Stars Shine At Grammy Nominee Party

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Pictured (L-R): Nominees Rebecca Lovell (Larkin Poe), Lainey Wilson, Megan Lovell (Larkin Poe), Carly Pearce and Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Ed Rode for Getty Images, Courtesy of the Recording Academy

Nothing says “Music City” like the community’s annual Grammy nominee party.

The diversity of Nashville’s sounds was nowhere better illustrated than at this event, a cocktail supper staged Wednesday (Jan. 24) at the Analog nightspot in the Hutton Hotel. That is because this year’s nominees for music’s top honor span 41 different categories, including folk, metal, blues, bluegrass, Americana, arranging and musical theater, as well as the country and gospel fields.

Pictured (L-R): Nominees Dierks Bentley and Michael Trotter Jr. (The War and Treaty). Photo: Ed Rode for Getty Images, Courtesy of the Recording Academy

“Our chapter celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Nashville’s Recording Academy chapter board president Armand Hutton. ”A Grammy nomination recognizes music excellence. This year, the Nashville chapter has 94 nominees representing 164 nominations… We are so proud to see so many in this room tonight… We are, indeed, Music City.”

Celebrants at the event included such 2024 nominees as John Carter Cash, Dierks Bentley, Blessing Offor, Carly Pearce, Larkin Poe, Sam Bush, Michael Trotter of The War and Treaty, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Joel Smallbone of For King and Country, Tracy Nelson, Hank Bentley and Reggie Smith of The Gaither Vocal Band.

“Nashville is a very special music market,” said Nashville’s Recording Academy senior executive director Alicia Warwick. “We see you coming together tonight. So many friendly faces out there. Thank you for being here.”

Among Nashville’s major Grammy achievements this year are three Best New Artist nominees, The War and Treaty, Noah Kahan and Jelly Roll. Of the five Songwriter of the Year nominees, two of them are Nashvillians, party attendee Jessie Jo Dillon plus Shane McAnally.

These last two were celebrated with music at the party. McAnally signed the sister duo Tigirlily Gold to his Monument Records. The women — Kendra and Krista Slaubaugh —  performed “I Should Have Married You,” which McAnally cowrote and produced for/with Old Dominion, as well as their own single “Shoot Tequila,” which he produced.

Megan Moroney, backed by Kristian Bush, performs at the Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Nominee Celebration. Photo: Ed Rode for Getty Images, Courtesy of the Recording Academy

Megan Moroney and Kristian Bush (her producer) took the stage to salute Dillon with “Girl in the Mirror” and the current single “No Caller ID,” both of which Jessie Jo Dillon co-wrote with Moroney. “I love writing songs with you,” she told the Grammy-party honoree.

“All you nominees, take a breath and take this all in,” advised Warwick. “The Grammys are only a week away.”

The 66th annual Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 4 in Los Angeles with CBS airing the ceremony. Among those who have been announced as performing is Luke Combs.

Pictured (L-R): Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Senior Executive Director Alicia Warwick, nominee John Carter Cash, Recording Academy Nashville Chapter President Armand Hutton. Photo: Ed Rode for Getty Images, Courtesy of the Recording Academy

Tigirlily Gold’s Krista and Kendra Slaubaugh perform at the Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Nominee Celebration. Photo: Ed Rode for Getty Images, Courtesy of the Recording Academy

Robert K Oermann
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