At the Grammys, everything old is new ... again

Two weeks before the nominations were announced, Saadiq and his label, Universal Records, parted ways. He was disappointed that his album sold only 168,000 copies and noted, "Being on a major label, it should have sold more than that."

Saadiq was flattered to learn Grammy voters were listening anyway. It's also possible Universal's many Grammy voters threw support his way before he left the fold.

There's no such muscle-flexing at independent label Red House Records, which has one song sung by Lucinda Williams in the running for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

"We have one vote in this building and the Sonys of the world have many, many votes," says Red House president Bob Feldman. "They have more visibility; they're able to spend more money [on lobbying]." Williams is competing against major-label stars Faith Hill, Martina McBride, and Lee Ann Womack, and an independent-label release by Dolly Parton.

As for whether major-label staffers vote with their ears or to protect their jobs, Mr. Feldman says, "I'd like to think they're voting for the talent and voting in the categories they know about. But I don't think that's the case.... If they did, there'd be a lot more indies winning."

Hochkeppel predicts that Bruce Springsteen's cathartic post-9/11 release, "The Rising," "will clean up." The disc is also contending for Best Rock Album, and the same-titled single is up for Song of the Year, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song.

"Springsteen is going to win [for Album of the Year] because (a), it's a wonderful record and (b), it's a lifetime achievement. He's been neglected by the Grammys," says Hochkeppel. Recent wins by Santana and Steely Dan bolster this theory.

Neglect of outstanding artists is another industry issue.

"A lot of [the problems] come from the fact that the major labels have too much power," he says. But he commends NARAS for making progress; 10 years ago, an album like last year's "O Brother, Where Art Thou" likely would not have been nominated, much less win Album of the Year. (The film soundtrack is on roots music label Lost Highway, a subsidiary of Universal.)

Other indie artists, such as Delbert McClinton (the musician who taught John Lennon how to play harmonica) are also getting long-delayed recognition.

McClinton's "Nothing Personal" won Best Contemporary Blues Album last year; he's nominated again for his follow-up, "Room to Breathe."

McClinton's friend, blues player Tommy Castro, finds that encouraging. It means, he says, "Good music still has a chance of getting out there. As long as the songs are good, anything can happen."

Page: 1 | 2