11 February 2019

Kacey Musgraves has become the first country music artist to win Album of the Year at the Grammys in nine years with ‘Golden Hour’, while winning all four of the awards she was nominated for. The Texas born artist was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance (Butterflies), Best Country Song (Space Cowboy), Best Country Album (‘Golden Hour’) and Album of the Year (‘Golden Hour’) and won all four. While Musgraves’ success in the country music sector for the Grammys is staggering in its own right, the fact she was the first country artist since Taylor Swift in 2010 with Fearless (before she fully converted to pop) to win the general Album of the Year award is colossal for the country music genre. Elsewhere, Dan + Shay won Best Country Duo/Group Performance with Tequila, while Brandi Carlile took home Best American Roots Performance (The Joke), Best American Roots Song (The Joke) and Best Americana Album (‘By The Way, I Forgive You). Willie Nelson also won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (‘My Way’) on the night. In terms of performances, there was a huge tribute to Dolly Parton that proved to be something of a 10-minute medley with a hoist of star names. Taking to the stage with Parton herself were Musgraves and Katy Perry for a rendition of Here You Come Again, before Miley Cyrus arrived onstage with Parton for Jolene. Maren Morris then joined Parton and Cyrus for Parton’s cover of Neil Young’s After the Gold Rush, with Morris and Cyrus taking up the singing positions of Linda Ronstandt and Emmylou Harris, before Little Big Town assisted Parton with Red Shoes. After that, all the special guests joined in with an amazing rendition of 9 to 5, bringing an end to the medley and to rapturous applause. Musgraves performed Rainbow on the night, while Dan + Shay sang Tequila. Brandi Carlile also gave a performance of The Joke in what was a hugely successful night for country music and Americana. List of winners in relevant categories (winners in bold): Album of the Year ‘Invasion of Privacy’ – Cardi B ‘By The Way, I Forgive You’ – Brandi Carlile ‘Scorpion’ – Drake ‘H.E.R.’ – H.E.R. ‘Beerbongs & Bentleys’ – Post Malone ‘Dirty Computer’ – Janelle Monae ‘Golden Hour’ – Kacey Musgraves  ‘Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By’ – Various Artists Best Country Solo Performance Wouldn’t It Be Great? – Loretta Lynn Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters – Maren Morris Butterflies – Kacey Musgraves Millionaire– Chris Stapleton Parallel Line – Keith Urban Best Country Duo/Group Performance Shoot Me Straight – Brothers Osborne Tequila – Dan + Shay When Someone Stops Loving You – Little Big Town Dear Hate – Maren Morris ft. Vince Gill Meant to Be – Florida Georgia Line ft. Bebe Rexha Best Country Song Break Up in the End – Cole Swindell Dear Hate – Maren Morris ft. Vince Gill I Lived It – Blake Shelton Space Cowboy – Kacey Musgraves Tequila – Dan + Shay When Someone Stops Loving You – Little Big Town Best Country Album ‘Unapologetically’ – Kelsea Ballerini ‘Port Saint Joe’ – Brothers Osborne ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ – Ashley McBryde ‘Golden Hour’ – Kacey Musgraves  ‘From a Room: Volume 2’ – Chris Stapleton Best American Roots Performance Kick Rocks – Sean Ardion Saint James Infirmary Blues – Jon Batiste The Joke – Brandi Carlile All On My Mind – Anderson East Last Man Standing – Willie Nelson Best American Roots Song All the Trouble – Lee Ann Womack Build a Bridge – Mavis Staples The Joke – Brandi Carlile Knockin’ on Your Screen Door – John Prine Summer’s End – John Prine Best Americana Album ‘By The Way, I Forgive You’ – Brandi Carlile ‘Things Have Changed’ – Bettye LaVette ‘The Tree of Forgiveness’ – John Prine ‘The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone’ – Lee Ann Womack ‘One Drop of Truth’ – The Wood Brothers Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album ‘Love is Here to Stay’ – Tony Bennett & Diana Krall ‘My Way’ – Willie Nelson ‘Nat “King” Cole & Me’ – Gregory Porter ‘Standards (Deluxe)’ – Seal ‘The Music…The Mem’ries…The Magic!’ – Barbra Streisand