The Recording Academy postponed the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards from their original January date to March 14. Due to COVID-19 and safety precautions, the Recording Academy Premiere Ceremony and GRAMMY Awards streamed internationally on GRAMMY.com and via their exclusive streaming partner, Facebook live. This year, the Recording Academy took viewers behind the scenes for special backstage moments, pre-show interviews, and other highlights for Music’s Biggest Night – reminding a resilient music community that through adversity, music will still bring people together.
Premiere Ceremony performers included Terri Lyne Carrington and the Social Science, their album Waiting Game nominated for Best Instrumental Jazz Album. In Memoriam, Brandi Carlile sang the late John Prine’s “I Remember Everything”, remembering a musical legend and leader for an entire generation of country-folk and Americana artists and songwriters. “I Remember Everything” won both Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song.
John Beasley (Mack Avenue), “the one-time keyboardist for Freddie Hubbard and Miles Davis” won the GRAMMY for Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Capella for “Donna Lee”. Beasley was part of the GRAMMY Premiere Ceremony’s artist group performance of Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me”. Beasley is a multi-GRAMMY and Emmy Award-nominated pianist, composer, arranger, producer, and music director. He’s performed with an array of iconic legends in music including Chaka Khan, James Brown, Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Steely Dan, and more.
2020 was a record-breaking year for Rimas Entertainment’s artist Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and songwriter released three full length albums in 2020 alone. YHLQMDLG, GRAMMY Award-winning album for Best Latin Pop or Urban, made history upon release as the highest-charting Spanish album. Bad Bunny then beat his own record with his latest album El Último Tour del Mundo, which became the first all-Spanish album to debut at No.1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The powerhouse reached far beyond the Latin music circle and was ranked the top artist on Spotify in 2020. A testament to a massive year, Bad Bunny took the stage at this year’s awards to perform “Dákiti” with Jhay Cortez.
Global superstars BTS performed at the GRAMMY Week MusiCares concert “Music With A Mission” and the live GRAMMY Awards ceremony. BTS was nominated Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their hit single “Dynamite”. Recently, BTS was named IFPI’s Global Recording Artist of the Year, their first time being honored with this recognition and the first for a Korean act to be named such.
Congratulations to The Orchard’s distributed artists, labels, and partners for their esteemed recognition at this year’s unlike any other GRAMMY Awards.
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Snarky Puppy Live At The Royal Albert Hall (GroundUp)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella
John Beasley “Donna Lee” (Mack Avenue)
Best Historical Album
Mister Rogers IT’S SUCH A GOOD FEELING: THE BEST OF MISTER ROGERS (Omnivore Recordings)
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Richard O’Neill, viola; David Alan Miller, conductor, Albany SymphonyTheofanidis: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra & Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra (Albany Records)
Best American Roots Performance
John Prine “I Remember Everything” (Thirty Tigers/Oh Boy Records)
Best American Roots Song
John Prine “I Remember Everything” (Thirty Tigers/Oh Boy Records)
Best Traditional Blues Album
Bobby Rush Rawer Than Raw (Thirty Tigers)
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Fantastic Negrito Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (Cooking Vinyl)
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Kurt Elling (feat. Danilo Pérez) “Secrets Are the Best Stories” (Edition Records)
Best Metal Performance
Body Count “Bum-Rush” (Century Media)
Best Latin Pop Or Urban Album
Bad Bunny YHLQMDLG (Rimas Entertainment)
