POLL: Who Should Win Best Americana Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards?
The 2017 Grammy Awards are right around the corner, and it's a strong year in the country, Americana, bluegrass and folk categories: Both longstanding favorites and some newcomers are seeing due recognition for their musical contributions in 2016. Take Best Americana Album, for example ...
True Sadness is the Avett Brothers' second album to be nominated for Best Americana Album (in 2012, the band received a nod for their seventh studio album, The Carpenter). Drawing on "countless resources from its writers and performers," True Sadness is a multidimensional offering from the Avetts, adding another layer to their music and rooting each track in a search for self-improvement and human kindness, while maintaining the folk-rock sound that fans have come to know and love.
William Bell has been releasing uncompromisingly powerful soul music since the early 1960s, and with his 16th studio album, This Is Where I Live, the artist is receiving some well-deserved acknowledgement from the Grammys. The album is a thoughtful exploration into the singer-songwriter's 50-plus years in the music industry, which, in addition to his own releases, have included having his music covered by artists such as Brian Eno, Jimi Hendrix and Carole King, as well as a recent induction into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. At the 2017 Grammy Awards, Bell's song "The Three of Me" is also nominated, for Best Traditional R&B Performance.
Kris Kristofferson's The Cedar Creek Sessions went from a three-day jam session to a double-disc offering to the first Grammys nomination for the singer-songwriter since his 1991 nod for Highwayman 2, which he recorded with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. The Cedar Creek Sessions is a stripped-down project, featuring new versions of some of Kristofferson's most well-known songs.
Lori McKenna scored four Grammy nominations in 2017, one of which is for her latest album, The Bird & the Rifle. The project includes "Humble and Kind," a track written by McKenna and made famous by Tim McGraw (which is also up for the Grammys' Best Country Song honor), but the record's other nine tracks warrant similarly high praise. The Bird & the Rifle's song "Wreck You" is also nominated for Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance.
The Time Jumpers' most well-known member is Vince Gill, but he's just one of the ridiculously talented musicians in the Western swing group's lineup -- as they prove with the 14 impeccable tracks on their album Kid Sister. Recorded as an homage to longtime Time Jumpers member (and Gill backup singer) Dawn Sears, the project infuses heart and honor for a gone-too-soon friend and bandmate into the group's honky-tonk-ready tunes. Kid Sister's title track is also nominated for Best American Roots Song at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Who should win Best Americana Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards? Vote for your pick in the poll below as often as once an hour until 11:59PM ET on Feb. 9; we’ll tabulate the results and use them for our winners predictions.
The 59th annual Grammy Awards will take place in Los Angeles on Feb. 12. The Late Late Show host James Corden will host the televised ceremony, which will begin at 8PM ET on CBS; the pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony will begin at 3:30PM ET and be available to stream online.
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