brandi_carlile_cover-e1522681688247Brandi Carlile was the big winner in the American Roots Music Field during the 61st annual Grammy Awards presented by the Recording Academy, February 10, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Carlile, a folk-rock and Americana singer-songwriter, whose eighth album has more pop sensibilities, was recognized for Best Americana Album (By The Way, I Forgive You), while one of its tracks (“The Joke”) was named both Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song during ceremonies prior to the evening’s live broadcast. Carlile also was among the nominees for three of the major Grammy Awards — Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Awards were presented in 84 categories.

Here’s a link to view the official video for Brandi Carlile’s “The Joke”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r6A2NexF88

The Grammy Award for Best Folk Album went to Punch Brothers for the eclectic quintet’s fifth album, All Ashore. Chris Thile, the band’s mandolinist, describes the recording on Nonesuch as “a meditation on committed relationships in the present day, particularly in light of the current unsettled political climate—certainly the most unsettled one that anyone in the band has ever experienced.” He continues, “We were hoping we could create a thing that would be convincing as a complete thought, sort of a nine-movement or a nine-song thought, even though it’s rangy in terms of what it’s talking about and in the characters doing the talking.” Formed in 2006, the other members of Punch Brothers are Chris Eldridge (guitar), Noam Pikelny (banjo), Paul Kowert (bass), and Gabe Witcher (violin).

Named as Best Bluegrass Album was The Travelin’ McCourys by The Travelin’ McCourys. Although The Travelin’ McCourys have been playing together for decades, this is their eponymous debut album as a band featuring brothers Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (bass), who were raised on bluegrass as the sons of one of the genre’s most influential players and members of the Del McCoury Band. Rounding out The Travelin’ McCourys are Jason Carter (fiddle), Alan Bartram (bass), and newest member Cody Kilby (guitar). The band will celebrate Del McCoury’s 80th birthday on Feb. 13 at the “Grand DEL Opry,” along with Diercks Bentley, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Vince Gill, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Marty Stuart, among others.

Here’s the complete list of winners in the Grammy Awards’ American Roots Music Field:

Best Americana Album: By The Way, I Forgive You, Brandi Carlile
Best American Roots Performance: “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile
Best American Roots Song: “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile
Best Folk Album: All Ashore, Punch Brothers
Best Bluegrass Album: The Travelin’ McCourys, The Travelin’ McCourys
Best Traditional Blues Album: The Blues Is Alive and Well, Buddy Guy
Best Contemporary Blues Album: Please Don’t Be Dead, Fantastic Negrito
Best Regional Roots Music Album: No ‘Ane’I, Kalani Pe’a

On the afternoon prior to the Grammy Awards, Folk Alliance International, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), and The Blues Foundation jointly hosted a celebration of the folk, bluegrass and blues nominees at Los Angeles’ No Name Bar. Among the names in attendance were Elvin Bishop Big Fun Trio, Fantastic Negrito, Dom Flemons, Mary Gauthier, Jaime Harris, MC Ed Helms from the TV show The Office, members of Punch Brothers, and Wood & Wire.

Also of note: Voices of Mississippi’s Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris was named Best Historical Album, while the 120-page hardback book by David Evans that accompanies the four disc-set was recognized for Best Album Notes. Voices features an album each of blues, gospel and storytelling, along with a DVD containing some of Ferris’ short films from the former University of North Carolina professor’s archives.