And the Grammy goes to.....

I got to play cuts from the Grammy nominated albums by Levon Helm and Jim Lauderdale on the show this week. When the Grammy Awards were posted I was a little disappointed because much of the music posted in the folk and bluegrass categories hadn't even reached my desk. I usually receive music from all the independent artists, but I never received the latest from Steve Earle, Tom Waits, Jim Lauderdale, Levon Helm, Peter Case, or Charlie Louvin. It happens every year, actually. Somehow we get overlooked.
I made a few calls and Tom Waitt's folks sent me a sampler from the Orphans release. I got the new Jim Lauderdale after the fact and the Steve Earle album, I'm guessing won't be coming unless I buy it as I did the Levon Helm album. I'm only half-complaining really. It's not like I don't have enough music to play. But, these music companies are missing a lot of listeners. Where else will people hear this kind of music? My guess is that they're not going to hear it on MTV, Good Morning America, the Today Show or on any mainstream commercial radio station. So what's up with the Grammys? How are these folks getting nominated? Who is hearing their music? Next week Grammy Award winner Tim O'Brien will stop by The Folk Show. He not only sends us his music, but he'll pay us a visit as well!