Grammy Trivia

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Grammys

As I write this I’m watching the Grammys since so many trivia questions are about music.  As I only listen to country, I always look at my team mates with a blank expression.  [Except last week when the DJ asked what is the drinking implement featured in Toby Keith’s latest hit (answer: Red Solo Cup)]

I admit much of it the program’s isn’t thrilling me so I decided to look up trivia. I smiled when I found out that the Grammys were originally called the ‘Gramaphone Awards’…that name certainly wouldn’t cut it with the current audience.  I wonder if the kids even know the gramophone once was used to play records.   Likewise do the winners know they’re latching on to a ‘stunt’ trophy because the real one, which is handmade, is too delicate?

I like the fact that the person who has won the most Grammys at 31 awards is conductor Sir
Georg Solti, who led the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for 22 years.  Alison Krauss comes in 2^nd with 28 awards.

Age doesn’t matter in this peer-based award: LeeAnn Rhimes is the youngest to win at age 14 while Pinetop Perkins is the oldest at age 97.

The most Grammys for consecutive albums honor goes to Pat Metheny and his band at seven while Jimmy Sturr [18 out of 24 Best Polka Album before the award was discontinued in 2009] and Bill Cosby [6 years running for Best Comedy Album] have won the most consecutive awards in the same category.

Someone who doesn’t want to be confined to any particular music genre is Béla Fleck, who has been nominated in more categories than any other musician, namely country, pop, jazz, bluegrass, classical, folk and spoken word, as well as composition and arranging.

With respect to the song of the year, the only multiple winners in this category include Henry Mancini 1962 and 1964), James Horner (1988 and 1999) and the band members of U2 (2001 and 2006) winning two times each. On the other hand, songs written for Andy Williams and Roberta Flack have received this award twice.

Has a song in a foreign language ever won song of the year? Oh yes, “Volare” in 1959 by Domenico Modugno in Italian. Best music memory ever for me…listening to ‘Volare’ while gliding along the Venice canals.  

:) Carol