MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It was one of the biggest nights of the year for the music industry, and Memphis was right in the mix.
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards took place Sunday, Feb. 5 in Los Angeles, and a few Memphians were in the running to win Grammy awards and possibly bring home new pieces of hardware.
Although there were no home wins, here's a breakdown of some of the talent that represented the Mid-South at the Grammys.
Hitkidd & GloRilla
Music producer Hitkidd & rapper GloRilla were nominated for Best Rap Performance for their hit song "F.N.F. (Let's Go)." The single created by the two Memphis natives took over airwaves and social media last year.
According to the Grammy's website, they competed against the following:
- "GOD DID" (DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Waye, Jay-Z, John Legend, Fridayy)
- "pushin P" (Gunna and Future featuring Young Thug)
- "The Heart Part 5" (Kendrick Lamar)
- "Vegas" (Doja Cat)
While "Vegas" clearly isn't Memphis -- the song does have a slight tie to the Mid-South. It's on the soundtrack for the 2022 film "Elvis." The movie depicts Elvis Presley's start in the music industry and his life in Memphis. People Magazine noted last year that Doja Cat's " Vegas" sampled the song "Hound Dog" by blues singer Big Mama Thornton. Presley later put his spin on the record -- a song that many fans of the late star still adore to this day.
Ultimately, Kendrick Lamar's "The Heart Part 5" came out on top for the Best Rap Performance win.
Eric Gales goes head to head with North Mississippi Allstars
It's no secret that Memphis artists have influenced blues and rock music over the years. That's definitely evident this year at the 2023 Grammys, with two talented acts from the Mid-South nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album.
Rock and blues guitarist Eric Gales was up for his album "Crown." It features 16 tracks and was released in Jan. 2022.
The group North Mississippi All-stars vied for the same award for "Set Sail." According to the group's website, it's their 13th album.
Here's who they went up against:
- "Done Come Too Far" (Shemekia Copeland)
- "Bloodline Maintenance" (Ben Harper)
- "Brother Johnny" (Edgar Winter)
“Brother Johnny” by Edgar Winter took the win for Best Contemporary Blues Album category.
Charlie Musselwhite
Charlie Musselwhite is Mississippi-born, but he was raised in Memphis, according to his website. The artist was nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album for the 2022 release of "Mississippi Son."
Others in the category included:
- "Heavy Load Blues" (Gov't Mule)
- "The Blues Don't Lie" (Buddy Guy)
- "The Sun is Shining Down" (John Mayall)
“Get On Board,” by Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder took the cake for Best Tradition Blues Album.
More music with Memphis ties
There are other artists and producers with connections to the Mid-South who were a part of other projects that were nominated.
Marco Pavé, a Memphis native, was nominated for his contributions "Requiem for the Enslaved" in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition category.
The same is so for rapper Moneybagg Yo and producer/engineer Ari Morris. Up for Album of the Year was Mary J. Blige's "Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)." They both were mentioned on the Grammys' website for their contributions to the R&B star's album. In fact, Moneybagg Yo is featured on Blige's song "Tough Love."
"Harry's House" by Harry Styles won Best Album of the year.