On Sunday, January 31, the 52nd Annual Grammy awards were held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, and the ceremony proved to be a memorable night for many Taylor Guitars artists as performers, nominees and winners.
Longtime Taylor player Taylor Swift (PSGA, GS8, 615ce, PS-LTD, T5-S, K65ce, SolidBody), who went into the weekend with eight nominations, took home awards for Album of the Year (Fearless), Best Country Song (“White Horse”), Best Country Album (Fearless), and Best Female Country Vocal Performance (“White Horse”). As part of the ceremony, Swift treated the audience to a performance of her new song, “Today was a Fairytale,” from the Valentine’s Day movie soundtrack on her all-koa PSGA and was joined by legendary songstress Stevie Nicks. The duo broke into the ’70s Fleetwood Mac hit, “Rhiannon,” which morphed into a rendition of Swift’s high school angst/crush anthem, “You Belong with Me.”
Shortly after the Zac Brown Band (NS74ce, 910, 614ce, 612ce, Baby Taylor, SolidBody, T3 ) accepted their award for Best New Artist, the band, accompanied by famed keyboardist Leon Russell, performed an Americana medley, including “America the Beautiful” and their country radio hit, “Chicken Fried.” Brown rocked hard on his NS74ce, enthralling the audience with some hot, deep-dig picking to close out the performance.
The Dave Matthews Band (914ce, 714, 410, Jumbo Custom, W65, 856ce) scored nominations for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album, and were on-hand to perform their hit “You and Me” from Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. Dave Matthews strummed his well-worn 914ce, and the band was joined on stage by a full orchestra of promising, young musicians.
Other Taylor strummers who came away winners included Jason Mraz (JMSM, 714ce, 612ce, NS52ce, NS72ce) in the categories of Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, and children’s artist Buck Howdy (PS15, T5S1 custom, 615 Custom), who was awarded Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Aaaaah! Spooky, Scary Stories and Songs.
Additional Taylor-playing Grammy nominees included legendary country crooner George Strait (910 custom cocobolo), Katy Perry (814ce, 512ce, Baby Taylor), Daryl Hall and John Oates (555, NS74CE, SB-X, 614CE, 912C), Rascal Flatts (GSMS, 614CE, 810, GSRS, 615ce, 810CE, 714ce, NS74ce, 855), Trace Adkins (615ce, 815c, HR-LTD, GS6), Prince (T5, 612ce, 414ce), Paramore (314ce, 712, 714ce) and The Fray (310ce, T5C1, T5S1).
You can view a complete list of Grammy-nominated and winning Taylor artists below. For more information about the 52nd Grammy Awards, please visit www.grammy.com
Album of the Year
Taylor Swift, Fearless (Winner)
Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and The Groogrux King
Song of the Year
Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me”
Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band (Winner)
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Katy Perry, “Hot N Cold”
Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me”
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Jason Mraz, “Make it Mine” (Winner)
Best Solo Rock Performance
Prince, “The Dreamer”
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
Daryl Hall and John Oates, “Sara Smile”
The Fray, “Never Say Never”
Best Pop Collaborative with Vocals
Jason Mraz w/Colbie Caillat, “Lucky” (Winner)
Taylor Swift w/Colbie Caillat, “Breathe”
Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
Jars of Clay, The Long Fall Back to Earth
Best Rock Album
Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
Best Female Country Performance
Taylor Swift, “White Horse” (Winner)
Best Male Country Performance
George Strait, “Living for the Night”
Trace Adkins, “All I Ask for Anymore”
Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group
Zac Brown Band, “Chicken Fried”
Rascal Flatts, “Here Comes Goodbye”
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
George Strait w/Lee Ann Womack, “Everything But Quits”
Best Country Song
Taylor Swift, “White Horse” (Winner)
Best Country Album
Taylor Swift, Fearless (Winner)
Zac Brown Band, The Foundation
George Strait, Twang
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Daryl Hall & John Oates, “Sara Smile”
Best Musical Album for Children
Buck Howdy, Pete Seeger Tribute – Ageless Kids Songs
Best Spoken Word Album for Children
Buck Howdy, Aaaaah! Spooky, Scary Stories and Songs (Winner)
Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Paramore, “Decode” (from Twilight)