Here are the winners of this year’s Grammy Awards, which included Vince Gill, Sarah Jarosz, Joey + Rory, Lori McKenna, Maren Morris, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Sturgill Simpson. The general categories were dominated by Adele, who swept the Big Three for the second time. Another big winner was Chance the Rapper, who took home Best New Artist and two other trophies.
The country categories spread the wealth, with Dolly Parton finally winning a Grammy for “Jolene,” and Lori McKenna repeating in Best Country Song. Meanwhile ,Maren Morris joined the ranks of Donna Fargo, Olivia Newton-John, K.T. Oslin, Jeannie C. Riley, LeAnn Rimes, Jeannie Seely, Carrie Underwood, and Gretchen Wilson – all women who won a Grammy for their first big country hit.
Country artists dominated in other genre categories this year, with Joey + Rory and Hillary Scott & The Scott Family triumphing in religious categories and Willie Nelson winning his first pop Grammy.
And for those who like to keep track of such things, three Grammy legends added to their extensive collections, and have new lifetime Grammy totals:
- Vince Gill – 21
- Willie Nelson – 8
- Dolly Parton – 8
Fun fact: Linda Davis winning two Grammys tonight as part of Hillary Scott & The Scott Family means she now has three total Grammys. Reba McEntire, who she shared her first Grammy win with for “Does He Love You,” has a career total of two. That’s the Grammys for ya!
Winners
Album of the Year: Adele, 25
Record of the Year: Adele, “Hello”
Song of the Year: “Hello,” Adele Atkins & Greg Kurstin
Best New Artist: Chance the Rapper
Best Country Solo Performance: Maren Morris, “My Church”
Best Country Album: Sturgill Simpson, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
Best Country Song: Lori McKenna, “Humble and Kind”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Pentatonix featuring Dolly Parton, “Jolene”
Best Americana Album: William Bell, This is Where I Live
Best American Roots Performance: Sarah Jarosz, “House of Mercy”
Best American Roots Song: Vince Gill, “Kid Sister”
Best Bluegrass Album: O’Connor Band with Mark O’Connor, Coming Home
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Willie Nelson, Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin
Best Folk Album: Sarah Jarosz, Undercurrent
Best Roots Gospel Album: Joey + Rory, Hymns
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Hillary Scott & The Scott Family, Love Remains
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “Thy Will,” Hillary Scott & The Scott Family; Bernie Herms, Hillary Scott & Emily Weisband, songwriters
If we’re allowed to make other notes about last night:
John Williams added to his Grammy stash by winning for Best Motion Picture Score for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS. That was his 23rd, to go along with previous wins for, among other films, JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, and E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL.
There’s an interesting article over at rollingstone.com with the great Loretta Lynn. http://www.rollingstone.com/country/features/loretta-lynn-on-grammys-trump-and-womens-march-w466323
On the Grammy award itself: “Me and Conway dropped our Grammys and broke ’em. They had to build us another one. They were built with little tubes coming out, like a record player, and we broke that little thing off goin’ through the airport. But they gave us another one.”
On attending the Grammys – “I flew all I’m gonna fly. The last time they called me and told me they had me booked all over Europe, I said, ‘I hope you all have a good time, ’cause I ain’t goin’ nowhere if I have to fly.’ It’s a scary thought right now.”
On the women’s march – “I think a march is fine. But I thought that Madonna and Ashley Judd … they got a little too far out. They should have done it with more class. For God’s sake, march if you want to, but do it with class.”
On President Trump – “I think they ought to leave him alone and let him do his job. That’s what I think. He’s up there and he’s the President. They need to help him, not hinder him. Everybody ought to pitch in and help, do everything they can to help the man.”
On today’s female country stars – Lynn is concerned that today’s young country stars, especially the female artists, don’t have the same closeness and camaraderie as she and her contemporaries, including Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette. “When I lost Tammy I just gave up on everything that her and I started. She was my closest girlfriend and I miss her so much.”
So Loretta wants more class out of Ashley Judd and Madonna? How about some class from the donald?
The 307 People, Places and Things Donald
Trump Has Insulted on Twitter: A Complete List
By JASMINE C. LEE and KEVIN QUEALY UPDATED February 7, 2017 Related Article
Since declaring his candidacy for president in June 2015, Donald Trump has used Twitter to lob insults at presidential candidates, journalists, news organizations, nations, a Neil Young song and even a lectern in the Oval Office. We know this because we’ve read, tagged and quoted them all. Below, a directory of sorts, with links to the original tweets. Insults within the last 60 days are highlighted. Related article
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
and please tell me how it was classy to mock a disabled reporter at a campaign rally?
Let’s hope this site doesn’t get political. Yes, Trump needs to have more class as does A. Judd and Madonna. All 3 are classless. Why do we have to take sides. Can’t we just call it as is?
Anyway, regarding the Grammy’s. Even though this was not the best version of Jolene. It was nice to have Dolly win for this classic song.
Tom P – The point is that Lynn is saying we need to get behind Trump and doesn’t even mention his classless acts, but then calls Ashley and Madonna classless. Why is it not ok to point out her hypocrisy?
Jason, I am actually ok with that. They all have the right to their opinions. I voted for Clinton, but I also think we at least need to give Trump a chance. I just think everyone picks a side and feels they have to stick to that side, and neither side is correct all the time. Personally, I think both the democrats and republicans are behaving badly.
At least Loretta is (so far) standing behind her words.
I’ve grown so tired of all these celebrities who say or twitter something and then get pounced by either conservatives or liberals (or both) until they either apologize for offending anyone or throw out the ‘I was misquoted/misunderstood’ card and scurry off with their tail between their legs.
At this point, both sides have more nuts than a large can of Planters. I personally am liking most of the things Trump is doing and agree with Loretta. But I also remember how upset I was at a lot of the things the Clintons were doing back in the early 90s, so I can relate to why some heads are exploding right now. LOL
I think Madonna, Loretta Lynn, and Ashley Judd are all awesome.
In that order.
I’m all for women speaking their minds, even when I disagree with them, and criticizing the way they speak is just a roundabout way of silencing them. I’m not down with that.
I promise this is my last comment on this. I think all of them have the right to say what and how they want to say it.
That being said, I will ALWAYS respect ANY individual more when its done in a polite way. It doesn’t matter who the person is, man or woman. I still think its more cool to be NICE. For that, it disappoints me when I hear people like Trump, Ashley Judd, Madonna, etc, be so vulgar in their speaking. But again. I support their right to do so.
I agree with everything you said, Tom.
Kevin, I love Madonna’s music as well. I’m curious to find out what your favorites are. My favorite songs are probably earlier hits like Crazy For You, Into The Groove, or Express Yourself. However, when it comes to albums, I’m finding myself listening to Ray Of Light from 1998 a lot. I love all her electronica music with William Orbit. What about you?
Strange little journey for this comment thread. I won’t comment on Lynn’s remarks except to say that I find them disappointing.
caj, Madonna is one of my favorite artists too. Favorite songs include Like a Prayer, Vogue, Nothing Fails, Love Profusion, Drowned World/Substitute for Love, Revolver, Hung Up, Live to Tell, Oh Father and Bad Girl. I think her best albums are Confessions on a Dance Floor and True Blue. Her most recent release wasn’t too bad.
This has gotten way off topic from the actual post! Posting the comments that Loretta lynn said regarding the Grammys was relevant, but her political commentary was not relevant to this post.
@Jason,
Putting aside the inherent ridiculousness of criticizing vulgar language being used to express feelings about Donald Trump, who is not only vulgar in his words but traffics in actual hate speech, I find it interesting that for a parallel to prove your point, you reach for a child speaking to an adult. This is a citizen criticizing the leader of their government for doing things in their name that they find deplorable. We are not Donald Trump’s children. He works for us. Quite frankly, there are male celebrities who use far more colorful language attacking him, yet they don’t get the “choose your words more carefully” lecture.
@caj, Regarding Madonna’s output, my favorite record ever is “Hung Up,” and the albums I like the most are Like a Prayer, Music, MDNA, and Rebel Heart.
KJC – The point you made re: females was a more general one and not just about this situation, no? My response to you should thus be taken the same way.
Michael A and Kevin – what can you say about an artist like Madonna who has so many great albums and hits that three people can have completely different sets of favorites from her. Thanks for sharing yours. I love country music but I also love other kinds of music as well. Prince and Madonna probably have the best catalogs and would take three or four (maybe more) cds to include all their best songs on any complete collection.
And Kevin, I will probably have Hung Up playing in my head all day now. LOL
And steering it back to politics and country music…
Billboard just posted an article about politics and country music and being Dixie Chicked:
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7685038/country-music-politics
I’m just happy that William Bell won a Grammy. Great story, terrific album. It was the proper choice.
At the risk of wading too far off topic from what was supposed to be about the Grammys:
Respect for the office of the president of the United States is one thing, and I think the vast majority of us have respect for that office, regardless of party, of politics, of ethnicity, or of anything else. But respect for the individual who occupies that office is something else, and it is not at all automatic. It is incumbent on that person having the utmost respect for that office going in before they can earn our respect.
Donald Trump fails that test in every reasonable and logical way possible by being a bully, a misogynist, a racist, someone who surrounds himself with people who anti-Semitic and/or White nationalists, and who attacks anyone who isn’t exactly like him or says anything that’s even slightly critical of him and his behavior.
Now, maybe that kind of behavior is acceptable to some people. I won’t even begin to speculate as to whether Loretta Lynn thinks that’s acceptable, or a reason to support Donald Trump. But having been a victim of, and a witness to, the kinds of activities I’ve seen in others and that I see Donald Trump engaging in, I emphatically do not think it is acceptable at all in anyone, let alone a sitting President of the United States. And it is not the thing that will “Make America Great Again”, it’s the thing that makes American ugly all over again.
Eric – I/m sure Linda Ronstadt agrees with you. I sure do. You should google
“Why am I still angry that Trump is our president
By Mark E Andersen”