x-posted from TexasKAOS, where we're taking Texas back! Warning: may contain spoilers in the comments. Read with caution.
Congratulations to Texans Natalie, Emily, and Martie! The Dixie Chicks have won Best Performance by a Country Duo or Group for "Not Ready to Make Nice".
If you're watching the show, here's your open thread. Click through for my picks and predictions (yes, I'm a music nerd).
Ryan Seacrest, douchebag extraordinaire, informed the Chicks of their win as he began their on air interview. The Chicks were understandably thrilled, and I'm hoping that they get to accept some more trophies after the show starts.
In other pre-show news, Neil Young's Looking for a Leader lost out to Bob Dylan's Someday Baby for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. The Chili Peppers won for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song for Dani California. As a longtime fan of the Peppers, I'm glad to see them finally get their due. One of my favorite bands on the planet, Oklahoma's Flaming Lips, won Best Rock Instrumental Performance for The Wizard Turns On. Gnarls Barkley has won both Best Alternative Album (yea, not sure I get that one) and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Crazy. Former President Jimmy Carter won the spoken word album for Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis.
I have watched the Grammys since I was very young because I am a big music fan. I'm looking forward to a few of the performance tonight, namely Christina Aguilera (best. voice. ever.), Gnarls Barkley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Shakira & Wyclef Jean.
Anyhoo, here's the categories that'll be awarded on air tonight, along with my picks and predictions. Feel free to chime in with your own.
Record Of The Year
(Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s), if other than the artist.)
* Be Without You
Mary J. Blige
Bryan-Michael Cox & Ron Fair producers; Danny Cheung, Tal Herzberg, Dave "Hard-Drive" Pensado & Allen Sides, engineers/mixers
Track from: The Breakthrough
* You're Beautiful
James Blunt
Tom Rothrock, producer; Tom Rothrock & Mike Tarantino, engineers/mixers
Track from: Back To Bedlam
* Not Ready To Make Nice
Dixie Chicks
Rick Rubin, producer; Richard Dodd, Jim Scott & Chris Testa, engineers/mixers
Track from: Taking The Long Way
* Crazy
Gnarls Barkley
Danger Mouse, producer; Ben H. Allen, Danger Mouse & Kennie Takahashi, engineers/mixers
Track from: St. Elsewhere
* Put Your Records On
Corinne Bailey Rae
Steve Chrisanthou, producer; Steve Chrisanthou & Jeremy Wheatley, engineers/mixers
Track from: Corinne Bailey Rae
My pick: Honestly, if there is justice in the world, Gnarls Barkley wins this one. St Elsewhere was my favorite album in 2006, and Crazy was all over the place.
Grammy prediction: This will be the one place the Grammys go bold. I say the Chicks take this one, not that I'll be unhappy with that.
Album Of The Year
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s)/Mixer(s) & Mastering Engineer(s), if other than the artist.)
* Taking The Long Way
Dixie Chicks
Rick Rubin, producer; Richard Dodd, Jim Scott & Chris Testa, engineers/mixers; Richard Dodd, mastering engineer
* St. Elsewhere
Gnarls Barkley
Danger Mouse, producer; Ben H. Allen, Danger Mouse & Kennie Takahashi, engineers/mixers; Mike Lazer, mastering engineer
* Continuum
John Mayer
Steve Jordan & John Mayer, producers; John Alagia, Michael Brauer, Joe Ferla, Chad Franscoviak, Manny Marroquin & Dave O'Donnell, engineers/mixers; Greg Calbi, mastering engineer
* Stadium Arcadium
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rick Rubin, producer; Ryan Hewitt, Mark Linett & Andrew Scheps, engineers/mixers; Vlado Meller, mastering engineer
* FutureSex/LoveSounds
Justin Timberlake
Nate (Danja) Hills, Jawbreakers, Rick Rubin, Timbaland & Justin Timberlake, producers; Jimmy Douglass, Serban Ghenea, Padraic Kerin, Jason Lader, Andrew Scheps, Timbaland & Ethan Willoughby, engineers/mixers; Herb Powers, Jr., mastering engineer
My pick: Again, should be Gnarls Barkley.
Grammy pick: Rock albums tend to do well in this category, therefore the Chili Peppers take this one.
Song Of The Year
(A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.) Singles or Tracks only.)
* Be Without You
Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters (Mary J. Blige)
Track from: The Breakthrough
* Jesus, Take The Wheel
Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Some Hearts
* Not Ready To Make Nice
Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Dixie Chicks)
Track from: Taking The Long Way
* Put Your Records On
John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou & Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriters (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Track from: Corinne Bailey Rae
* You're Beautiful
James Blunt, Amanda Ghost & Sacha Skarbek, songwriters (James Blunt)
Track from: Back To Bedlam
My pick: The Chicks.
Grammy prediction: Milquetoast songs tend to do well here. Since nobody knows who Corinne Bailey Rae is, James Blunt wins this one.
Best New Artist
(For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.)
* James Blunt
* Chris Brown
* Imogen Heap
* Corinne Bailey Rae
* Carrie Underwood
My pick: Although I'm not a big contemporary country fan, you can't deny Carrie Underwood.
Grammy prediction: Carrie Underwood. Anyone else and it'll be considered a classic injustice.
Best Pop Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
* Back To Basics
Christina Aguilera
* Back To Bedlam
James Blunt
* The River In Reverse
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
* Continuum
John Mayer
* FutureSex/LoveSounds
Justin Timberlake
My pick: Christina. Best. Voice. In. Pop. Music.
Grammy prediction: The Grammys love Elvis Constello.
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
(For a collaborative performance, with vocals, by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only.)
* For Once In My Life
Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder
Track from: Duets: An American Classic
* One
Mary J. Blige & U2
Track from: The Breakthrough
* Always On Your Side
Sheryl Crow & Sting
Track from: Wildflower
* Promiscuous
Nelly Furtado & Timbaland
Track from: Loose
* Hips Don't Lie
Shakira & Wyclef Jean
Track from: Oral Fixation Vol. 2
My pick: Nelly Furtado. Her most recent album was fabulous.
Grammy prediction: I see them going the safe route and picking Sheryl Crow.
Best Rock Album
(Vocal or Instrumental. Includes Hard Rock and Metal.)
* Try!
John Mayer Trio
* Highway Companion
Tom Petty
* Broken Boy Soldiers
The Raconteurs
* Stadium Arcadium
Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Living With War
Neil Young
My pick: All but the Mayer tripe are fabulous albums. If there was justice in the world, Neil Young would win.
Grammy prediction: Seems the Peppers are finally getting their due this year.
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
(For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
* Ring The Alarm
Beyoncé
Track from: B'Day
* Be Without You
Mary J. Blige
Track from: The Breakthrough
* Don't Forget About Us
Mariah Carey
Track from: The Emancipation Of Mimi (Ultra Platinum Edition)
* Day Dreaming
Natalie Cole
Track from: Leavin'
* I Am Not My Hair
India.Arie
Track from: Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
My pick: Mariah Carey. Last year, she became relevant again.
Grammy Pick: This is a tough one. Grammy loves Natalie Cole, and may give her the suprise win here.
Best R&B Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
* The Breakthrough
Mary J. Blige
* Unpredictable
Jamie Foxx
* Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
India.Arie
* 3121
Prince
* Coming Home
Lionel Richie
My pick: Prince. Sexy never left.
Grammy Pick: Because they don't give her Record of the Year or Song of the Year, Mary J Blige gets this one.
Best Rap Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
* Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco
* Release Therapy
Ludacris
* In My Mind
Pharrell
* Game Theory
The Roots
* King
T.I.
My pick: The Roots.
Grammy Pick: T.I.
Best Country Album - Vocal or Instrumental
* Taking The Long Way
Dixie Chicks
* Like Red On A Rose
Alan Jackson
* The Road To Here
Little Big Town
* You Don't Know Me: The Songs Of Cindy Walker
Willie Nelson
* Your Man
Josh Turner
My pick: Dixie Chicks, hands down. Their record was bigger than their genre; it was a statement.
Grammy prediction: Dixie Chicks.
This Grammy page will be updated with the winners as the show proceeds. They've also already marked the pre-show winners.