The Grammy Awards have come and gone again yet unlike most years, country music was well-represented during both the pre telecast (where all the country categories were presented) and during the show where Lady Antebellum, the Zac Brown Band, Taylor Swift and others performed and Harold Bradley was given a lifetime achievement award. The Zac Brown Band has gained a huge following thanks to shows like the one they did on the Grammys last night with legendary Leon Russell. Lady Antebellum’s performance of “Need You Now” was as good as we’ve come to expect from them while Taylor’s performance was exactly what we have come to expect from her, a pitchy off-key performance. Only this time she was joined by Stevie for “You Belong With Me” while Carrie Underwood made a guest spot on the tribute to Michael Jackson. Later on in the show Bon Jovi was joined by Jennifer Nettles for a snippet of their chart-topper "Who Says You Can't Go Home."
As for the awards portion of the night, Taylor Swift managed to haul in each country category she was nominated in (Best Country Album, Best Country Song –with Liz Rose – and Top Female Vocal Performance), but was shut out of three of the other four categories she was nominated for in the overall and pop categories. The only award she took home? It was the biggest award of the night with Album of the Year for her Fearless album. The Zac Brown Band took home the Best New Artist award, beating two dance pop/rock acts, an indie rock act and an artist not known outside of one or two songs. In the end, there was probably little doubt that the Zac Brown Band would take that award home.
Keith Urban took home the Best Male Vocal Performance award for “Sweet Thing” while Lady Antebellum took home the award for Best Duo or Group Vocal Performance for their stunning #1 hit “I Run To You.” Carrie Underwood originally recorded "I Told You So" because she loved the song. The choice to add the original songwriter and artist to the song later on was a shrewd one as she gained another Grammy with Randy Travis in the Best Country Music Collaboration with Vocals.
Steve Wariner, a previous two-time Grammy winner, took home the Best Country instrumental for his tribute to his mentor and friend Chet Atkins (“Producer’s Medley”) while Levon Helm took home the Best Americana Album for Dirt Farmer. Comedian/Actor/Banjo picker-extraordinaire Steve Martin took home the award for Best Bluegrass Album with his stunning The Crow: New Songs for the Five String Banjo. Jason Crabb took home the Best Southern Country or Gospel album as well.
All in all the event was a night to remember for country music (and Nashville as well as Kings of Leon won three Grammys, including Record Of The Year for “Use Somebody”) and here’s hoping that 2010 will produce an even greater year.
You can read a list of all of the winners by clicking here.
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