Grammy Award nominations 2017: See the Louisiana connections
December 9, 2016
Thanks to two powerhouse recordings from the same family name, Beyonce and Solange Knowles, and an infatuation with the city of New Orleans, two sisters represent the city's most notable connections to the 2017 Grammy Award nominations.
Solange Knowles' "A Seat at the Table," which was produced partially in her adopted hometown of New Orleans, was released Sept. 30, just making it the cut for Grammy consideration. The Recording Academy considered music released between Oct. 1, 2015, and Sept. 30, 2016. The album was widely lauded by critics and marked the singer's first No. 1 album.
As for Beyonce Knowles' "Lemonade," the album was a smash success in sales and spawned both a massive sell-out tour and any number of rumors about the pop star's marriage to Jay Z, as an extramarital affair of his seems to be discussed in the project. But it was the visual album -- a one-hour film that debuted on HBO -- that marks the local connection. Much of the project was filmed in and around New Orleans, including scenes inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Fort Macomb and Madewood Plantation.
One notable exception to the list of local Grammy connections: Frank Ocean. The elusive, New Orleans-born artist released his much anticipated album, "Blonde," and his visual album, "Endless," in August just doing so in time to land within the consideration period. A rule change by the Recording Academy in 2016, which made digital-only releases welcome for consideration, paved the way for Ocean's projects, but his were not submitted.
The Washington Post reported that the non-submission was intentional.
You can read the full list of 2017 Grammy Award nominees by clicking here, but you'll find a list of Louisiana-related ones below.
If you know of a local connection we missed, please add a comment to the bottom of the story or email cbrasted@nola.com. We'd love to make sure they're included.
* Beyonce: Record of the Year ("Lemonade"), Album of the Year ("Lemonade"), Song of the Year ("Formation), Best Pop Solo Performance ("Hold Up"), Best Urban Contemporary Album ("Lemonade"), Best Rap/Sung Performance ("Freedom," ft. Kendrick Lamar), Best Music Video ("Formation"), Best Rock Performance ("Don't Hurt Yourself," ft. Jack White) and Best Music Film ("Lemonade")
* Solange Knowles: Best Traditional R&B Performance ("Cranes in the Sky")
* DJ Khaled: Best Rap Album ("Major Key")
* Tim McGraw: Songwriter Lori McKenna earned the nod for his "Humble and Kind"
* Branford Marsalis: Best Jazz Vocal Album for The Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling ("Upward Spiral")
* Roddie Romero and the Hub City All Stars: Best American Roots Song ("Gulfstream"), Best Regional Roots Music Album ("Gulfstream")
* Barry Ancelet & Sam Broussard: Best Regional Roots Music Album ("Broken Promised Land")
* Vasti Jackson: Best Traditional Blues Album ("The Soul of Jimmie Rodgers")
* Bobby Rush: Best Traditional Blues Album ("Porcupine Meat")
* Kenny Neal: Best Contemporary Blues Album ("Bloodline")
* Khris Royal: In the horn section for Rebelution's "Falling Into Place," which earned a Best Reggae Album nod