Local artists bid for Grammys
They may not all appear on Sunday's telecast, but Chicago-area musicians will be well represented at the 50th Grammy Awards this year. In every genre imaginable, local rappers, songwriters, bands and even a classical music group, received a total of 34 nominations, in categories ranging from rap to chamber music to rock.
Rapper and producer Kanye West led the local nominations, receiving eight total including album of the year for his work on "Graduation" (Roc-A-Fella), his third album.
West also swept each rap category, receiving nominations for best rap solo performance and best rap performance by a duo or group, among others.
Jazz pianist and Chicago native Herbie Hancock will compete against West, Amy Winehouse, Vince Gill and Foo Fighters for album of the year honors for "River: The Joni Letters" (Verve), his renditions of Joni Mitchell songs. He also received recognition for best contemporary jazz album and best jazz instrumental solo.
Other Chicago Grammy nominations include:
• Wilco, best rock album
• Sones de Mexico, best Mexican-American album
• Barack Obama, best spoken word
• Common, best rap album
• Lupe Fiasco, best urban/alternative performance
• R. Kelly, best R&B performance
• Otis Clay, best traditional R&B vocal performance
• Plain White T's, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group
• Donald Lawrence, best gospel song and traditional album
• Eighth Blackbird, best chamber music performance
• Kurt Elling, best jazz vocal album
• Smokie Norful, best traditional gospel album
• Pinetop Perkins, best traditional blues performance
• Otis Rush, best traditional blues performance
• Koko Taylor, best traditional blues performance
• David "Honeyboy" Edwards, best traditional blues performance