What are they? When are they? And, will they be on TV? I will answer these questions the best that I can, as well as give you a glimpse of some neat Grammy stuff I have to share with you.

To Start From the Beginning
A Grammy is not just the mother of one of your parents. It’s also an award.

To be more exact, Grammys, named after the Gramophone (a record player – remember those?), are awards that are given out annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the record industry. They are a very big deal; just being nominated is an honor. It means you are there, you made it, you are in the running with the best of the best and, at the end of the night, you might take home that golden gilded Victrola.

This year, the 50th Annual Grammy Awards will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on February 10, 2008. The pre-televised portion of the show can be heard on XM Radio. The televised portion is scheduled to be broadcast on CBS at 8PM EST.

Uh, maybe – this is why I find myself in a small dilemma.

As a writer for Pop Music, the Grammys are also a big deal to me. I’m ecstatic this year because I actually have an “insider” for the nominations and the show. A few months ago, I met a man who is entrenched in the music business. It’s his life, and to loosely quote him, “music is the air that he breathes”. We’ve been working together on newly released music, as well as exciting changes and projects in the music industry. Now, I shy away from using his name because I want to ask him first. However, because of him I have some really neat stuff to share with you when it comes to the Grammys. But . . . first thing is first and my main concern today is to do my best to briefly explain to you the issue surrounding the televised coverage of this prestigious show.

What? No Writers?
This is a quick blurb about the writer’s strike. The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) went on strike on November 5, 2007. Combined, the two unions represent American film, television and radio writers. I’m not going into the specific union issues. There are many places on the web, television, local and national newspapers that will break this down and explain it much better than I can. However, I wanted to address the concern that this strike could possibly turn off the music of this year’s Grammys on our televisions.

The Associated Press reported that producers of the show are asking that a deal be made with the writers so that they can work on the telecast. There has been no definite word on an answer to this request. A similar request was made for the Golden Globes, and as you know, that show was not televised.

That’s where we are at. I can’t say yes; I can’t say no. I can say that I understand the writer’s position. I understand anyone’s position when it comes to taking a stand for what they believe in. At the same time, I understand the public’s position. We like these shows, whether they are about television, Broadway, movies or music. Award shows are interesting and filled with fashion and celebrities. The shows also make great next-day water cooler conversation.

The Grammys have always been important to me because of my love of music, my radio career, and now as a pop music writer. I also feel for the artists, the bands, and the people in the music industry. A lot of hard work goes into a music career. The Grammys are one of the crowning moments that pay tribute to that hard work and achievements. It would be a shame for it not to happen in full view.

Will the Grammys be cancelled on the Pop Music site at BellaOnline.com?
No! I have some great Grammy stuff. We can talk about the list of nominees and take a look into their work and projects. I also have a wonderful 50th Anniversary Grammy CD collection to tell you about and I’ll see if I can get my “insider” friend to give us a close-up look at Grammys, the process, the splendor – as much as he will tell us!

I will be back in 2 days with the Grammy collection and, keep your fingers crossed, an update or resolution on what’s happening with the Grammys and television.

Want to talk about this? I’ve opened a thread in our forum for discussion. You can talk about any aspect of the Grammys that you wish. And, it’s free.

See you soon!
Chel