Grammy File

The 46th annual Grammy Awards take place this coming Sunday and once again, critics are questioning their relevance. Are they an adequate barometer of the best recordings of the year or merely an exercise in music industry hype? How are the nominations selected and who are the standouts in this year’s list of nominees? Billboard columnist Anastasia Tsioulcas joins us to sort it all out. Also on the show, bassist Viktor Krauss has been called the next Bill Frisell for his knack for writing well-crafted instrumental music with airy, haunting melodies and diverse musical styles from hard rock to country. In fact, his new solo album features guitarist Frisell as well as slide guitarist Jerry Douglas and Krauss’s noted sister, the singer Allison Krauss. Yet as we learn today, he’s hardly a Frisell clone but a distinctive artist in his own right.
Additional Resources:
» A complete list of nominees at the Grammy Web site
» More on Victor Krauss at Nonesuch Records