World Music and Roots Artists Nominees for 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards

Nominations for the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards were announced last night by The Recording Academy and reflected an eclectic mix of the best and brightest over the past year in music, as determined by the voting members of The Academy. The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on "GRAMMY Sunday," Jan. 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

In the Best Contemporary World Music Album category, the nominees are ‘Welcome To Mali‘ by Amadou & Mariam (Mali), ‘Throw Down Your Heart, Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa Sessions by Béla Fleck (USA), Day by Day by Femi Kuti (Nigeria), Seya by Oumou Sangare (Mali), and Across the Divide: A Tale of Rhythm and Ancestry by Omar Sosa (Cuba).

The Best Traditional World Music Album nominees are: Ancient Sounds by Rahim Alhaj And Amjad Ali Khan, Double Play by Liz Carroll & John Doyle, Douga Mansa by Mamadou Diabate (Mali), La Guerra No by John Santos y El Coro Folklórico Kindembo, and Drum Music Land by Ten Drum Art Percussion Group.

Latin American music has its separate categories. The Best Tropical Latin Album nominees are Asi Soy by Issac Delgado, Ciclos by Luis Enrique,  Guasábara by José Lugo Orchestra, Gracias by Omara Portuondo, and Bach in Havana by Tiempo Libre. Meanwhile, the Best Latin Jazz Album nominees are: Things I Wanted to Do by Chembo Corniel, Aurea by Geoffrey Keezer, Brazilliance X4 by Claudio Roditi, Juntos Para Siempre by Bebo Valdés and Chucho Valdés, and Esta Plena by Miguel Zenón.

There are several American roots music categories with their separate nominations. In the Best Bluegrass Album category, the nominees are:  Could We Get Any Closer? by Jim Lauderdale, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo by comedian and actor Steve Martin, Buckaroo Blue Grass by Michael Martin Murphey, Almost Live by Bryan Sutton And Friends, and Destination Life by Rhonda Vincent.

Best Traditional Folk Album nominees: Cutting Loose by David Holt and Josh Goforth, Naked with Friends by Maura O’Connell, Polka Cola: Music That Refreshes by Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra, Singing Through the Hard Times: A Tribute to Utah Phillips by Various Artists (Jacqui Morse, Kendall Morse & Dan Schatz, producers), High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project by Loudon Wainwright III

Best Contemporary Folk Album: Middle Cyclone by Neko Case, Our Bright Future by Tracy Chapman, Live by Shawn Colvin, Secret, Profane and Sugarcane by Elvis Costello,  Townes by Steve Earle

Best Hawaiian Music Album: He Nani by Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho, Friends & Family Of Hawai`i by Amy Hanaiali`i, Nani Mau Loa: Everlasting Beauty by Ho`okena, Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar – Volume 2 by Various Artists (Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers)

Best Native American Music Album: Siyotanka by Michael Brant DeMaria, Spirit Wind North by Bill Miller, True Blue by Northern Cree, Wind Songs – Native American Flute Solos by John Two-Hawks, Riders of The Healing Road by Johnny Whitehorse

Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album: Alligator Purse by Beausoleil Avec Michael Doucet, Lay Your Burden Down by Buckwheat Zydeco, Stripped Down by The Magnolia Sisters
Live at 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by Pine Leaf Boys, L’Ésprit Créole by Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole.

Best Reggae Album: Rasta Got Soul by Buju Banton, Brand New Me by Gregory Isaacs, Awake by Julian Marley,  Mind Control Acoustic by Stephen Marley, Imperial Blaze
by Sean Paul

Best Traditional Blues Album: A Stranger Here by Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Blue Again by The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Featuring Rick Vito, Rough & Tough by John Hammond, Stomp! The Blues Tonight by Duke Robillard, and Chicago Blues: A Living History by Various Artists (Larry Skoller, producer)
[Raisin’ Music]

Best Contemporary Blues Album: This Time by The Robert Cray Band, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster by Ruthie Foster, Live: Hope At The Hideout by Mavis Staples, Back To The River by Susan Tedeschi, and Already Free by The Derek Trucks Band.

Best Americana Album: Together Through Life by Bob Dylan, Electric Dirt by Levon Helm, Willie and the Wheel by Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel, Wilco (The Album) by Wilco, and Little Honey by Lucinda Williams

"The nominations this year truly reflect the talented community of music makers who represent some of the highest levels of excellence in their respective fields," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "Once again, the GRAMMY Awards process has yielded a well-rounded and diverse group of impressive nominees across multiple genres. Coupled with the second year of our primetime nominations special, which featured stellar performances by past GRAMMY winners and nominees, the road to Music’s Biggest Night and the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in January is off to an exciting start."

Beyoncé tops the nominations with 10, Taylor Swift garners eight, and the Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell, and Kanye West each earn six nods. Guetta, Jay-Z and Lady Gaga receive five each; and Colbie Caillat, Michael Giacchino, Kings Of Leon, John Newton, RedOne, Bruce Springsteen, T-Pain, and Keith Urban each have four nominations.