Even without a full-scale red carpet, the Grammys went on, celebrating a year of music like no other.
The Sunday afternoon Premiere Ceremony for the 63rd annual awards was virtual, with pre-recorded studio performances and nominees waiting live on videoconference connections to hear who won in their category. That brought with it all the familiar trappings of Zoom calls — bad lighting, poor connections that made voices sound like robots, unintentional muting, and awkward delays — but also glimpses inside the winners’ homes and studios and charming scenes of celebrating with family.
The main, prime-time event, hosted by Daily Show’s Trevor Noah, had a limited audience, widely spaced and wearing masks to coordinate with their red carpet-worthy #lewks. Taylor Swift and Black Pumas were among the live performances, and the late John Prine, Little Richard, and Kenny Rogers were included among tributes to musicians — more than 1,000 of them — who’d passed away in the past year. The Station Inn in Nashville was one of the venues featured in segments reading out nominees and revealing winners from all over the country.
A list of winners of interest to roots music fans is below. Albums and songs eligible for this edition of the Grammys had a release date between Sept. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020. You can view the full list at Grammy.com.
Best American Roots Performance
Black Pumas – “Colors”
Bonny Light Horseman – “Deep in Love”
Brittany Howard – “Short and Sweet”
Norah Jones and Mavis Staples – “I’ll Be Gone”
John Prine – “I Remember Everything”
Best American Roots Song
The Secret Sisters (Laura Rogers and Lydia Rogers, songwriters) – “Cabin”
Sierra Hull (Sierra Hull and Kai Welch) – “Ceiling to the Floor”
Sarah Jarosz – Hometown
John Prine (Pat McLaughlin and John Prine) – “I Remember Everything”
Lucinda Williams (Tom Overby and Lucinda Williams) – “Man Without a Soul”
Best Americana Album
Courtney Marie Andrews – Old Flowers (ND feature)
Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender (ND review)
Sarah Jarosz – World on the Ground (ND feature)
Marcus King – El Dorado (ND review)
Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels (ND review)
Best Bluegrass Album
Danny Barnes – Man on Fire (ND review)
Thomm Jutz – To Live in Two Worlds, Vol. 1
Steep Canyon Rangers – North Carolina Songbook
Billy Strings – Home (ND review)
Various Artists – The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 1 (ND review)
Best Traditional Blues Album
Frank Bey – All My Dues Are Paid
Don Bryant – You Make Me Feel (ND review)
Robert Cray Band – That’s What I Heard (ND review)
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Cypress Grove (ND review)
Bobby Rush – Rawer Than Raw (ND review)
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (ND review)
Ruthie Foster Big Band – Live at the Paramount (ND review)
G. Love – The Juice
Bettye LaVette – Blackbirds (ND review)
North Mississippi Allstars – Up and Rolling (ND review)
Best Folk Album
Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman (ND feature)
Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance (ND review)
Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter
The Secret Sisters – Saturn Return (ND review)
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – All the Good Times (ND feature)
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Black Lodge Singers – My Relatives “Nikso Kowaiks”
Cameron Dupuy and The Cajun Troubadours – Cameron Dupuy and The Cajun Troubadours
Nā Wai ʽEhā – Lovely Sunrise
New Orleans Nightcrawlers – Atmosphere
Sweet Cecilia – A Tribute to Al Berard
Best Global Music Album
Antibalas – Fu Chronicles
Burna Boy – Twice as Tall
Bebel Gilberto – Agora
Anoushka Shankar – Love Letters
Tinariwen – Amadjar (ND review)
Best Alternative Music Album
Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Beck – Hyperspace
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher (ND review)
Brittany Howard – Jamie (ND review)
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Best Music Film
Beastie Boys Story, Beastie Boys
Black Is King, Beyoncé
We Are Freestyle Love Supreme, Freestyle Love Supreme
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, Linda Ronstadt
That Little Ol’ Band From Texas, ZZ Top
Here are a few other winners of interest to roots music fans:
— Snarky Puppy’s Live at the Royal Albert Hall won Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.
— Dolly Parton and Zach Williams’ performance of “There Was Jesus” won Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.
— The Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary) album by the Fisk Jubilee Singers won Best Roots Gospel album (read our feature story about the album here).
— Jeff Tweedy won as an art director (with Lawrence Azerrad) for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package for Wilco’s Ode to Joy.
And now for some mainstream categories that may not be in “roots” at the Grammys, but their winners are always “roots” in our hearts.
Best Rock Performance
Fiona Apple – “Shameika”
Big Thief – “Not”
Phoebe Bridgers – “Kyoto”
Haim – “The Steps”
Brittany Howard – “Stay High”
Grace Potter – “Daylight”
Best Rock Song
“Stay High” – Britney Howard
“Kyoto” – Phoebe Bridgers, Morgan Nagler, and Marshall Vore
“Lost in Yesterday” – Kevin Parker (Tame Impala)
“Not” – Adrienne Lenker (Big Thief)
“Shameika” – Fiona Apple
Best Country Solo Performance
Eric Church – “Stick That in Your Country Song”
Brandy Clark – “Who You Thought I Was”
Vince Gill – “When My Amy Prays”
Mickey Guyton – “Black Like Me”
Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”
Brandi Carlile accepts the award for Best Country Song for “Crowded Table” on behalf of herself and co-writers Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna during the Grammy Awards’ Premiere Ceremony on Sunday.
Best Country Song
“Bluebird” – Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby and Miranda Lambert, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
“The Bones” – Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Maren Morris)
“Crowded Table” – Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna, songwriters (The Highwomen)
“More Hearts Than Mine” – Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis and Derrick Southerland, songwriters (Ingrid Andress)
“Some People Do” – Jesse Frasure, Shane McAnally, Matthew Ramsey and Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Old Dominion)
Best Country Album
Ingrid Andress – Lady Like
Brandy Clark – Your Life Is a Record (ND review)
Miranda Lambert – Wildcard
Little Big Town – Nightfall
Ashley McBryde – Never Will (ND review)
And here are a few more key winners, just to keep you in the know!
Record of the Year
Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
Black Pumas – “Colors”
DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
Doja Cat – “Say So”
Billie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted”
Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
Post Malone – “Circles”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage”
Album of the Year
Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
Black Pumas – Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) (ND review)
Coldplay – Everyday Life
Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 3
Haim – Women in Music Pt. III
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Post Malone – Hollywood’s Bleeding
Taylor Swift – Folklore
Best New Artist
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion
Best Rock Album
Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
Grace Potter – Daylight
Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury (ND review)
The Strokes – The New Abnormal
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
Dave Cobb
Flying Lotus
Andrew Watt
