It’s a problem.
On one hand, it’s a nice problem to have. A tie in the votes led to not five, but six great Louisiana music acts being under consideration for the very first Zydeco / Cajun Album category in the Recording Academy’s Grammy Awards. Six Louisiana music acts that will, from here on, be billed as “Grammy nominated….”
That the category even exists is due, in large part, to the unyielding efforts of Terrance and Cynthia Simien, and the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy. Terrance, a zydeco musician who plays throughout the world, is one of the nominees. I would love to see him win the first Grammy in this new category that he and Cynthia helped to birth.
If not, I would still be very happy to see any of the other six Louisiana nominees win; they are all very deserving.
There is one more nominee, however, who is not from Louisiana, nor does she live here. Lisa Haley, from California, is the lone non-Louisiana nominee in this category. “Where’d THAT come from?” asks one fellow Louisiana musician. “I listened to her stuff,” says another. “They’re not from here; you can tell.”
One might shrug off such comments as sour grapes, by a group of inclusive musicians who want this to be “their” category, no outsiders allowed. Besides, why worry? Most of the nominees are from Louisiana, surely one of them will win, right?
Maybe not. Consider this: The Louisiana vote will be split among the six nominees, even if one or two of them garner most of the votes. I’m not sure how many Grammy voting members are in Louisiana, but I’m willing to bet it’s nowhere near the number of Grammy voting members who live in or around Los Angeles.
Haley’s credentials are impressive. Her bio and resume include work with Sir George Martin, who produced the Beatles, Keb Mo’ and others. She has numerous film credits and performs in festivals and on major stages throughout the world. In fact, one can’t help but wonder how she gets these gigs. Her musicianship is quite good and her band is filled with top players, but….well, they’re not from here. You can tell. The rhythm, the playing, the style….it’s just not quite Louisiana.
But as anyone in business – and especially show biz – knows, it’s not what you know, but who you know. Contacts, contacts, and networking. I want to learn how she does it. (I also want her Blackberry. Can you imagine the contacts?) I’m impressed, and would love to learn from her.
Once again, we return to that problem mentioned above. It is VERY likely that Lisa Haley has more than enough votes among her contacts in LA to outvote all of our nominees’ contacts in La. She and her band members have played with an impressive and lengthy list of Big Names. Chances are, she has the votes, and it is a real possibility that a non-Louisiana musician will win the first Zydeco or Cajun Music Grammy.
I have several problems with that. One is simply that what she plays isn’t really Zydeco or Cajun. The rhythm is subtly wrong. The nuances are missing. Yes, it’s fun music, very well done, and quite enjoyable. I could have a good time listening and dancing to her and her band. She’s put out good products, is a master at networking, and her press material will wow you. But the music doesn’t quite fit the genre.
Second problem is that major population areas (especially those who have a large entertainment industry) weigh heavily in Grammy voting. Again, even if every single voting member in Louisiana voted for one single Louisiana nominee, we may still be outvoted by voting members elsewhere who can choose to vote in this category for someone as a favor, because of networking, or other reason.
My prediction? If this first year’s Zydeco / Cajun Grammy goes to a non-Louisiana musician, the Louisiana musicians will be fed up with what they may see as “one more rip-off” and not participate in the Grammies at all – not as entrants or as members. Sorry, we’ve had a bit of a run of bad luck, especially lately. We found we couldn’t trust FEMA, the Red Cross, our own insurance companies or our own state government. Of course, our state government has been corrupt for a very long time, so we’ve learned to be very cynical about things. We don’t trust easily.
And yes, we’re a bit proprietary. It is our music; it is the rhythm of our lives. Creole, Cajun, Spanish, French, Native American – whatever our mixed bloodlines, the music of Louisiana is our heritage. This soulful sonic gumbo goes beyond Zydeco and Cajun, including Swamp Pop, Blues, Jazz, Dixieland, Gospel, Blue-eyed Soul and R & B.
We do like to share. We are happy to adopt people from other areas who come here and fall in love with our culture, our food, and our music. After all, we understand that love. There’s a saying that if you drink bayou water, you’ll always return to south Louisiana.
Louisiana has had its share of troubles for a long time, and especially post-Katrina and post-Rita. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, a Zydeco / Cajun Grammy is a blip on the radar of history (and the music business). But to us, it’s a glimmer of hope on a horizon that’s been pretty cloudy lately. Having this category honors all of the music of Louisiana, the musicians, its history, and the people who have danced to it for generations.
The music business is like a soulless fickle prostitute, available for sale to the highest bidder. In years to come, I’m sure we will have non-Louisiana musicians vying for the Grammy, and some will win. But this first groundbreaking year should honor a Louisiana musician, who represents the generations of heritage, hope, and les bon temps. To think that this dream might slip through our hands...ce n’est pas juste. It just ain’t right.
