Austin artists Willie Nelson, Spoon, Asleep at the Wheel and Black Pumas earn Grammy nods
On Tuesday, the Recording Academy announced this year's Grammy Awards nominees. and the biggest Texan in the game is Beyoncé. The Houston ride or die leads nominees with a whopping nine nods, including album of the year for her excellent foray into house music, "Renaissance," and record of the year and song of the year for the chart topper, "Break My Soul."
This year's noms take the Queen Bee's career total to a record-breaking 88 nominations; she ties for most career nods with her husband Jay-Z, who matched that total this year. The 2023 Grammy Awards will take place on Feb. 5 in Los Angeles. Here's a look at the Austin nominations:
Willie Nelson is up for 3 solo, 1 family award
Country music legend Willie Nelson leads the Austin acts with four nominations. Nelson is up for best country solo performance for "Live Forever." The Billy Joe Shaver classic was recorded for the new tribute record, "Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver," that came out earlier this month. The record pays homage to the Texas songwriting legend who died in Oct. 2020.
More:Billy Joe Shaver tribute album due this fall; hear Willie Nelson's cover song
Nelson is also nominated for best country album for "A Beautiful Time," released this year on April 29, his 89th birthday. The opening track and first single on the album, "I'll Love You Till the Day I Die," written by Rodney Crowell and Chris Stapleton, is up for best country song. Former Statesman music writer Peter Blackstock called the track "an unrequited love song for the ages. It's an arresting album-opener that signals the depth and quality of what follows."
More:Willie Nelson keeps on rolling at 89 with new album 'A Beautiful Time'
"Willie Nelson Family," the self-titled release that features Nelson alongside his sister Bobbie, sons Lukas and Micah and daughters Paula and Amy, is up for best roots gospel album.
Nelson, 89, has 10 Grammy wins under his belt and 53 total career nominations.
Austin indie rock heroes Spoon land their first nomination
Austin indie rock titans Spoon nabbed their first Grammy nomination for "Lucifer on the Sofa." The album is up for best rock album.
"Unreal. Thank you @RecordingAcad for the nomination. Thanks to the many people who had a hand in seeing that 'Lucifer On The Sofa' came into the world with dignity and class. It’s been a special year, one we will not forget. Much love," a message posted to the band's official Twitter account on Tuesday evening said.
The band's first studio release in five years was primarily recorded in Austin. "“The idea was just to be able to take in some of the vibrancy of this city, and use that energy to write and to record,” lead singer Britt Daniel told the Statesman in February.
Asleep at the Wheel is up for best Americana; Black Pumas box set also wins nod
Austin's kings of Western swing, Asleep at the Wheel, nabbed a best Americana performance nomination for "There You Go Again," a Lyle Lovett collaboration on the band's 50th anniversary album "Half a Hundred Years." Ray Benson and his band have a career 27 nominations with eight wins.
Finally, Austin's Black Pumas — or rather Jenna Krackenberger, Anna McCaleb and Preacher, the art directors for their self-titled Record Store Day 7" box set — were nominated for best boxed or special limited edition package.
FROM USA TODAY: The full list of Grammy 2023 nominees
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Willie Nelson, Spoon, Asleep at the Wheel will rep Austin at Grammys
