And the Grammy Goes To…
by Tyler Woods on Jan. 31, 2010, under Life
All over TV, magazines and music blogs I am reading about tonight’s Grammy awards. Quite honestly I do not know who half the people are. I admit that I could be behind the times. I thought I was with the times. I mean I love U2, Peal Jam, Snow Patrol, Cold Play, Green Day, and Damien Rice. These are all people played on modern radio stations. No, I am not into rap, hip-hop and pop. It is against my religion to listen to tween music aka roller rink pop. It just seems that the music industry is paying attention to who can show the most breast, wear the tightest clothing or the most outrageous and we have lost something really important….the music and it is got me thinking…
The year was 1970 and there I sit glued to the couch watching the old Zenith with jiffy pop on one side of me and Dr. Pepper on the other side. I scream and yell as I watch Crosby Stills and Nash get best new artist of the year. I jump for joy when Blood Sweat and Tears receives album of the year. Joni Mitchell grabs best folk artist and best vocal performance by a group is the Fifth Dimension for Aquarius and Let the Sunshine In.
There she stands in her glory—Aretha Franklin. She’s taller than life and she wraps her hands around that golden award. The Isley Brothers takes an award for R&B and Tammy Wynette and Johnny Cash get their Grammy for best country.
Once upon a time the Grammy Awards used to be about real artists doing real music. These music master minds could careless what they wore or how much breast or leg to show, or how much Botox they could inject. Do you think David Crosby could have cared? What about Joni Mitchell? She was about music not the facade. She was a songwriter and a guitar player. She did not have to show off her legs or breast to say she could sing.
Johnny Cash was pure country. He was what country was all about. He was not discovered on American idol or was boosted by how many teen agers downloaded his hits off I-tunes. He was unadulterated in his style. He did not have to impress tons of young teeny boppers. He stood tall and you either liked him or didn’t and I doubt he could have cared less either way.
Yes back then music meant something and so did the Award Shows. Today it doesn’t seem to be the case. Many of the artists are whining about not being recognized. They are screaming out that there certain genera’s of music not being included. That’s not true!There are twice as many categories as there used to be. Hip-Hop, rap, alternative, urban alternative, dance, good grief every time there is a new artist there seems to be a new category. I think we need awards these days for most the most “whinny and obnoxious artists.” I suppose Kanye West would get that award hands down.
I do not plan to watch the awards tonight. Perhaps I will read a book, or work on the computer, or even visit a few friends and talk about the good old days and music. Like the Grammy’s of 1990 when Bonnie Raitt took several awards for her Albums both in pop, rock and blues and legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan got awarded for just great musicianship. Maybe when the Grammy’s start to grow up, grown ups will watch again, until then the award goes to…
