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Georgia’s Grammy Nominees React
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Talk about great birthday presents.
Atlanta R&B singer-songwriter Anthony David (above) will be blowing out the candles tonight at Sutra with his fiancee on one arm and his first Grammy nomination in his pocket.
Just don’t shake that free hand if you see him out at the Midtown lounge. “I have a cold,” David sniffed when we reached him Thursday afternoon. “And I was just about to enter that feeling-sorry-for-myself mode,” he added with a laugh.
But then he started getting e-mails last night about his nod for R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals - the contenders for the music industry’s highest honor were revealed for the first time during prime time Wednesday [see gallery HERE] - and that feeling sorry business began to feel silly.
“[Longtime friend] Richard [Dunn] came by my place and we drank some vodka to celebrate,” said David, who shares the nomination for the ballad “Words” with fellow local talent India Arie —for whom he once sang background. “It was just plain ole Absolut though. They don’t take Grammy nominations at the liquor store.”
Meanwhile up in New York tonight, Atlanta jazz guitarist Earl Klugh (above, left) plans to have a great Greek or Italian meal, to mark his pop instrumental album nomination for “The Spice of Life”.
“I’ve been recording 32 years,” the one-time Grammy winner said. “And at my advanced age [laughs] it just makes me feel good to still be recognized. I put a lot of time into this record. It is the first record I’ve done with a full band in nine years. So again, this feels really good.”
Across the country in Las Vegas, Davis’s fellow first-timer Janelle Monae (above) was still processing the words “Grammy Award nominee” being said before her name.
“I’m still in the clouds, still in shock,” said the Atlanta singer up for urban/alternative performance for “Many Moons”. “I did a show here for Pepsi this morning and when they introduced me [inhales deeply and pauses] it just still hasn’t registered with me.”
She should have known something was going on last night when her record label president, entertainment mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, was ringing her phone off the hook while she was at Cirque du Soleil. “There I was, so excited, enjoying my birthday present from the guys, The Wondaland Arts Society — my birthday was Monday - and Puff [another Combs nickname] was calling all of our phones. He was so excited. Nobody was expecting this…I mean, I have an EP. I don’t have a major, big album. I don’t have a big radio single…and to still be recognized among so many talented people is just a blessing.”
And how will she celebrate that blessing when she lands backs at home tonight? “You know, I’ve learned to lower my expectations and heighten my appreciation. So we’re just going to work on getting Suites 2 and 3 out there in the first quarter of next year.”
“Oh - and please send everybody there my love for their support!”
We also caught up with Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum in Sin City, where the band had just finished their last shows for a while. They now have the rest of the month off to bask in the Grammy glow, and spend some time at home for the holidays. The band’s sole female member — and only non-Georgian — Hillary Scott had already taken off on vacation with her family.
When we told Dave that maybe we’d catch up with them again before the ceremony to see what they’d be wearing, he said: “Oh gosh, now Hilllary’s going to be thinking about that for three months.”
“I’ve been on the phone with my parents and my friends this morning just trying to make sense of it all really. I mean, what do you even say to that. I’m still in complete shock”
“A year ago our first song was coming out, so this has been an unbelieveable year for us. We started off this year with a win at the ACM awards (where they’re pictured above) and, at the time, that was unbelievable and looking back it still is. After that I was like, you know what, we weren’t that deserving of that, so hopefully in another few years we’ll get a nomination for something else. And then the CMA awards came in last month and then we won that and I was like ‘oh my gosh, you’re kidding.’ Then last night. We’re out here in Las Vegas and we actually had two shows last night. In between the shows we walked off the stage to a text message from our tour manager that just said ‘congrats on your two Grammy nominations.’ And we were like ‘oh my gosh.’ It’s just insane, because it’s an international thing for all genres of music.”
“I’ve got to say looking at the best new artist category — with Jazmine [Sullivan] and Duffy and Adele and the Jonas Brothers— I have to say I’m so, so honored to be part of the only country artist in that category. I think that was the thing that was most humbling.”
(They also face Atlantans Sugarland for best country performance by a duo or group with vocals).
“My parents were just flipping out. It was just so unexpected. I know we said that for the CMAs as well, but this was just completely unexpected. I’d read some stuff online and they were looking at people like Flo Rida and Katy Perry and OneRepublic, all these huge artists that have sold, you know, ten times as many albums as we have for consideration for that category.”
“We’re in Vegas, so last night we definitely did some celebrating. I’m just waking up, to be honest. We went out together with our band guys and our crew guys and had a few toasts.”
See a list of Grammy nominees with Georgia connections HERE - and our gallery HERE — and weigh in on the choices/possible winners.
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Grammy Nominees With Georgia Connections
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The first ever prime time unveiling of the Grammy Awards nominations began Wednesday night on CBS with Atlanta R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo announcing that Lady Antebellum - a country group with Georgia members - was on the list for best new artist.
Then after Celine Dion perfomed, she told Ne-Yo his “Year of the Gentleman” CD was up for album of the year.
After that, the Foo Fighters played, and founder Dave Grohl revealed that Lady Antebellum and local duo Sugarland would battle each other for best country performance by a duo or group with vocals.
And co-host Taylor Swift took the stage, after which she told the Los Angeles audience four out of the five nominees for best rap performance by a duo or group included Atlantans: OutKast (with Raekwon for “Royal Flush”); T.I. (with Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and Kanye West for “Swagga Like Us”); Ludacris and T.I. (“Wish You Would”); and Young Jeezy (with Kanye West for “Put On”).
Any surprises among the broadcast nominees? Think an act got slighted?
As you contemplate your responses, here’s our list of many of the nominees with Georgia ties:
Andre 3000, rapper-singer (rap performance by a duo or group, rap/sung collaboration)
India Arie, R&B singer (R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals)
Big Boi, rapper (rap performance by a duo or group)
Michael Bishop, engineer (engineered album, classical)
The Blind Boys of Alabama, gospel group (traditional gospel album)
Casting Crowns, Christian group (gospel performance)
Keyshia Cole, R&B singer (female R&B vocal performance, R&B song)
Shondrae “Mr. Bangladesh” Crawford, producer (album of the year)
Danger Mouse, of Gnarls Barkley (producer of the year)
Anthony David, R&B singer-guitarist (R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals)
Dust-To-Digital, indie record label (album notes, historical album)
Gnarls Barkley, pop group (pop performance by a duo or group with vocals, alternative music album, short form music video)
J. Holiday, R&B singer (contemporary R&B album)
Earl Klugh, jazz guitarist (pop instrumental album)
Lady Antebellum, country group (best new artist, country performance by a duo or group with vocals)
Little Big Town, country group (country collaboration with vocals)
Patty Loveless, country singer (country collaboration with vocals, country album)
Ludacris, rapper (rap performance by a duo or group)
Janelle Monae, singer (urban/alternative performance)
Nas, rapper (rap solo performance, rap album)
Jennifer Nettles, of Sugarland (country song)
Ne-Yo, R&B singer-songwriter (album of the year, male pop vocal performance, male R&B vocal performance, R&B song - twice, contemporary R&B album)
Karen Peck & New River, Christian group (southern, country, or bluegrass gospel album)
Shawty Redd, songwriter-producer (rap song)
Trey Songz, R&B singer (male R&B vocal performance)
Sugarland, country duo (country performance by a duo or group with vocals, country collaboration with vocals)
Phil Tan, engineer (record of the year for Leona Lewis’s “Bleeding Love”, album of the year, dance recording)
T.I., rapper (rap performance by a duo or group-twice, rap song, rap album)
T-Pain, rapper-singer-producer (album of the year, rap/sung collaboration - twice, rap song)
Usher, R&B singer (male R&B vocal performance)
Bobby Valentino, R&B singer (album of the year)
CeCe Winans, contemporary gospel singer (gospel performance, pop/contemporary gospel album)
Trisha Yearwood, country singer (female country vocal performance, country collaboration with vocals, country album)
Young Jeezy, rapper (rap performance by a duo or group)
You can also view our local Grammy gallery or photos from the nomination show
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See Ludacris and Soulja Boy For Free
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta rap phenoms Ludacris and Soulja Boy will be performing at a free, post SEC Football Championship concert Saturday at the Tabernacle.
For a chance to win a mobile ticket good for two people, text ATTLUDA to 66937. Those tickets will be sent to the winners by the end of the day today. And the first 1,000 fans in line Saturday with that mobile ticket will be admitted. Doors open at 8 p.m. .
“I’m excited to be helping AT&T recognize and celebrate the SEC Championship, which is such a time-honored tradition,” Ludacris said in a press release.
“I receive an amazing amount of love from the South when it comes to supporting my projects — especially in college football games where I see some of the players and fans doing my dances when they score,” added Soulja Boy in the release. “We even tried to capture some of that excitement in the video for my new single, ‘Bird Walk.’ Performing a free show at an SEC Championship game afterparty is the least I can do to give some of that support and love back.”
And not just there — Soulja Boy is scheduled to appear at the AT&T Camp Creek store (3618 Marketplace Blvd. in East Point) Friday at 4 p.m. .
AT&T will carry exclusive ringtones from their new albums (“Theater of the Mind” and the “iSouljaBoyTellem”), available for download in the AT&T MEdia Mall directly from handsets and online at www.att.com/mediamall.
Also after the concert, AT&T will also have exclusive concert footage available for viewing through Cellular Video. Text ATTLUDA to 66937 to receive an alert when the footage is available for viewing.
Planning to go to the concert and/or the signing? Heard “Theater of the Mind” yet?
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The Prodigal Pogues Return to Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Pogues are finally headed back to Atlanta. The London-formed band that first turned tin whistles and accordions into instruments of punk mayhem will start its 2009 U.S. tour here at the Tabernacle.
The March 9 date marks the band’s first Atlanta show with original frontman Shane MacGowan since 1989 (just a few years after that promo shot at the right was taken). The $38.50, general admission tickets are on sale through LiveNation, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 404-249-6400.
MacGowan and the rest of the band parted ways in 1991, but regrouped in 2001 for some gigs on the other side of the Atlantic. Then, in 2006 the Pogues played their first U.S. dates with a re-installed MacGowan since the first George Bush was in the White House. Even with more U.S. jaunts in 2006 and 2007, the band never made it back to Atlanta.
Formed in 1982, the Pogues proved the compatibility — heck, it’s practically a kinship — of raucous punk and Irish folk. It’s a marriage that seems common now, but the Pogues did it first, spawning a whole mass of followers such as Black 47, Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys. Even the Eastern European-flavored gypsy-punk of Gogol Bordello owes a huge debt to the Pogues.
The Pogues landed at No. 8 on British magazine Q’s 2002 list of 50 bands to see before you die. Here’s your chance.
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Rate New Brutha Music
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With a new episode of “Brothers To Brutha” airing at 10:30 p.m. tonight on BET, it seemed like as good a time as any to post a YouTube clip of the Atlanta-groomed act’s “She’s Gone” BELOW — previewing the show, as well as their self-titled debut CD in stores Dec. 23.
Listen and tell us what you think. Also, have you been watching the reality series?
Latest comments
Please add Atlanta’s Mr. Eric “Rickie” McKinnie as singer, drummer and business manager of the Blind Boys of Alabama to this listing. The Blind Boys are 4-time Grammy winners.... read the full comment by Renee | Comment on Grammy Nominees With Georgia Connections Read Grammy Nominees With Georgia Connections
Free concert in a bad economy, fabulous! I love it! For those who don’t like it - don’t come!... read the full comment by Jenny P | Comment on See Ludacris and Soulja Boy For Free Read See Ludacris and Soulja Boy For Free
i’dlike to know how shakir stewart died.... read the full comment by syl | Comment on "Brothers To Brutha" Makes Debut Tonight -- (With The Late Shakir Stewart) Read "Brothers To Brutha" Makes Debut Tonight -- (With The Late Shakir Stewart)
i’m soooooo excited about this show!... read the full comment by christy | Comment on The Prodigal Pogues Return to Atlanta Read The Prodigal Pogues Return to Atlanta