The 62nd Grammy Awards were held Sunday, January 26. Among the nominees in the Country music categories were veterans as well as newcomers. The Big Winner overall: Billie Eilish took home Awards for Best New Artist, Best Record of the Year and Best Song of the Year (both for “Bad Guy”), Best Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album of the Year (both for When We All Fall Asleep).
Great headline in Billboard: “Tanya and Billy Ray party like its 1992 at Grammys.” Both Tanya Tucker and Billy Ray Cyrus were at the 1992 Grammys, but both won their first-ever Grammys on Sunday at the 2020 Grammys.
Another coincidence: Delbert McClinton who shared a Grammy nomination with Tanya Tucker in 1992 for their duet on “Tell Me About It,” was honored with a 2020 Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for Tall Dark & Handsome.
For King & Country won Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance for “God Only Knows,” a song co-written by Dolly Parton, one of FIVE writers on that song.
Willie Nelson won his tenth Grammy for Best Solo Country Performance for the song, “Ride Me Back Home.”
Country/folk singer-songwriter John Prine was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Bonnie Raitt paid tribute, performing Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery.”
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“I Know Country” Q&A from www.IKnowCountry.com
QUESTION: Can you name the Country artist whose album “Room to Breathe” was certified Gold by RIAA on January 29, 2004?
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If you like 90’s Country, you might want to check out the band Hot Country Knights, recently signed to UMG Nashville, and their new single “Pick Her Up” featuring Travis Tritt. The band has been opening for Dierks Bentley who produced and co-wrote “Pick Her Up.” The track is available at all digital retailers and will impact Country radio on Feb 3. Look for the music video at YouTube.
- “The sound behind ‘Pick Her Up’ is Hot Country Knights 101…it’s so hot that I have advised the radio promotion department at UMG to wear oven mitts when delivering it to Country radio,” said lead singer Doug Douglason.
- Spoiler alert: Doug Douglason is the ‘alter ego’ of Dierks Bentley himself. (Dierks is sort of Clark Kent to Doug’s Superman. Or vice versa.)
CMT has pledged that all of its music video programming blocks will consist of 50 percent female artists from now on. “Effective immediately all music video hours on CMT and CMT Music channels will have complete parity between male and female artists,” according to a network tweet. “That means 50/50. #CMTEqualPlay.” CMT’s Next Women of Country is a platform for breaking female artists. The project includes an annual tour that pairs a ‘veteran’ female artist with newcomers on the road. The 2020 tour features Tanya Tucker as headliner, with several emerging artists taking turns in the opening slot. More at http://www.cmt.com/
Brandy Clark will release her new album, Your Life is a Record, March 6 on Warner Records. In advance of the release, the first single, “Who You Thought I Was,” is out now.
The story behind the song: Clark said, “The seed of the song came from something that John Prine said a couple of years ago at the Americana Awards. He walked out onstage at the Ryman and everyone stood up and clapped for what felt like five minutes. When everyone sat down, he said with a little laugh, ‘Well, I’m John Prine, but I’d like to go back to being who you thought I was.’ Man…that hit me. The songwriter in me instantly knew it was a song and the heart in me knew it was how I had felt in my own life many times. I mean who of us hasn’t let somebody down or wanted to be the version of ourselves that someone who loved us thought we were?”
Country music legend Gene Watson was surprised on stage at the Ryman Auditorium during the Grand Ole Opry by Opry member Vince Gill with an invitation to become an official Opry member. Watson, 76, whose hits including “Fourteen Carat Mind” and “Farewell Party” have become country standards, made his Opry debut 55 years ago at age 21 on the Ryman stage.
Gill said, “Would you mind singing ‘Farewell Party’? The Opry told me if you would, you could be the next member of the Grand Ole Opry.” A nearly speechless Gene replied, “I’m not sure I have anything left after that kind of surprise!” Watson received a standing ovation.
Billboard Hot Country Songs chart Top Five for week of February 1 (Last week’s position in parentheses)
- (1) “10,000 Hours” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber (16th week at No. 1)
- (2) “The Bones” Maren Morris
- (4) “Even Tho’ I’m Leaving” Luke Combs
- (3) “One Man Band” Old Dominion
- (5) “Heartache Medication” Jon Pardi
Nightfall, the latest album from Little Big Town, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album charts.
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“I Know Country” Q&A ANSWER: “Room To Breathe” was an album recorded by Country music’s favorite redhead, Reba McEntire. It was Reba’s 23rd studio album.
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On this day in Country Music
Jan. 29, 1972 The No. 1 song on the Hot Country Songs chart was “Carolyn,” recorded by Merle Haggard. It was Haggard’s eleventh Number One.
Jan. 29, 2008 Rascal Flatts were in London, England, playing their first-ever date outside the USA.
This week’s Country Music Birthdays
Jan. 24 Ray Stevens, 1939
Keech Rainwater (Lonestar), 1963
Jan. 26 Lucinda Williams, 1953
Jan. 27 Richard Young (Kentucky Headhunters), 1955
Tracy Lawrence, 1968
Jan. 31 Tyler Hubbard (Florida Georgia Line), 1987
Feb. 1 Don Everly (Everly Brothers), 1937
Lisa Marie Presley, 1968
Jason Isbell, 1979
Preshias Harris is the author of “I Know Country” with 366 daily country music questions and answers. You can buy and instantly download your e-book copy at www.IKnowCountry.com.
Harris is also a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Visit www.collegeofsongology.com for more details. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
