, The Breakthrough.
8:21 Heh, “My Humps” band giving a substantial historical introduction to Booker T. & The MG’s. How Fergielicious.
8:19 Beyonce is nailing “Listen.” Nice to hear her do a traditional R&B performance. I would’ve expected “to the left, to the left.”
8:14 Chicks nailed it, as expected. Now will they win any more Grammys tonight?
8:09 Joan Baez is the legend introducing the Chicks. Cool.
8:05 Best Pop Vocal Collaboration: Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder, “For Once In My Life”. There’s some legends right there.
8:04 Okay, quicker than I thought it would be. Here comes the first award.
8:02 How long is the Police reunion going to drag on? I just don’t get what the fuss is all about. Sting’s been singing these songs for years anyway. What’s the big deal that he’s doing them with his old band?
7:33 I missed it, but Rick Rubin was named Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. That brings my picks total up to 10/17. The final five are Record, Song, Album, Best New Artist and Country Album.
Here’s a quick recap of the Country Winners, with the only award not presented in the genre being Best Country Album:
Best Female Country Vocal Performance: Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”
Best Male Country Vocal Performance: Vince Gill, “The Reason Why”
Best Country Performance By a Duo/Group with Vocal: Dixie Chicks, “Not Ready to Make Nice”
Best Country Song: “Jesus, Take the Wheel” – Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson
Best Country Vocal Collaboration: “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” – Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles
Best Country Instrumental Performance: “Whiskey Before Breakfast” – Bryan Sutton & Doc Watson
Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Instrumentals
Here’s the live blog of the pre-telecast:
7:05 Best Alternative Album: Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere (Kevin’s Picks: 9/16)
7:04 Best Rock Song: Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith, “Dani California”
7:03 Best Rock Instrumental Peformance: Flaming Lips, “The Wizard Turns On”
7:02 Best Metal Performance: Slayer, “Eyes on the Insane”
7:00 Best Hard Rock Peformance: Wolfmother, “Woman”
6:59 Best Rock Performance Duo/Group: Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Dani California”
6:58 Best Solo Rock Vocal Peformance: Bob Dylan, “Someday Baby”
6:58 Best Pop Vocal Performance Duo/Group: The Black-Eyed Peas, “My Humps” HA!!!! (Kevin’s Picks 9/15)
6:57 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: John Mayer, “Waiting on the World to Change” (Kevin’s Picks 8/14)
6:56 Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Christina Aiguilera, “Ain’t No Other Man” (Kevin’s Picks 7/13)
6:52 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Instrumentals (Kevin’s Picks 7/12)
6:51 Best Country Song: “Jesus, Take the Wheel” – James/Lindsey/Sampson (Kevin’s Picks 7/11)
6:50 Best Country Instrumental Peformance: Bryan Sutton & Doc Watson, “Whiskey Before Breakfast” (Kevin’s Picks 7/10)
6:50 Best Country Collaboration w/Vocals: Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” (Kevin’s Picks 7/9)
6:48 Best Country Vocal Duo/Group: Dixie Chicks, “Not Ready to Make Nice” (Kevin’s Picks: 6/8)
6:47 Best Male Country Vocal Performance: Vince Gill, “The Reason Why” (Kevin’s Picks 5/7)
6:46 Best Female Country Vocal Performance: Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (Kevin’s Picks 4/6)
6:44 Best Contemporary R&B Album: Beyonce, B-Day
6:42 Best R&B Song: Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, “Be Without You”
6:41 Best Urban/Alternative Performance: Gnarls Barkley, “Crazy”
6:40 Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: George Benson & Al Jarreau w/Jill Scott, “God Bless the Child”
6:40 Best R&B Vocal Performance Duo/Group: John Legend, Joss Stone & Van Hunt, “Family Affair”
6:39 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: John Legend, “Heaven”
6:37 Charley Pride is presenting now!
6:35 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Tony Bennett, Duets: An American Classic
6:34 Best Dance/Electronic Album: Madonna, Confessions on a Dancefloor (Kevin’s Picks: 3/5)
6:33 Best Dance Recording: Justin Timberlake & Timbaland, “SexyBack” (Kevin’s Picks: 2/4)
6:31 Best Pop Instrumental Album: Peter Frampton, Fingerprints
6:30 Best Pop Instrumental Performance: George Benson, “Mornin'”
6:29 Best Latin Jazz Album: The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project, Simpatico
6:25 Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Randy Brecker w/Michael Brecker, Some Skunk Funk
6:23 Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: Chick Corea, The Ultimate Adventure
6:21 Best Jazz Instrumental Solo: Michael Becker, “Some Skunk Funk” (Second posthumous Grammy of the night)
6:19 Best Contemporary Jazz Album: Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, The Hidden Land
6:18 Best New Age Album: Enya, Amarantine
6:16 Best Comedy Album: Lewis Black, The Carnegie Hall Performance
6:12 Best Spoken World Album: (TIE) 1: Jimmy Carter, Our Endangered Values and 2: Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee, With Ossie & Ruby
6:10 Best Spoken Word Album for Children: Bill Harley, Blah Blah Blah
6:08 Best Musical Album for Children: Dan Zanes & Friends, Catch That Train
5:57 Best Musical Show Album: Jersey Boys
5:55 Finally! Best Polka Album: Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra, Polka in Paradise
5:50 Best Contemporary World Music Album: The Klezmatics, Wonder Wheel
5:49 Best Traditional World Music Album: Soweto Gospel Choir, Blessed
5:48 Best Reggae Album: Ziggy Marley, Love is My Religion
5:47 Hawaiian winners are still talking.
5:42 Best Hawaiian Music Album:
Legends Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar — Live From Maui
5:41 Best Native American Music Album: Mary Youngblood, Dance With the Wind
5:40 Best Contemporary Folk Album: Bob Dylan, Modern Times (Kevin’s Picks: 1/3)
5:40 Best Traditional Folk Album: Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome (Kevin’s Picks: 1/2)
5:39 Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): Jorge Calandrelli, “For Once In My Life”
5:38 Best Instrumental Arrangement: Chick Corea, “Three Ghouls”
5:38 Best Instrumental Composition: John Williams, “A Prayer for Peace”
5:37 Best Song written for Film/TV: Randy Newman, “Our Town” (Kevin’s Picks: 0/1)
5:36 Best Score Soundtrack Album: John Williams, Memoirs of a Geisha
5:32 Best Compilation/Soundtrack Album: Walk the Line
5:31 Best Contemporary Blues Album: Irma Thomas, After the Rain
5:30 Best Traditional Blues Album: Ike Turner, Risin’ With the Blues (Holy Crap! Ike Turner won a Grammy!)
5:29 Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: Kirk Franklin, Hero
5:26 Best Traditional Gospel Album: Israel & New Breed, Alive in South Africa
5:24 Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Randy Travis, Glory Train (wow, beat Alan Jackson!)
5:22 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: Third Day, Wherever You Are
5:21 Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album: Jonny Lang, Turn Around
5:20 Best Gospel Song: Kirk Franklin, “Imagine Me”
5:19 Best Gospel Performance: Yolanda Adams, “Victory”
5:19 Best Rap Song: Christopher Bridges & Pharrell Williams, “Money Maker”
5:18 Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Justin Timberlake feat. T.I., “My Love”
5:17 Best Rap Performance Duo/Group: Chamillionaire feat. Krazy Bone, “Ridin””
5:16 Best Rap Solo Performance: T.I., “What You Know”
5:12 Best Tropical Latin Album: Gilberto Santa Rosa, Directo Al Corazón
Best Tejano Album: Chente Barrera y Taconazo, Sigue El Taconazo
Best Norteño Album: Los Tigres Del Norte, Historias Que Contar
Best Banda Album: Joan Sebástian, Más Allá Del Sol
5:10 Best Classical Crossover Album: Bryn Terfel, Simple Gifts
5:09 Best Classical Contemporary Composition: Osvaldo Golijov, “Golijov: Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears”
5:08 Best Classical Vocal Performance: Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Rilke Songs (First posthumous award of the night)
5:06 Only three more classical awards, so we may get some more familiar names soon.
5:05 Best Small Ensemble Performance: Los Angeles Chamber Singers’ Cappella, Sun of Justice
5:04 Best Chamber Music Performance: Emerson String Quartet, Intimate Voices
5:03 Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra): Maurizio Pollini
5:01 Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra):
Messiaen: Oiseaux Exotiques (Exotic Birds)
5:00 Best Choral Performance: Paul Hillier, Pärt: Da Pacem
4:57 Best Opera Recording: Golijov: Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears
4:56 Best Orchestral Performance: Mahler Symphony No. 7
4:55 Best Classical Album: Mahler Symphony No. 7
4:52 Producer of the Year, Classical: Elaine Martone
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Elgar: Enigma Variations
4:50 Best Short Form Music Video: OK Go, “Here it Goes Again”
Best Long Form Music Video: Bruce Springsteen, “Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born To Run”
4:49 Best Historical Album: Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry 1891-1922
4:48 Best Album Notes: Dan Morgenstern, If You Don’t Gotta Ask, You Ain’t Got It (Fats Waller)
4:47 Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium
4:46 Best Recording Package: Adam Jones, 10,000 Days (Tool)
4:45 They’re actually on stage now. Get ready for some winners to be posted when they actually announce them.
4:35 They’re going to start with the video awards, then best recording package. Look at the very bottom of the list of nominees I linked to and you’ll see who’s nominated. Forgot that Springsteen and Madonna have a shot at video longform.
4:33 Let’s go, people. Seriously. Time for some awards.
4:21 Supposedly we’re now “seconds away” instead of “moments.”
4:09 Okay, the audience has been told to sit their asses down so the show can begin. I suppose that’s a sign this might actually frickin’ start soon.
4:05 There are going to be performances, too? How is this going to work?
4:03 Okay, 97 awards are going to be given out and it’s going to start with Best Short Form Music Video. Big & Rich are nominated, Red Hot Chili Peppers are favored. Let’s see what happens.
3:59 Here’s a full list of nominees to help you keep track of all of the categories.
3:50 Looks like the ceremony will start at 4:00. I’ll keep ya posted.
3:40 Awards will start in a couple of minutes. Remember, I picked faves in 22 categories. Will my faves go 0 for 22? We’re about to find out soon!
3:30 Sounded like a cool concert. Chicks sang “Desperado”, which is what Carrie Underwood will be performing on the live show during a country-rock tribute. So many great artists have done that song, from Linda Ronstadt to Clint Black. Timeless stuff.
3:24 Actually, now Trisha Yearwood is singing “Take It To the Limit.” I’m thinking this is just highlights from the MusiCares dinner honoring Don Henley. Maybe the awards don’t start until 4?
3:22 There’s a performance going on with John Mayer and Sam Moore. Should be some awards very soon.
3:18 There’s also a Chicks mystery. They’re being introduced by a “female legend” who wrote her own introduction to their performance tonight of “Not Ready to Make Nice.” Stevie Nicks? Dolly Parton? Who knows?
3:16 It’s been reported that all five of the categories that the Chicks are nominated in will be announced on the live television broadcast. So it seems pretty likely that if Best Country Album and Best Country Performance By a Duo/Group w/Vocal will be on the TV show, we can expect the rest of the country winners announced during the pre-telecast.
3:13 Okay, I’m going to play some Super Mario World on Wii until they start announcing some things. Don’t worry, the computer’s right next to the console and I’m gonna keep blogging. Look for immediate announcement of winners as soon as I hear them.
3:10 John Waite is giving a shout-out to Rodney Crowell. Cool. Time for some awards, though.
3:00 Holy crap. They’re going to announce almost a hundred awards in the next four hours. Better go grab a Diet Coke.
2:58 Grammy Live Blog Starts Now. I’ll announce each winner as they are named in the pre-telecast. It’s gonna be a looooong rest of the day.
what channel are you folks watching
Go, Kevin, go! Keep liveblogging — just remember to stay hydrated :).
I watched only a little of the Grammy presentations – usual award show b.s. with the usual mediocre live performances. So many of the acts are really only studio tricks. Production is almost everything with much of today’s music. Although I never much liked Joan Baez, she could take a guitar and give one hell of a performance without production trickery. At least most of the country acts such as Vince Gill and the Dixie Chicks can survive without all the studio wizardry. Oh yeah, Rascal Flatts really do stink
Since politics are at least as important as artistic merit to Grammy voters, particularly over the last few years , I fully expected the Chicks to walk away with a bunch of wins. “Not Ready to Make Nice” is probably the worst song ever to win “Song of the Year ” , the weakest song on an otherwise pretty decent album.
One award that the Academy did get correct: Best Album Notes: Dan Morgenstern, If You Don’t Gotta Ask, You Ain’t Got It (Fats Waller) – Fats Waller is forever. Long after people have forgotten Algore, Jimmy Carter, Justin Timberlake , Toby Keith, The Dixie Chicks, Mary Bilge and Ludacris, people will still be listening to Fats Waller
Next year I think I’ll just read your live blog – it moved along much quicker and had all the high points. I am glad I watched for the simple reason that the Chicks walked away with 5 awards. What a happy, happy day. But why, oh why do “they” have to put rascal flatts up there to represent country music- ugh. Dreadful.
Unbelievable night, buddy, wasn’t it? You know how much that album has meant to me esp. with my father’s death (“Silent House” is too much to listen to right now, but I know I’ll go back to it soon) and it was awesome to see my favorite album of last year so richly honored. Reminded me of Lee Ann getting Single & Album at the CMA’s in 2005 (and, of course, Pam getting Female Vocalist in 1994!)
The worst Grammys ever… AWFUL! Now that the Grammys are a full-on political organization with zero credibility, the door is wide open for anyone to launch an entirely new awards format based purely on artistic considerations. A Grammy award means nothing beyond political bias. Joan Bias-ez? Al Bore? Buppph, gimme a break!