You kind of have to admire the folks behind the Grammy Awards for the way they read a calendar, or ignore it as the case may be.
Getting worked up about an award show is about as meaningful as complaining about taxes or cafeteria food, but it was interesting to see some of this year's winners. I actually have no problem with who won some of the bigger awards as I like Adele a lot, and the band fun. is just plain, well, fun.
What is interesting is that "Set Fire to the Rain," for which Adele won The Best Pop Solo Performance Grammy, is on her "21" CD, which came out in 2011.
The Best New Artist Grammy went to fun. Granted, "We Are Young" did come out last year, but the band has been around since 2008. The Grammy folks don't like to box themselves in with technicalities like release and formation dates and such.
Apparently, what they officially mean is you can win an award like Best New Artist if you haven't won it before, or more to the point, what they mean is Best New Artist That We Now Care About.
The Recording Academy is also obviously recognizing the power of the Internet and the idea that fans choose a single song more so than an album by giving the award for Record of the Year to Gotye for "Somebody That I Used To Know." In addition to actually selling 7 million copies, the song was heard online 400 million times.
• The voice was strong and clear, but the better news was the laughter in Tommy Jett's voicemail that he left the other day. You may remember that Jett had quite a scare following a bad car accident several months ago, and I don't think I'm overstating things when I say many of his friends thought we'd lost him.
Anyway, he called to tell me about a WFLI radio reunion he is planning, and we had several good belly laughs, mostly about his being a legend and an icon as well as a very humble human being.
Jett helped sign on the station back on Feb. 20, 1961, and plans to have as many former Jet-Fli veterans on his weekly show as possible on the anniversary celebration Tuesday.
"There aren't many of us left," he said. "Of the original ones, only me, Johnny Eagle and Dale Anthony are left. I've invited David Carroll, Billy ["Dex"] Poindexter and Jim Stevens and anybody else that can make it."
Jett hosts his show live at WAAK-FM 94.7 in Ringgold, and it will be simulcast on www.tommyjett.com and then available there all week. In addition to sharing memories, the host and his guests will play rock 'n' roll hits from the '60s through the early '90s.
Contact staff writer Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.
Barry Courter is staff reporter and columnist for the Times Free Press. He started his journalism career at the Chattanooga News-Free Press in 1987. He covers primarily entertainment and events for ChattanoogaNow, as well as feature stories for the Life section. Born in Lafayette, Ind., Barry has lived in Chattanooga since 1968. He graduated from Notre Dame High School and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in broadcast journalism. He previously was ...
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