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GRAMMYs

Rickey Minor

Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

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Rickey Minor Talks Whitney Houston & More exclusive-rickey-minor-talks-whitney-houston-american-idol-positivity-more

Exclusive: Rickey Minor Talks Whitney Houston, "American Idol," Positivity & More

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From Gladys Knight to Beyoncé and beyond: How the music master continues to grow his legacy with passion, positivity and a whole lot of hard work
Malikka McDuffie
GRAMMYs
Aug 24, 2018 - 9:41 am

When entering your career with your legacy in mind, you put forth effort to building it with grace and determination, and you come to understand there will be challenges and victories for others to learn from. Few professionals in any industry have done this as well as music director, composer, and producer Rickey Minor, who excels at not only enriching his own live but the lives of others.

The Emmy Award-winning stalwart has worked with a multitude of renowned artists such as Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Beyoncé, Elton John, Usher, and Aretha Franklin – and the list continues to grow. He’s acquired a wide range of television credits including the GRAMMY Awards Telecast, "The Tonight Show," "The Emmys," and "American Idol." While building his legacy and continuously developing his craft, Minor has never lost sight of the impact he’s wanted to make on the lives of the people his work has touched.

"I think what your real legacy is, is how you make a difference and how it impacts the lives of the future," he says. "Music is what I do, it’s not who I am. Who I am is going to be really passionate about the future."

Before writing his self-help book on hard work and positivity, There’s No Traffic On The Extra Mile, Minor taught himself what it meant to go the distance in order to live a fulfilling life. After picking up his first instrument at 14-years-old and attending UCLA on a full scholarship, Minor discovered his purpose early in his career when he landed the gig of a lifetime at the young age of 19.

"A real defining moment for me was getting the gig with Gladys Knight because then I felt like I could do anything," he reminisces with excitement. "The fact that I left school to play music and in a year’s time I got my very first gig... It was at that point that I thought it’s possible for me to make a living. Then all of the other things lined up as they do when you just stay focused and work hard."

His work with Knight led him to working with the late Whitney Houston years later. In 1986, Rickey Minor joined Houston’s band and a short time later became the band’s music director. While in that role, he viewed each member as his peers and as people he could learn from.

"We weren’t looking to break any records. We didn’t know anything. We were kids," he says.

Rickey Minor - Musical Director Of The Tonight Show

Minor appears in the new documentary, Whitney, where he discusses his experience working with the superstar. He's still astounded by the Houston's groundbreaking performance of the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 1991 Super Bowl, which Minor arranged and produced, and he knew that his purpose wasn’t to be achieved alone.

"No one knew how it would impact the world and that we’d talk about it years later," he says. "That was a game changer. To contribute to that is just incredible because it takes a team. It’s not a one-shot I did or you did; it’s we did."

Understanding that everything had to line up to make the evening perfect was first on his list. "This was the Gulf War, so there was a lot at stake there," he explained. "The country was feeling like it needed to ban together and [Houston] did that with that vocal. No one understands what it takes to do that, in a stadium like that."

After being on the road, to joining other musicians in studios and conducting symphonies Minor has picked up various valuable lessons along the way, from being on the road to hunkering down in the studio to conducting symphonies. Today, he's a generous teacher to those willing and ready to learn.

"My job in theory is very easy," Minor says. "My job is to add value. It’s not to change somebody’s mind. It’s to make whatever you are better. To make sure people know that you’re there working."

Minor also explained that, while working with an artist, he’s not there to try to make them someone else, he’s there to assist them in finding their center and propelling them to be the best version of themselves.

"I’m going to give them options and let them pick the best one for them," he says.

Minor’s leadership has helped many aspiring artists find their voice. As a returning music director to one of America’s most sought out talent shows, "American Idol," he has demonstrated the opportunity shows like "…Idol" and "The Four" can create for developing a long-lasting career. This type of extra preparation has helped certain artists set themselves apart from mere viral sensations plucked from the social clouds and placed into high pressured situations.

"I think it’s a great thing that this outlet happened," he says. "'…Idol' is a great platform because people get a chance to be seen where they never would’ve been seen before."

"That’s the incredible thing," he continued. "That’s where the Carrie [Underwood]s and Jennifer[Hudson]s have really made it big but in a lot of cases. The problem becomes that [viral sensations] don’t have enough experience so they aren’t able to rise to the point where they can sing a duet with Adele or Beyoncé. It’s because a lot of those folks had a natural ability and they were going to be strong no matter what, and to top it off, they’ve had more experience. They’ve had a chance to get more experience."

Aside from emphasizing the importance of gained experience, Minor shares what he does in his beloved "Rickey Time," where he returns to his center, spends time with family and friends, while unplugged from the remaining parts of the world to reflect and practice gratitude.

This reflective time helps manifest his contagious philosophy on positivity, which he shares with anyone who may cross his path. Being a Louisiana native, later raised in the Watts, to beating all odds and stereotypes placed in front of him for being a Black man, Rickey Minor has transformed his positive way of thinking into a lifestyle.

"Where it starts is in acceptance of yourself. Accepting who you are, where you are, where you’re from and being okay with it," he says. "Whatever I am, I am. If you don’t foresee the thing that you wanted anymore, know that it is okay to change your mind. Don’t feel like you need to prove anything to anyone. It is your life. Ask for help. People will help you."

Rickey Minor - Advice For Artists

Asking for help and reciprocating it is something Minor has mastered. He’s guided many of the greatest into the highest operating level of their careers while aiding in their defining moments. For Minor, those moments are made through dedication and hard work, which in turn forms a sustaining legacy.

 "We have limited time. You can make more money but you can’t get anymore time. For me, I would hope that the music part of my legacy is that hard work and focus will help push you forward in whatever career you pick."

Rickey Minor is a member of the Recording Academy and can be seen in the Academy's We Are Music campaign.

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GRAMMYs

Swizz Beatz

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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Swizz Beatz' Hip-Hop Hitmaking Philosophy swizz-beatz-inside-philosophy-hip-hop-hitmaker

Swizz Beatz: Inside The Philosophy Of A Hip-Hop Hitmaker

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Take a closer look at the method behind a musical mastermind's 20-year track record of success
Ogden Payne
GRAMMYs
Aug 17, 2018 - 8:58 am

There is a distinct difference between beat-maker and a producer in the music world. While the former might get one’s foot in the door, the latter will determine the length of the stay. A seasoned veteran such as Swizz Beatz knows the importance of mastering both crafts.

Born Kasseem Dean in The Bronx, N.Y., Swizz’ production has permeated generations of ears throughout his 20-year career. His ability to create and direct sonic landscapes for a myriad of artists, from a heavy-hitting lyricist such as DMX to a beloved vocalist like Whitney Houston, has solidified his name among music's elite.

Swizz Beatz, Ken "Duro" Ifill On DJing & Mixtapes

Though there was no survivor's guide for Swizz Beatz to follow, he cultivated a handful of philosophies from years of being regarded as one of music’s in-demand producers.

Trust Your Vision

Most family businesses can be a gift and a curse, and Ruff Ryders Entertainment was no exception. Founded in 1988 by Swizz’ uncles Joaquin Dean and Darin Dean, the New York label was built in the midst of hip-hop’s Golden Era.

At the time of the label’s founding, Swizz Beatz had built a reputable business as a DJ and had yet to flex his production muscles. But when the young talent yearned to get into making beats for his uncles’ roster, he was slighted. Undeterred, Swizz proved all he needed was one chance.

The first beat he created became “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” an instrumental ripe for the vocals of gritty Yonkers lyricist DMX. What the beat lacked in sophistication (due to Swizz’ limited production abilities and access to equipment at the time) it made up for in raw, unapologetic energy. Initially, DMX refrained from recording over it, deeming it to be a rock ‘n’ roll beat. He quickly came around after a room full of counterparts, including Swizz Beatz, hyped him up while recording the track.

The song only reached No. 93 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts, but quickly catapulted DMX and the then-unknown Swizz Beatz into commercial strata – evidenced by a Woodstock ‘99 performance in front of an endless sea of fans religiously chanting each lyric.

Since then, Swizz has made contributions to hundreds of albums, including the Ruff Ryder’s platinum-selling Ride Or Die Vol. 1 compilation album. He won his first GRAMMY alongside Jay-Z at the 53rd GRAMMY Awards for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for "On To The Next One."

“If you have a dream that your closest friends and family members can’t understand, stick to it,” he advised in a one-on-one interview with GRAMMY-nominated engineer Ken “Duro” Ifill. He continued, “If I would have stayed in that box as a DJ where they felt I was comfortable, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”

Evolution Is Everything

In his purest form, Swizz was, and is, an audio architect who carefully surveyed his clients while laying the proper foundation to construct a masterpiece. In 1999 his instincts notified him when it was time to showcase beats with literal bells and whistles, like “Party Up (Up In Here)” for DMX, while tugs on his heart strings prompted a scaled-back bed of production for Eve to pour out her emotions on “Love Is Blind.”

But navigating the minds of an artist isn’t a simple task. The idea of chart-topping commercial success is alluring for any up-and-coming musician on the verge of superstardom. Swizz, however, challenges his collaborators to think past current trends and popular sounds.

“If we can’t make history, then it’s a waste of time,” he claimed.

Despite his past achievements, he prefers not to relish in them. Instead, Swizz craves to accomplish similar feats as an executive producer who orchestrates an entire body of work from top to bottom.

“When you’re really, really, managing a project, executive producing a project, and giving your stamp, it shows longevity, it shows responsibility. It shows the numerous choices that you’ve made that should be honorable.”

Remember Why You Started

The music business is filled with highs and lows, and Swizz admits to experiencing both.

“When you hot, your phone is hot. When you cold, your phone is cold," he said. "I learned to not take it personally.”

Though he has built an empire in and outside of the music business, he didn’t set out to make a lucrative living when he started making beats at age 16.

“I didn’t even know you could make money from music when I was doing it,” he admitted. “It was to the point where they were sending me checks, I thought they were fake.”

The skepticism eventually wore off. In 2017, he raked in $17 million for his musical contributions and a handful of savvy investments, some he credits to his Harvard Business degree.

Inside The 2018 P&E Wing Celebration

In a full-circle moment the following year, Swizz was honored by the Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing at their 11th Annual Celebration alongside his wife, GRAMMY-winning artist Alicia Keys. In front of a room full of industry titans, Swizz and Keys were the center of attention, feted for their devotion to the craft of making records.

Despite a 20-plus-year career, Swizz Beatz has seemingly just gotten started. As he strives to outdo past accomplishments, he provides a simple piece of advice to those looking to follow in his footsteps: “If you’re not having fun, don’t even do it. I don’t care how much money it is, don’t do it unless you’re having fun.”

Swizz Beatz is a member of the Recording Academy and can be seen in the Academy's We Are Music campaign.

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H.E.R. We Are Music

H.E.R.

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'We Are Music' Honors Craft & Community we-are-music-honoring-craft-community-her-swizz-beatz-more

We Are Music: Honoring Craft & Community With H.E.R., Swizz Beatz & More

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The Recording Academy launches a new campaign to celebrate the professional songwriters, musicians, engineers, producers, and performers who bring music to life
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jul 23, 2018 - 6:43 am

Making music is a calling and a craft — a privilege and a process. From the first flash of inspiration to a few chords and scribbled lyrics, from laying down a scratch track to finessing the finishing touches, it takes craft, commitment and passion to make music a reality.

Now, for the first time in its 60-year history, the Recording Academy is launching a national campaign to honor the craft and community of creators who bring music to life. "We Are Music" celebrates the people who create music every day, those who are the lifeblood of music.

To celebrate the launch of "We Are Music," the Recording Academy released a 60-second film directed by world-renown photographer/videographer and GRAMMY nominee Danny Clinch. The striking black-and-white film chronicles the creation of a new piece of music, capturing the collaboration between songwriter, performer, producer, sound engineer, and musicians to write, record and finesse a new record, culminating when the performer takes the stage to share it with the world.

"We Are Music" features a lineup of current Recording Academy members, including up-and-coming R&B singer/songwriter H.E.R.; GRAMMY-winning multi-instrumentalist/producer Chad Hugo of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D.; GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer Ann Mincieli; director and composer Rickey Minor; and GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer Swizz Beatz.

Through Clinch's daring and inventive eye, the film and the campaign underscore the Recording Academy's vital role in the industry, reinforcing the importance of the Academy to the professional community of songwriters, musicians, producers, engineers, and performers it represents.

"The Recording Academy is the leading society of music creators, and 'We Are Music' not only defines what we stand for, but also represents the tremendous pride and respect we have for the industry we serve," said Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer for the Recording Academy. "While we are commonly associated with the iconic GRAMMY Awards, this campaign celebrates those music professionals involved in the multilayered creative process. Our objective is to further reinforce the perceptions of the Recording Academy by highlighting the impact we have on the creative community at large."

Those of us who have ever spontaneously woken up with a song idea, worked in the studio until the sun came up or have callouses on our hands from practicing our instrument all understand the same simple truth: We are made of the music we make. We are music.

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GRAMMYs

Chad Hugo

Photo: Burak Cingi/Getty Images

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Exclusive: Chad Hugo On Finding Freedom In Music exclusive-chad-hugo-nerd-finding-his-musical-freedom

Exclusive: Chad Hugo On N.E.R.D. & Finding His Musical Freedom

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From The Neptunes to N.E.R.D. and beyond, the GRAMMY-winning musician and producer taps into what makes his music magical
Paul Zollo
GRAMMYs
Aug 13, 2018 - 10:51 am

Chad Hugo is a musician first. He's become famous for not wanting to be famous, preferring to let superstar friends such as longtime musical partner Pharrell Williams, or Jay-Z or Justin Timberlake, stand in the spotlight, while he stayed in the studio fine-tuning their tracks.

Through a career as a producer, as well as member of his own band, N.E.R.D., Hugo has always focused on always keeping his records vital and fresh. For years he did this using the same digital toolbox everyone used until he realized what was missing was the soulful authority achieved only when real musicians play in real time. The dimension of human artistry real musicians can bring to a track is undeniable and can’t be attained in any other way.  We spoke to Hugo about that revelation, and other ideas which have informed his remarkable career.

His story starts in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where music first enlivened his world. He was only 12 when he met Williams in the school marching band. They both were drummers, but Hugo was the Drum Major, the leader of the band, while his friend was behind him in the drumline. In time, as the world knows, Williams happily stepped into the frontman role as Hugo held it down in the back.

It was over beatboxes though, not snare drums, that they bonded. Forming a duo called The Neptunes, they got signed to a production deal by Teddy Riley, who heard them at the school talent show. For nearly a decade they produced other artists, before starting their own band, N.E.R.D. (No-one Ever Really Dies), with Shay Haley.

They created their debut, In Search Of, as they did their previous productions, with digital drum beats, samples and loops. They released it first in Europe before agreeing to reinvent the album with a slant both old school and new, fusing mechanical beats and samples with actual instruments in real time. They enlisted Spymob, a rock band, to do the playing since they felt they couldn’t. But by their next album, Fly or Die, they did it all. With incessant woodshedding, Hugo gradually grew more fluent on guitar and branched out in many directions, to saxophones, accordion, keyboards and more. Williams played the drums.

“It’s not mandatory,” Hugo says, when asked how important a mastery of real instruments was to a modern producer. “But learning different instruments allows one to take on another voice, another character. I also joined the choir at church and to sing a given song on paper, a composition, and contribute to make the message stronger is something to appreciate.”

N.E.R.D. have banded and disbanded a few times, but now they are about to embark on a major tour. Being an artist in the band instead of the producer is a role he relishes, as its liberates him to make the music most singular to his own spirit.

For his most recent production, working with Justin Timberlake on his Out of The Woods album, his mission was not to express his own soul, but to enable the artist to express his soul while devising the perfect frame.

But when allowed to do his own thing, he’s freed from other perspectives to honor his own. “In No-one Ever Really Dies,” he says, “we were given the freedom to set the trends.” 

Hugo has always been a collaborator since the start, and it’s working with others, he explained, that creates the sturdy and friendly foundation that he needs. “Making music is best as a team effort,” he said, “so I'd add elements and take out elements. To be trusted on my judgements, that took time. That’s in a mix down, and during the songwriting process.”

That organic foundation still grounds every production, and always allows experimentation with the newest tools that emerge. “There’s always new technology,” he said, “and plug-ins being released. We share these technologies and implement them in production. Though we still maintain the foundation in the studio setting with the provided drum kit guitar and wind instruments.”  

Being an authentic musician, Hugo knows, is all about being engaged. But as he explained, that engagement isn’t exclusive only to one’s work writing or recording a song.  To create engaged art, he said, means being engaged not only with music, but with all of life. Asked to explain his own creative process and how he maintains that dynamic connection, he pointed not towards the studio but towards being a human: “Live life to the fullest,” he said. No more words were needed or offered; it was time to get back to the music.

Chad Hugo is a member of the Recording Academy and can be seen in the Academy's We Are Music campaign.

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Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini

Photo: John Shearer/WireImage.com

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Inside The State Of Country Music kelsea-ballerini-florida-georgia-line-kane-brown-more-surveying-country-landscape

Kelsea Ballerini, Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown & More: Surveying The Country Landscape

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From genre-crossing mavericks to authentic songwriters and trendsetting artists, the current diversity within country music is paving the genre's way forward
Sarah Skates
GRAMMYs
Apr 26, 2018 - 8:01 am

Music lovers venturing to this weekend's 2018 Stagecoach Festival in Indio, Calif., will experience first-hand the diversity in sound and style of today's country music. With 50-plus artists set to perform on three stages, the event is a microcosm of the country landscape at large.

Headliners include the genre-crossing duo Florida Georgia Line, GRAMMY-winning guitar slinger Keith Urban and neo-traditional icon Garth Brooks with wife Trisha Yearwood. For the performers, the lineup's variety is not only welcome but refreshing.

"It's a cool time to be creating and it's a cool time to be country," says Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line, who are featured on Bebe Rexha's recent pop mega-hit "Meant To Be." "The whole weekend at Stagecoach is about bringing the country community together — all the different avenues and subgenres. People come to country music with so many different influences, and then end up with their own style, and that's to be celebrated."

Breakout star Kelsea Ballerini joined her idol Shania Twain to perform a song at last year's Stagecoach, and she is returning Friday night to play her own set on the main stage. According to the Tennessee native, the festival reflects the current sounds coming out of country airwaves.

For The Record: 'From A Room: Volume 1'

"You can turn on the radio and hear Chris Stapleton, who's really soul country, or Little Big Town, which is very folk country, or someone like me or Sam Hunt who is very pop country, as well as the greats who will always be on the radio and hold it down," says Ballerini, a former Best New Artist GRAMMY nominee. "If anything, having more influences in country music draws more ears to it, and maybe people who didn't think they liked it will hear a Chris Stapleton or Sam Hunt song, and fall in love with country music because they didn’t know exactly what it was.

"Having a festival like Stagecoach that highlights every bit of it is really important, because that's truly where country music is right now. There's something for everyone, you just have to show up and listen."

Ballerini is one of four women scheduled to perform on the festival's main stage, along with several others playing the two smaller stages. While she has notched five No. 1 country singles in recent years, other women have struggled at country radio — and it isn't due to lack of talent.

 

"There is a disconnect between the women receiving radio airplay and the women receiving awards and critical praise," says Beverly Keel, chair of the department of recording industry at Middle Tennessee State University and co-founder of Change The Conversation, an organization founded to support women in music. "Miranda Lambert won five Academy of Country Music Album of the Year awards in the last decade. Her last album (The Weight Of These Wings) went platinum without a Top 10 hit. Kacey Musgraves has won GRAMMYs and all sorts of awards and doesn't get a lot of radio airplay."

Adding further proof, Keel cites Billboard's 2017 year-end Hot Country Songs list, which included no solo females in the Top 10, only one in the Top 20 (newcomer Carly Pearce, also a Stagecoach performer), and seven in the Top 100.

Ken Robold, executive VP/COO of Sony Music Nashville, says trendsetting women such as Lambert and Maren Morris are "vital" to not only his company but to country's current scene.

"They are both brilliant writers," says Robold, who serves on the Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Board. "They write different kinds of songs, but both have a really meaningful impact on the genre. Miranda made this amazing record, The Weight Of These Wings, which is so pure country. She's a traditionalist but at the same time can rock.

Maren Morris Wins Best Country Solo Performance

"Maren, along with Kelsea Ballerini, is the most influential female since Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert. When we first heard Maren's music we were blown away, it was so different than anything else out there. It was so commercially accessible in terms of different genre
influences. You have a song like 'My Church,' that's straight-up country. Then you have her current song with Zedd, 'The Middle,' which is No. 1 for the third week in a row at Top 40. It has opened her up to a whole new audience. She will remain rooted in country but wants to have flexibility."

Just as Lambert and Morris bring their own brands of country, so does their labelmate Kane Brown, a newcomer who will perform at Stagecoach on Sunday.

"There are a lot of influences that made their way onto his record, but he's truly a country artist," says Robold. "Country music has been his passion since he was a kid. His career growth has been amazing to watch. Once he got that first success at country radio with 'What Ifs' it exploded, and now we're looking at maybe crossing current single 'Heaven' over to other genres."

"There's something for everyone, you just have to show up and listen." — Kelsea Ballerini

Multi-GRAMMY-nominated producer/engineer Jeff Balding, who has been watching trends in country music for decades, sees today's country music as bringing "something new with a different twist to the surface."

"I see a lot of pop, R&B and even some '90s influences in today's country," says Balding, a Nashville Chapter Trustee. "I'm fascinated with what comes in and how it comes in. With Nashville growing as a music community in the past several years, people who moved here have brought some pop influences to the way songs are written. Those influences on the ground floor are the reason things change and other genres get blended within country. Everybody feeds off really great music, we digest it and it inspires us."

"Today's consumers just like to be entertained with great music, great songs, great lyrics," he continues. "They don't have to compartmentalize it. I think we are going to continue to see more of the genre-crossing, thanks to the openness of the listener."

While country radio is still the driving factor in launching careers in country music, streaming services continue to rise in prominence, providing an ever-growing outlet. Stagecoach artists and multi-GRAMMY winners Jason Isbell and Stapleton initially connected with fans outside of terrestrial radio, a trend that will likely continue.

"Jason Isbell fits in with the truth-telling social-commenting songwriters of the '70s," says Keel, also a Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Board member. "He's doing what our songwriters should be doing. Only the industry uses the specific categories; to the listener, it's American roots music. It's got a country feel to it. That's a good thing about the world now — we're not just defined by industry gatekeepers. Where 10 years ago someone like Jason Isbell would have been left out [of Stagecoach], today they are included because their music is exposed to the masses via other means.

"Chris Stapleton was not embraced by radio early on, yet his talent was so immense it couldn’t be denied. There was this groundswell and radio was forced to get on the bandwagon after he swept the Country Music Association Awards and made the best album of the year. I'm glad to see this music festival showcasing the different styles coming out of Nashville, because that is some of the best music being made."

Despite the diversity in talent, new methods of discovery and ample genre-hopping, there's one consistent core element that will continue to bind country music's future.

"We're songwriters at heart, and we're artists," says Kelley. "We love spending the day in the writers' room or a studio because you never know what can happen and what seeds can be planted. ... It's a special time in country, because you feel like you can push the boundaries but good songs are always going to win."

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

(Sarah Skates lives in Nashville, Tenn., and has been writing about country music for 14 years. Her career started at MusicRow magazine, where she remains a regular contributor, as well as writing for ACM Tempo and GRAMMY.com.)

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