Stapleton, Little Big Town Proudly Represent Country Music at the 58th Grammy Awards
The 58th Grammy Awards was held on Monday, February 15, and it definitely was Music’s Biggest Night! Here’s a recap of some of the key moments:
Taylor Swift kicked off the evening with a sparkly “Out of the Woods.” She ended the night too,
winning Album of the Year for 1989 and becoming the first female in Grammy history to ever win
the award twice. (She also won for Pop Vocal Album and Best Music Video “Bad Blood”)
Carrie Underwood and Sam Hunt performed a mashup duet featuring Hunt’s “Take Your Time”
segueing into Underwood’s newest single “Heartbeat” before returning to Hunt’s double
platinum single. Underwood, sporting a bob, wore a dress that was very ballerina-esque while
Hunt wore his standard white t-shirt.
Cam, in a cheerful yellow dress, walked on stage with actor, singer and military supporter Gary
Sinise, who started off by thanking the men and women who serve our great Nation. They then
presented Chris Stapleton with the Grammy for Best Country Album for Traveller (Stapleton
also won Best Country Solo Performance).
An all-star tribute to MusiCares Person of the Year Lionel Richie was one of the highlights of
the night. Country megastar Luke Bryan crooned as he performed “Penny Lover.” Others who
performed were: John Legend - "Easy," Demi Lovato - "Hello," Meghan Trainor - "You Are” and
Tyrese -” Brick House." Richie then joined the group on stage for "All Night Long."
“Girl Crush” won big for Little Big Town with both Best Country Duo/Group Performance and
Best Country Song. The quartet gave an amazing performance of the winning song in a circle
surrounded by string instruments, giving it a very classical feel.
Sadly, the music world has lost too many of its own this past year, but they were celebrated the
only way a show like the Grammys know how:
- A Cappella group Pentatonix, who also walked away with a golden gramophone for Best
Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella, paid tribute to the late Maurice White, founding
member of Earth Wind and Fire, with the great Stevie Wonder.
- In honor of the wonderful Glenn Frey, The Eagles performed their classic “Take It Easy.” A
perfect tribute performance and another highlight of the night.
- Lady Gaga channeled the legendary David Bowie, starting off with “Space Oddity” and visual
effects that morphed her face into various disguises. Gaga performed a medley of songs from
Bowie’s career including “Changes,” “Ziggy Stardust,” “Rebel Rebel,” “Let’s Dance,” and
“Heroes.”
- Bonnie Raitt introduced Chris Stapleton and Gary Clark, Jr. for an amazing bluesy
performance of “The Thrill Is Gone” to the late B.B. King, before nonchalantly joining them on
stage, with a guitar solo and vocals that just hit you down in your soul. The performance was so
raw and pure. One of the best performances of the night.
Best New Artists nominees Tori Kelly and James Bay played a wonderful acoustic mashup of
their songs. Bay sang his “Let It Go” while Kelly complemented him on guitar and then reversed
roles as Kelly belted out her powerful “Hollow.” Definitely two artists that must be checked out if
you aren’t familiar with them.
There were two live “firsts” this year at the Grammys. The cast of the hit Broadway musical
“Hamilton” performed the first song of the play live from the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New
York City. As if the cast wasn’t pumped enough from the perfect performance, they later won
the Grammy for Musical Theatre Album.
Gwen Stefani had the first ever “live” music video for her song “Make Me Like You.” Being the
fashionista that she is, Stefani changed through various outfits, including roller skates, by the
time the song was over.
Adele made her return to the Grammy stage, and boy did she slay it! Performing “All I Ask” in a
red gown, her voice carried through the venue and you knew all eyes and ears were on her. Oh
and there was a mic issue but being the pro she is, Adele continued on until things ironed out.
Showing two very different sides of himself, Justin Bieber performed a moving solo acoustic
“Love Yourself” before joining Skrillex and Diplo for “Where Are You Now.” The song won the 21
year old his first Grammy earlier in the evening for Best Dance Recording.
Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters introduced the Hollywood Vampires, whose members included
actor Johnny Depp (who can shred a guitar!) and rock icons Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, Duff
McKagan, and Matt Sorum, who performed as a tribute to Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister..
If 2015 were to be summed up in one song – from hearing it everywhere on the radio to
musicians of all genres covering it live during their own concerts – it would have to be Mark
Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” featuring Bruno Mars. And that song is now a Grammy winner,
snagging Record of the Year.
Overall the Grammys were entertaining, with several highlight performances that will be talked
about tomorrow at the water cooler, and years to come.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!
List of Grammy Winners
Record of the Year: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk"
Album of the Year: Taylor Swift, 1989
Best New Artist: Meghan Trainor
Best Rock Performance: Alabama Shakes, "Don't Wanna Fight"
Best Musical Theater Album: Hamilton
Song of the Year: Ed Sheeran, "Thinking Out Loud"
Best Country Album: Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Best Rap Album: Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk"
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Kendrick Lamar feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat, "These
Walls"
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs
of Jerome Kern
Best Pop Solo Performance: Ed Sheeran, "Thinking Out Loud"
Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar, "Alright"
Best Alternative Music Album: Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color
Best Rock Album: Muse, Drones
Best Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar, "Alright"
Best Rock Song: Alabama Shakes, "Don't Wanna Fight"
Best R&B Album: D'Angelo and the Vanguard, Black Messiah
Best Urban Contemporary Album: The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness
Best R&B Performance: The Weeknd, "Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)"
Best R&B Song: D'Angelo and The Vanguard, "Really Love"
Best Traditional R&B Performance: Lalah Hathaway, "Little Ghetto Boy"
Best Dance/Electronic Album: Skrillex and Diplo, Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü
Best Dance Recording: Skrillex and Diplo With Justin Bieber, "Where Are Ü Now"
Best Music Video: Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, "Bad Blood"
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Little Big Town, "Girl Crush"
Best Country Song: Little Big Town, "Girl Crush"
Best Music Film: Amy Winehouse, Amy
Best Rap/Song Collaboration: Common & John Legend, "Glory"
Best Pop Vocal Album: Taylor Swift, 1989
Best Country Solo Performance: Chris Stapleton, "Traveller"
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Tobymac, This Is Not a Test
Best Roots Gospel Album: The Fairfield Four, Still Rockin' My Soul
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: Pitbull, Dale
Best Latin Pop Album: Ricky Martin, A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition)
Best Comedy Album: Louis C.K., Live at Madison Square Garden
Best Spoken Word Album: Jimmy Carter, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety
Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Birdman
Best Gospel Album: Israel & Newbreed, Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
Best Gospel Performance/Song: Kirk Franklin, "Wanna Be Happy?"
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: Francesca Battistelli, "Holy Spirit"
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: Stephen Paulus, Paulus: Prayers &
Remembrances
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Joyce DiDonato and Antonio Pappano, Joyce & Tony - Live
From Wigmore Hall
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Augustin Hadelich, "Dutilleux: Violin Concerto, L'Arbre Des
Songes"
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Eighth Blackbird, "Filament"
Best Choral Performance: Charles Bruffy, "Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil"
Best Opera Recording: Saito Kinen Orchestra; SKF Matsumoto Chorus & SKF Matsumoto
Children's Chorus, "Ravel: L'Enfant Et Les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade"
Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman
Best Regional Roots Music Album: Jon Cleary, Go Go Juice
Best Folk Album: Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn
Best Blues Album: Buddy Guy, Born to Play Guitar
Best Bluegrass Album: The Steeldrivers, The Muscle Shoals Recordings
Best Americana Album: Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
Best American Roots Song: Jason Isbell, "24 Frames"
Best American Roots Performance: Mavis Staples, "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean"
Best Tropical Latin Album: Rubén Blades With Roberto Delgado & Orchestra, Son De
Panamá
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Los Tigres Del Norte,Realidades -
Deluxe Edition
Best Children's Album: Tim Kubart, Home
Best World Album: Angélique Kidjo, Sings
Best Reggae Album: Morgan Heritage, Strictly Roots
Best Latin Jazz Album: Eliane Elias, Made in Brazil
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Maria Schneider, The Thompson Fields
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: John Scofield, Past Present
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Cécile McLorin Salvant, For One to Love
Best Surround Sound Album: James Guthrie and Joel Plante, Amused To Death
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk
(Dave Audé Remix)"
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color
Best Historical Album: Various artists; The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series
Vol. 11
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Various Artists, The Rise & Fall Of
Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32)
Best Album Notes: Joni Mitchell, Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting To Be
Danced
Best Recording Package: Sarah Dodds, Shauna Dodds & Dick Reeves; Asleep at the Wheel,
Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: Maria Schneider, "Sue (Or In A Season Of
Crime)"
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: Avi Kaplin, Kirstin Taylor, Kevin K.O.
Olusola; "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy"
Best Instrumental Composition: Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, "The Afro
Latin Jazz Suite"
MusiCares Person of the Year: Lionel Richie
