The 2018 Grammy Awards Complete Preview

Make sure to join Saving Country Music for the Grammy Awards LIVE blog during the presentation.

THE 60th ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS

When: 6:30 PM Central, 7:30 PM Eastern, 4:30 PM Pacific on CBS.

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Host: James Corden

Pre-Telecast: Streaming at Grammy.com. Starts at 3 p.m. Eastern.

EARLY WINNERS

• Best Country Song – “Broken Halos,” Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton, songwriters

• Best Country Solo Performance – “Either Way,” Chris Stapleton

• Best Country Duo/Group Performance – “Better Man,” Little Big Town (written by Taylor Swift)

• Best Americana Album – The Nashville Sound – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

• Best American Roots Song – “If We Were Vampires,” Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit

• Best Roots Gospel Album – Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope – Reba MecEntire 

• Best Bluegrass Album is a TIE: Laws Of Gravity – The Infamous Stringdusters AND All The Rage In Concert Volume One [Live] – Rhonda Vincent And The Rage

• Best Folk Album – Mental Illness – Aimee Mann

• Best American Roots Performance – “Killer Diller Blues,” Alabama Shakes

 

THINGS TO WATCH FOR

• It could be a big night for Chris Stapleton since he’s up for three awards: Best Country Song, Best Country Solo Performance, and Best Country Album. The first two will likely be given out in the pre-telecast event. Best Country Album is usually given out during the main telecast, but was moved to the pre-telecast last year when Sturgill Simpson won.

• Chris Stapleton and Emmylou Harris will perform together during the telecast. Emmylou Harris is being presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Country performers will deliver one of the marquee performances of the night—a tribute to victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting, the Manchester Arena bombing, and other victims of violence at music events. It will be performed by Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, and Maren Morris, all of whom performed at Route 91. Both Maren Morris and Eric Church released songs specifically after the tragedy, though these may not be performed. It is said to be a timeless classic the tribute will be centered around.

THE COUNTRY(ish) PERFORMANCES

• Chris Stapleton will perform with Country Music Hall of Famer Emmylou Harris, who is being awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, and Maren Morris will perform a tribute to Route 91 Harvest Festival victims, and victims of other music-related tragedies like the Manchester Arena bombing. It is said to be a classic, universally-known song they will be performing.

• Little Big Town, who is up for numerous awards, will be performing.

From the greater roots world, Gary Clark Jr. will perform with John Batiste in a tribute to Chuck Berry and Fats Domino.

OTHER GRAMMY PERFORMERS

  • Alessia Cara, Khalid, and Logic
  • Childish Gambino
  • Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee with Zuleyka Rivera
  • Elton John and Miley Cyrus
  • Kesha
  • Lady Gaga
  • Kendrick Lamar
  • Bruno Mars and Cardi B
  • Rihanna, DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller
  • Pink
  • Sam Smith
  • Sting
  • SZA
  • U2

THE PRESENTERS

Announced presenters include Tony Bennett, Dave Chappelle, Kelly Clarkson, Victor Cruz, Eve, Jim Gaffigan, Katie Holmes, Nick Jonas, Anna Kendrick, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Shemar Moore, Trevor Noah, Sarah Silverman, Hailee Steinfeld and Donnie Wahlberg.

COUNTRY / AMERICANA / ROOTS / ALL GENRE NOMINEES

Best Country Song (A songwriter’s award):
“Better Man,” Taylor Swift, songwriter (Little Big Town)
“Body Like A Back Road,” Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Sam Hunt)
“Broken Halos,” Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
“Drinkin’ Problem,” Jess Carson, Cameron Duddy, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne & Mark Wystrach, songwriters (Midland)
“Tin Man,” Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert & Jon Randall, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)

Best Country Solo Performance:
“Body Like A Back Road,” Sam Hunt
“Losing You,” Alison Krauss
“Tin Man,” Miranda Lambert
“I Could Use A Love Song,” Maren Morris
“Either Way,” Chris Stapleton

Best Country Album:
Cosmic Hallelujah — Kenny Chesney
Heart Break — Lady Antebellum
The Breaker — Little Big Town
Life Changes — Thomas Rhett
From A Room: Volume 1 — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“It Ain’t My Fault,” Brothers Osborne
“My Old Man,” Zac Brown Band
“You Look good,” Lady Antebellum
“Better Man,” Little Big Town
“Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland

Best Americana Album:
Southern Blood — Gregg Allman
Shine On Rainy Day — Brent Cobb
Beast Epic — Iron & Wine
The Nashville Sound — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
Brand New Day — The Mavericks

Best American Roots Performance:
“Killer Diller Blues,” Alabama Shakes
“Let My Mother Live,” Blind Boys Of Alabama
“Arkansas Farmboy,” Glen Campbell
“Steer Your Way,” Leonard Cohen
“I Never Cared For You,” Alison Krauss

Best American Roots Song:
“Cumberland Gap,” David Rawlings
“I Wish You Well,” The Mavericks
“If We Were Vampires,” Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
“It Ain’t Over Yet,” Rodney Crowell Featuring Rosanne Cash & John Paul White
“My Only True Friend,” Gregg Allman

Best Bluegrass Album
Fiddler’s Dream – Michael Cleveland
Laws Of Gravity – The Infamous Stringdusters
Original – Bobby Osborne
Universal Favorite – Noam Pikelny
All The Rage In Concert Volume One [Live] – Rhonda Vincent And The Rage

Best Contemporary Blues Album
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm – Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm
Recorded Live In Lafayette – Sonny Landreth
TajMo – Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’
Got Soul – Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Live From The Fox Oakland – Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Folk Album
Mental Illness – Aimee Mann
Semper Femina – Laura Marling
The Queen Of Hearts – Offa Rex
You Don’t Own Me Anymore – The Secret Sisters
The Laughing Apple – Yusuf / Cat Stevens

All Genre Awards:

Record Of The Year:
“Redbone” — Childish Gambino
“Despacito” — Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
“The Story Of O.J.” — JAY-Z
“HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar
“24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Album Of The Year:
“Awaken, My Love!” — Childish Gambino
4:44 — JAY-Z
DAMN. — Kendrick Lamar
Melodrama — Lorde
24K Magic — Bruno Mars

Song Of The Year:
“Despacito” — Ramón Ayala, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Erika Ender, Luis Fonsi & Marty James Garton, songwriters (Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber)
“4:44” — Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (JAY-Z)
“Issues” — Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Julia Michaels & Justin Drew Tranter, songwriters (Julia Michaels)
“1-800-273-8255” — Alessia Caracciolo, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Arjun Ivatury, Khalid Robinson, songwriters (Logic Featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid)
“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best New Artist:
Alessia Cara
Khalid
Lil Uzi Vert
Julia Michaels
SZA

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