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61st GRAMMY Awards Nominations Rescheduled To Dec. 7

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In honor of late President George H.W. Bush's memorial services, nominations will be announced Friday Dec. 7 on CBS, Apple Music and social media
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 3, 2018 - 12:06 pm

UPDATE: See the full list of 61st GRAMMY Nominations

Following the news of President George H.W. Bush's death, the announcement of the nominations for the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards has been postponed until Friday, Dec. 7, 2018.

Nominees in select categories will be revealed by broadcast on "CBS This Morning" and online at Apple Music at 8:30 a.m. ET, the Recording Academy announced on Monday Dec. 3. All 84 categories will be revealed on the Recording Academy's website, and also by press release and over the Recording Academy's social media platforms at 8:45 a.m. ET.

Use the #GRAMMYs hashtag on Recording Academy / GRAMMYs social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to join in the conversation this Friday.

What To Expect When You're Expecting The 2019 GRAMMY Nominations Announcement

GRAMMY Award

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Recording Academy Announces 61st GRAMMY Awards Update

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General Field nominations grow from five to eight and categories evolve to stay as appropriate, current, and relevant as possible
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Jun 26, 2018 - 3:31 pm

The GRAMMY Awards reflect what's happening in the ever-changing landscape of music, and the Recording Academy works diligently to ensure the awards process continually evolves. Driven by the music makers — Academy members — who seek to meet the needs of the music community, several changes have been enacted for the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards process and categories.

For the four General Field categories — Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist — the number of nominations included in each will be increased from five to eight in order to better reflect the many entries in these categories.

Other changes put in place affect various categories including those in the World Music Field, which will now determine nominations through its own Nomination Review Committee where the top 15 selections from general voting membership's ballots will be narrowed down to the final five nominations by a Trustee-ratified committee of Voting Member experts.

For Best Compilation Soundtrack Album, the growing role of Music Supervisors is recognized as eligible. Also, only Music Supervisors who produced more than half of an album will now be eligible for consideration as album producers.

Driven by the technological side of music evolution, the Best Surround Sound Album category is renamed Best Immersive Audio Album. The same goes for the Field to which it belongs. The change reflects evolving technology, new formats, and current industry trends, practices, and language.

Several category guidelines and/or definitions were also updated. For instance, the Best Alternative Music Album criteria and definition has been broadened and updated as, "Alternative is defined as a genre of music that embraces attributes of progression and innovation in both the music and attitudes associated with it. It is often a less intense version of rock or a more intense version of pop and is typically regarded as more original, eclectic, or musically challenging. It may embrace a variety of sub-genres or any hybrids thereof and may include recordings that don't fit into other genre categories."

These changes and other will be in effect for the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards, as the Recording Academy continues to ensure the process remains as appropriate, current, and relevant as possible.

For more information about this year's rule changes and the GRAMMY Awards process, visit www.grammy101.com.

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

Trey Anastasio and Phil Lesh

Trey Anastasio and Phil Lesh

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Peach Music Festival 2019 Lineup Announced With Phil Lesh & Trey Anastasio

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GRAMMY winners on the bill include Blues Traveler, Warren Haynes, the Infamous Stringdusters, Stephen Marley, John Molo, and John Scofield
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 14, 2018 - 5:51 pm

The Peach Music Festival has announced its lineup for the eighth annual edition of the fest, founded by the Allman Brothers Band in 2012, to be held July 25–28 at Montage Mountain in Scranton, Pa. Headliners playing multiple sets across the four days are Phil Lesh & Friends — featuring GRAMMY winners Warren Haynes, John Molo and John Scofield — Trey Anastasio Band and The String Cheese Incident.

In addition to the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh, Joe Russo's Almost Dead is also headlining, playing their signature interpretations of the Grateful Dead catalog. In addition to Haynes, Allman Brothers alumni include GRAMMY winner Jaimoe appearing with Jaimoe's Jasssz Band. Other GRAMMY winners scheduled to perform include Blues Traveler, the Infamous Stringdusters and Stephen Marley.

Other acts lined up to entertain the crowd include Greensky Bluegrass, Lettuce, Lotus, Moe., and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. We've covered "The Peach" acts Larkin Poe and Billy Strings but there are so many more worth getting to know, who all rock out in their own special way.

Early-bird ticket sales are now open on the Peach Music Festival’s website, and visitors can look forward to enjoying The Peach's food and craft vendors as well as awesome water attractions at Montage Mountain.

Dead & Company Announce 2019 Tour: "So Let's Get On With The Show..."

Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan

Gloria and Emilio Estefan

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Emilio And Gloria Estefan $200,000 Music Scholarship Announced

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The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation announced the Estefans' co-sponsorship of the Prodigy Scholarship, extending a proud line of artistic generosity
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 14, 2018 - 4:15 pm

On Dec. 14, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation  announced that the winners of multiple GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY awards, Emilio and Gloria Estefan have launched the Emilio and Gloria Estefan Scholarship for $200,000 to help underwrite a Latin music student's four-year bachelor's degree at Berklee College of Music.

"It is a pleasure to support and help a student attend one of the most prestigious and celebrated universities in the world, Berklee College of Music," said Emilio Estefan.

The Estefans' amazing life together has been such a testimony to music that it is even the subject of its own Tony Award-nominated musical, On Your Feet. They have each been honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. Emilio was the very first, in 2000, followed by Gloria Estefan in 2008.

Their daughter, recording artist Emily Estefan is herself a Berklee graduate. "I always had the ability to pick up an instrument and play and explore my artistry," she said at a recent Recording Academy Florida Chapter event. "So many kids don't have the opportunity to do that."

"It is a privilege for us to have the support of music icons Emilio and Gloria Estefan," said Manolo Díaz, Sr. Vice President of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. "Through their leadership and support we hope to — not only change the life of an aspiring talent — but also inspire others to pursue the many careers available in music while inviting people to join our cause through donations."

The deadline for applications to be submitted is April 10, 2019 with details at the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation website. Submissions may be in English, Spanish or Portuguese and require two audition videos, two recommendation letters and answers to two essay questions. All applications are carefully evaluated by the Foundation's Scholarship Committee.

This is the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation's fifth co-sponsored Prodigy Scholarship in a program begun by Enrique Iglesias in 2015. Subsequent artists generously participating have been Juan Luis Guerra, Miguel Bosé and Carlos Vives — and now the incomparable Emilio and Gloria Estefan as well.

"Twenty years ago we were part of the founding committee that launched the Latin GRAMMYs," said Emilio Estefan. "It is such a satisfying honor to be a part of this organization as benefactors that will make reality the dream of one student with interest in Latin music."

Charitable commitments by the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation total $4 million to date, supporting 200 scholarships, donations of musical instruments and Latin music educational events.

Carlos Vives, Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Offer Scholarship

Judas Priest, K.K. Downing, Glenn Tipton

K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, 1984

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Delivering The Goods: Ex-Judas Priest Guitarist K.K. Downing's Guitar Auctions For $189,000

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Two Judas Priest Gibson Flying V guitars blast past experts' estimates at Bonhams
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 13, 2018 - 3:57 pm

On Dec. 11 in an entertainment memorabilia auction at Bonhams, New Bond Street in London, expert appraisers were astonished as a 1967 Gibson Flying V guitar used extensively by Judas Priest's K.K. Downing more than octupled their highest estimates to sell for more than $189,000. Founded in 1793, the house designated the sale as "a world record result for a 'lead heavy metal guitar.'" A second K.K. Downing classic — a 1971 Gibson Flying V Medallion — more than quintupled the experts' highest estimates to sell for more than $102,000.

Having helped to define and shape the power of heavy metal through the '70s and '80s, Judas Priest received their first GRAMMY nomination for their 1990 album Painkiller, at the 33rd GRAMMY Awards in the Best Metal Performance category. Several nominations later, the band scored their sole career win at the 52nd GRAMMY Awards in the same category for the song "Dissident Aggressor."

Rolling Stone has more details on the auction and quoted Downing's autobiography that he is "eternally grateful" for the 90 percent of his time with Judas Priest that was good. "When we had the success, it was so cool," he said. Downing also auctioned an additional nine of his guitars on Dec. 11.

In 2010, Downing departed Judas Priest before their Epitaph World Tour, named after the track on their Sad Wings Of Destiny album. Bonham's record-setting Gibson was used to record that album.

Prince Guitar Brings In Record Amount At Auction