Grammy Categories and Nominations

Grammy Categories and Nominations
By Andy McCarthy

The Grammy Awards began with only 28 categories, but today, the Grammys honor winners in 110 awards categories, including some honoring rock n' roll genres which they introduced in 1962. Only the awards carrying the greatest popular appeal - such as Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist - are distributed during the live broadcast, among live musical performances that round out the live telecast. Other Grammy awards categories honor genre-specific performance and production, as well as video and artistic contributions.

Additional Grammys are awarded in recognition of significant activities and contributions of recording industry professionals, with such honors as:

� The Lifetime Achievement Award, added in 1962, is awarded to musical performers who have stood out as outstanding and significant artists in their creative contributions to the music industry. Among recipients are Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Billie Holiday, B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zepplin, and Michael Jackson.

� The Trustee's Award, added in 1967, is awarded to non-performers (as of 1983) who have made outstanding and significant contributions to the music industry during their careers. Among recipients since the award has been limited to non-performers are: George & Ira Gershwin, Walt Disney, Quincy Jones, Dick Clark, Sam Phillips, Norman Granz, Clive Davis, Phil Ramone, and Don Cornelius.

� The Technical Grammy Award is awarded to individuals or entities who have made outstanding technical contributions to the recording music industry.

� The Grammy Legend Award/Grammy Living Legend Award, added in 1990, is awarded to artists who have continually demonstrated significant impact and outstanding contributions and influence within the recording industry. Among recipients are Liza Minelli, Smokey Robinson, Elton John, the Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Quincy Jones.

� The Grammy Hall of Fame Award, added in 1973, honors recordings that have been around for at least twenty-five years and have stood the test of time by demonstrating significance in terms of either quality or history. Among recipients are: Fats Waller's Ain't Misbehavin', The Dixie Hummingbirds' Amazing Grace, the Andrews Sisters' Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl, Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song, Peggy Lee's Fever, Ray Charles' Georgia on My Mind, and The Rolling Stones' (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.

To be nominated to go home with the famous gramophone trophy on Grammy night, artists and their record companies must officially enter online and submit physical copies of their recordings to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which has 150 music industry experts conduct reviewing sessions to determine eligibility for various categories. The list they come up with is submitted to all members of the NARAS, who vote to determine nominations for the Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist, and a maximum of nine other fields on their ballots. The five options (or more, in the case of a tie) in each category that receive the most votes become that year's official Grammy nominees.

Next, the final ballots are distributed to NARAS members, who now vote for Record, Album, and Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and a maximum of eight more categories - preferably sticking to those genres and categories that fall within the realm of their professional expertise. Voters are to uphold the integrity of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences by refraining from accepting any gifts and by basing their votes on quality above all else, ignoring factors like sales, music charts, and personal, regional, or company loyalties. After votes have been placed, the ballots go to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, an accounting firm, which tallies the votes and keeps the winners secret until their announcement at the Grammy Awards ceremony.

Trophies and crystal awards similar to the Grammy trophy are available for direct sale online.

The author of this article is 10 year veteran in the crystal awards and recognition gifts industry.

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Oscar Nominated Movie the Visitor Takes Djembe Mainstream

Oscar Nominated Movie the Visitor Takes Djembe Mainstream
By Caitlin McGuire

The Visitor, the Oscar-nominated film released in 2008, tells the story of an elderly Economics professor from Connecticut who returns to his New York apartment to find that in his absence a pair of djembe-playing illegal immigrants have moved in.

He had been trying to learn the piano in order to reconcile his grief with the passing of his wife, a concert pianist, but due to age and lack of skill, he had gotten nowhere. However, through his friendship with Tarek, one of the Syrian squatters who have taken up residence in his apartment, and his djembe, a rhythmic West African drum, Walter (Richard Jenkins, nominated for an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role) rediscovers passion.

Walter is a lonely man, silent and average. Tarek is full of passion and excitement for life. After an initial uncomfortable situation, Walter opens his home to the couple and becomes immersed in their energy, healing the lonely wound of his wife who had long passed. In a way, Walter is reborn, through his friendships, and his new love for music. The soundtrack was inspired by Fela Kuti, a Nigerian artist, and incorporates an African beat into jazz and funk.

The juxtaposition of instruments between the piano and the djembe demonstrates the biggest draw of the drum. Walter fails time and time again at learning the piano, in an attempt to bring his wife's memory closer to him. However, he easily picks up the djembe, and in no time, is joining drum circles in Central Park with men dressed in traditional African clothing, loosening his tie, and getting involved.

Tarek's pedagogical style of teaching is the opposite of Walter's piano teacher. Rather than tell him that he's not capable, Tarek reminds Walter to tap into his emotions, because "thinking just screws it up." Walter relearns everything he thought he knew about music, like tempo, and finds that he loves to play. This personal discovery sets Walter free.

This is the most important lesson of The Visitor. The Visitor teaches us that djembe music is therapeutic, emotional, and without an accepted style. Djembe music is about passion, not about control. For seniors trying to become more musical, the djembe is the perfect instrument, because it engages your emotions, not your skill.

The Visitor also teaches viewers about the need for cultural expression.

Walter's willingness to learn about and engage in West African culture shows viewers that the djembe is a vehicle of globalization. The same effect could be carried by a cajon or a bongo, instruments that take little skill but lots of emotion to play. Drumming lets you step our of your culture, allowing you to express freely and explore new paths without the stress of being technically correct note for note.

X8 Drums is your destination for all things Djembe, Cajon, Didgeridoos, African Drums and tons of instructional material.

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Crazy Heart Earns Top Oscar Nominations

By [https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joe_Hansen/466845]Joe Hansen 

"Crazy Heart," the drama starring Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal earned top nominations at the recent announcement of nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards. The movie received three Oscar nods including no less than a Best Actor nomination for Jeff Bridges, Best Supporting Actress for Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Best Original Song for "The Weary Kind," which was co-written by T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham. 

Since its release last year, the movie has already sent the country music blog universe abuzz with its country music theme and of course, Bridges' performance as Bad Blake, a country music songwriter singing self-penned country songs. In the movie, Blake is down and out and already way past his prime but decides to turn his life around when he meets Jean, a young journalist played by Gyllenhaal. The screenplay was written and directed by Scott Cooper, based on the novel of the same name written by Thomas Cobb. 

Aside from the lead actors' stellar performance, the movie has also gained the admiration of country music fans for its authenticity and in fact, this is what drew Bridges to the project. Bridges admits he felt right at home while doing the movie. According to him, "Music's been a big part of my life for years. Did a record a while back. I really dig country music." Anybody who has seen the movie will also agree, and in fact this is the general consensus in the top country music blogs, that Bridges did play the role to a T. In fact, he enjoyed singing the country songs in the movie's soundtrack. "They were all damn good tunes, and damn fun to play. That 'Hold on You,' I just loved that. I loved that 'Fallin' and Flyin'' song, a Stephen Burton song. And Ryan Bingham wrote one called 'The Weary Kind' that sticks with me, too." 

When asked from whom he drew the inspiration to play the lead part, Bridges said, "Kris Kristofferson was one of the fellows I thought about for looking at how to play Bad Blake [his character in the film]. But my biggest role model was a fellow named Stephen Bruton, played with Kristofferson for years. He was a songwriter out of Austin, a guitar player who made these wonderful, sparse albums with Kris. He was my right-hand man, with me every step of the way, teaching me the songs. The movie is dedicated to him. We had a wonderful time, the last few months of his life, working on this together."

With his recent nomination, Bridges seem to be enjoying this unexpected bit of news. After hearing of the nomination, he said, "I'm so grateful to have the honor of a fifth Oscar nomination, but to share this with my Crazy Heart colleagues T Bone and Ryan and my amazing co-star Maggie is truly special - this film is near and dear to my heart and theirs. I want to thank the Academy for being so kind to me for the past 40 years, and I want to thank my director Scott Cooper for helping bring Bad Blake to life, and to my wonderful wife Sue for being there for me the past 33 years. Today is filled with blessings."

The country music blog community, the music fans and, and the whole community will surely be rooting for this film come Oscar night. 

The full list of nominees can be seen here: http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/82/nominees.html

Joe Hansen is a music expert, specialized in country songs reviews.

For more tips and information about country music blog [http://www.countrymusicblog.org], please visit country songs [http://www.countrymusicblog.org].

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Crazy-Heart-Earns-Top-Oscar-Nominations&id=3731043] Crazy Heart Earns Top Oscar Nominations