Sturgill Simpson, Sarah Jarosz, & Lori McKenna Are Big Winners in Grammy Pre-Telecast Awards

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Ahead of the telecast portion of the 59th Annual Grammy Awards Sunday night (2-12), pre-telecast awards were handed out in a host of categories covering country, Americana, bluegrass, and roots, including big awards like Best Country Song, Best Country Album, and Best Americana Album. Sturgill Simpson won Best Country Album, which in previous year was a telecast award, while Lori McKenna took home Best Country Song for “Humble & Kind.”

A special moment ensued on the stage when Rory Feek of Joey + Rory accepted the Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album for Hymns. Rory has said that his wife Joey Feek wanted him to be there whether they won or not, but that she would know before he did. Joey passed away in 2016 due to Cancer.

In the roots categories, Rounder Records and Sarah Jarosz were the big winners, with Sarah walking away with both Best Americana Roots Performance, and Best Folk Album. The Time Jumpers who won for Best American Roots Song are also on Rounder.

It other country-related pre-telecast news, Reckless Kelley’s Sunset Motel, which was up for Best Recording Package, did not win. Hillary Scott and the Scott Family (singer for Lady Antebellum) did win for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance (song) for “Thy Will,”  and for Contemporary Christian Music Album for Love Remains that was produced by Ricky Skaggs. Bobby Rush also won for Best Traditional Blues album for “Porcupine Meat.”

The Mark O’Connor Family band performed the bluegrass standard “Ruby” on the pre-telecast to represent the Grammy’s roots categories, and Sarah Jarosz was also featured as one of the presenters.

A more detailed list of roots music winners:

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:

“Different For Girls” — Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King
“21 Summer” — Brothers Osborne
“Setting The World On Fire” — Kenny Chesney & P!nk
WINNER – “Jolene” — Pentatonix Featuring Dolly Parton
“Think Of You” — Chris Young With Cassadee Pope

Best Country Song:

“Blue Ain’t Your Color” — Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey & Steven Lee Olsen, songwriters (Keith Urban)
“Die A Happy Man” — Sean Douglas, Thomas Rhett & Joe Spargur, songwriters (Thomas Rhett)
WINNER – “Humble And Kind” — Lori McKenna, songwriter (Tim McGraw)
“My Church” — busbee & Maren Morris, songwriters (Maren Morris)
“Vice” — Miranda Lambert, Shane McAnally & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)

Best Americana Roots Performance:

“Ain’t No Man” — The Avett Brothers
“Mother’s Children Have A Hard Time” — Blind Boys Of Alabama
“Factory Girl” — Rhiannon Giddens
WINNER – “House Of Mercy” — Sarah Jarosz
“Wreck You” — Lori McKenna

Best American Roots Song:

“Alabama At Night” — Robbie Fulks
“City Lights” — Jack White
“Gulfstream” — Roddie Romero And The Hub City All-Stars
WINNER – “Kid Sister” — The Time Jumpers
“Wreck You” — Lori McKenna

Best Americana Album:

True Sadness — The Avett Brothers
WINNER – This Is Where I Live — William Bell
The Cedar Creek Sessions — Kris Kristofferson
The Bird & The Rifle — Lori McKenna
Kid Sister — The Time Jumpers

Best Bluegrass Album:

Original Traditional — Blue Highway
Burden Bearer — Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
The Hazel And Alice Sessions — Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands
North By South — Claire Lynch
WINNER – Coming Home — O’Connor Band With Mark O’Connor

Best Folk Album:

Judy Collins & Ari Hest — Silver Skies Blue
Robbie Fulks — Upland Stories
Rhiannon Giddens — Factory Girl
Sierra Hull — Weighted Mind
WINNER – Sarah Jarosz — Undercurrent

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:

Cinema — Andrea Bocelli
Fallen Angels — Bob Dylan
Stages Live — Josh Groban
WINNER – Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin — Willie Nelson
Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway

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