POLL: Who Should Win Best American Roots Performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards?
Sarah Jarosz won the Grammy Awards' Best American Roots Performance trophy in 2017, for her song "House of Mercy," against some fierce competitors. This year, the lineup is full of legends (and legends-to-be) that will make the choice a tough one.
"Killer Diller Blues," by Alabama Shakes, is a cover of a 1946 hit by Memphis Minnie; it was recorded for a PBS special, The American Epic Sessions, and captures the Shakes at their finest. But the Blind Boys of Alabama recorded "Let My Mother Live" for their album Almost Home, and for a band that's been making music for more than 70 years, the fact that they've now been in the running at the Grammys for two years in a row speaks to their legacy. All five band members are, in fact, blind, and "Let My Mother Live" was written by Lon Levanthal about the real-life fears that Blind Boy Jimmy Carter faced growing up in the Deep South during the Jim Crow era.
"Arkansas Farmboy" is a biographic glimpse into Glen Campbell's life growing up in the South; the song appears on Campbell's moving farewell album, Adios, which was released shortly before his death in August of 2017. "Steer Your Way," meanwhile, is a spoken-word poem by Leonard Cohen set to music; it appears on his album You Want It Darker, which was released only 19 days before Cohen's death in November of 2016.
Last but not least, up for Best American Roots Performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards is Alison Krauss, with a cover of Willie Nelson's "I Never Cared for You;" the song appears on Krauss' first solo album in 20 years, Windy City. The most-awarded female artist in Grammy Awards history, Krauss is also nominated in the Best Country Solo Performance category this year.
Which song deserves to be crowned Best American Roots Performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards? Vote for your pick in the poll below as often as once per hour through 11:59PM ET on Jan. 25; after the poll closes, The Boot will tally the results and reveal them as part of our readers vs. staff predictions for Music's Biggest Night.
The 60th annual Grammy Awards will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Jan. 28. The televised ceremony will begin at 7:30PM ET on CBS; the pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony will be available to stream online earlier in the evening.
The Boot will be staying up late covering the most buzzed-about country winners, fashion and moments at the 2018 Grammy Awards. Readers can watch along with us by checking back to TheBoot.com for the latest Grammys headlines, liking The Boot on Facebook and following The Boot on Twitter.
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