articles
January 4, 2001
This Year's Grammys: Little Luck for Canucks
by Barbara Fletcher
Sadly, it's slim awards pickings for Canadian artists at this year's
Grammy Awards.
While there are no landslide Shania Twain or Celine Dion nominations this year, Canadians can at least
be proud of the work that has made it through the Grammy
selection process.
Not surprisingly, the Barenaked Ladies picked up
a nomination for Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal for their
peppy "Pinch Me" from the album Maroon.
Something else to be proud of: Canadians snagged two nominations for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
Singers Sarah McLachlan and
Sheryl Crow worked together on "The
Difficult Kind" (from Live from Central Park), and Celine Dion completed a song with Frank
Sinatra entitled "All the Way" (from Decade of Song)
And while we're on the subject of artist comebacks, why has Joni
Mitchell's new album not received any media attention? Do Canadians know that she is back with an
album worthy of Grammy nomination? This quiet release of Both
Sides Now managed to score two nominations for the Canadian folk goddess, one of which is
Best Traditional Vocal Pop Album.
Another double-nominated artist is Montreal-born (and world-renowned) pianist
Marc-André Hamelin.
His work has been nominated for both Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra) for
Busoni: Piano Con., Op. XXXIX and Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)
for Godowsky: The Complete Studies on Chopin's Etudes. Both recordings are with
Hyperion Records in the UK.
And thank goodness Canadians know how to put on a good show. The majority of the remaining nominations
involve artist performance: "Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend" (from Here and Now) by the
The Wilkinsons' for Best
Country Performance by A Duo or Group With Vocal,
Alanis Morissette's "So Pure"
(from Woodstock, 9) for Best Female Rock Performance, and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" (from Both Sides Now)
for Best Female Pop Performance.
With over 50 recordings, ten Grammy nominations, and 3 Grammy Awards under his accordian, it's not
surprising to see a nomination for Mr. Oom-Pa-Pa himself,
Walter Ostanek, for Best Polka Album,
Let's Dance.
East Coast fiddler favourite Natalie
MacMaster also nabbed a nomination for Best Traditional Folk Album for
My Roots Are Showing.