Local acts bask in Grammy spotlight

Georgia ties can be found in a wide range of genres on this year’s Grammy Awards nominations list.

Competing for best new artist is country trio Lady Antebellum —- two of whose members claim Augusta as home.

Atlanta R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo’s latest album, “Year of the Gentleman,” is up for the highest honor, album of the year. And in the same category, local hip-hop and R&B artists-producers T-Pain, Bobby Valentino and Shondrae “Mr. Bangladesh” Crawford could bring back the top prize if the album they contributed to —- “Tha Carter III” by Grammy nominations leader Lil Wayne —- wins.

And that’s just in the major categories among the 110 awards to be handed out Feb. 8 in Los Angeles.

The Atlanta chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences —- which puts on the Grammys —- counted some 30-plus nominees with metro area ties.

“I’ve been on the phone with my parents and my friends this morning just trying to make sense of it all really,” Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood said Thursday after the nominations were announced. “I mean, what do you even say to that? I’m still in complete shock.

“A year ago our first song was coming out, so this has been an unbelievable year for us,” Haywood said. “We started off this year with a win at the ACM [Academy of Country Music] awards, and at the time that was unbelievable. And looking back it still is. After that I was like, ‘You know what, we weren’t that deserving of that, so hopefully in another few years we’ll get a nomination for something else.’ And then the CMA [Country Music Association] awards came in last month and then we won that and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, you’re kidding.’ Then last night.”

Haywood, speaking from Las Vegas, said the trio found out about the nominations during a performance.

“In between the shows we walked off the stage to a text message from our tour manager that just said ‘Congrats on your two Grammy nominations.’ And we were like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It’s just insane, because [the Grammys are] an international thing for all genres of music.”

In addition to best new artist, Lady Antebellum is contending for country performance by a duo or group with vocals, along with Atlanta’s Sugarland.

Fellow first-time Grammy nominee Janelle Monae should have known something was going on the night of the announcement when the head of her record label, entertainment mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, rang her phone off the hook while she was also in Las Vegas, at Cirque du Soleil.

“There I was, so excited, enjoying my birthday present from the guys, the Wondaland Arts Society —- my birthday was Monday —- and Puff [another Combs nickname] was calling all of our phones,” the Atlantan recalled. “He was so excited. Nobody was expecting this… . I don’t have a [full-length] major, big album. I don’t have a big radio single … and to still be recognized [in the urban/alternative performance category for “Many Moons”] among so many talented people is just a blessing.”

Atlanta jazz guitarist Earl Klugh’s sentiments exactly.

“I’ve been recording 32 years,” the one-time Grammy winner said from New York, where he learned his “The Spice of Life” is a nominee for pop instrumental album. “And at my advanced age it just makes me feel good to still be recognized,” he said with a laugh. “I put a lot of time into this record. It is the first record I’ve done with a full band in nine years. So again, this feels really good.”

Good thing for Anthony David, an R&B singer-songwriter also on the Grammy list for the first time for his own music, he was actually at his downtown Atlanta home when the news came via e-mail.

“[Longtime friend] Richard [Dunn] came by my place and we drank some vodka to celebrate,” said David, who shares the R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals nod for the ballad “Words” with two-time Grammy winner India Arie —- for whom he once sang background.

“It was just plain ol’ Absolut though,” he said. “They don’t take Grammy nominations at the liquor store.”

Shane Harrison contributed to this article.