GRAMMY WATCH: BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM

I had the hardest time voting in the Americana field, but Best Contemporary Blues Album was difficult also.

I was glad to see Solomon Burke's Nothing's Impossible nominated. It's a tribute to two great artists who are no longer with us: Solomon and also produced Willie Mitchell (who produced most of Al Green's greatest records). Willie died before the album was released, Solomon shortly after. This was one of my favorites of 2010, I was even kind of OK with his cover of Anne Murray's "You Needed Me." But what is most haunting about the album is the last song, "I'm Leavin'." I'm glad that the Grammys are paying tribute to Solomon at the ceremony (via a performance by Mick Jagger and Raphael Saadiq).

Dr. John is having a good year: he's getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month, and he has Grammy nominations for his contribution to The Princess and The Frog... in this category though, he is nominated for his album Tribal. I've got to check it out a bit more, but I love the song, "Manoovas," which features Derek Trucks (the Dr. digs The Allman Brothers Band I guess: he's the piano player on Gregg Allmans'great Low Country Blues album).

Buddy Guy's Living Proof was another of my favorite albums of 2010. The man is just badass. There's no cute hook or big name producer on the album. There's guest spots by Carlos Santana and B.B. King, but other than that, it's just Buddy and his band and they cook.

Talk about badases: Bettye Lavette is as bad as they come. Her album Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook shows her taking a lot of iconic songs and making them her own. I don't mean to sound all "American Idol," but it's true. My favorite track on the album is her cover of Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy," and she would know!

The last nominee is Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who I am not as familiar with. I know he's an incredible guitar player, and I'm glad he is one of the guys out there really bringing the traditional blues to younger fans. But I haven't heard his album so I can't comment on it.

SOLOMON BURKE - NOTHING'S IMPOSSIBLE - TIE FOR #11

Late last year, I named my top 10 albums of 2010 (#1 was The Drive-By Truckers' The Big To-Do) but right after that, I decided that there were a lot of albums that didn't make my top 10 that were "tied for #11) starting with Buddy Guy's Living Proof.

Another "tied for #11" is Solomon Burke's swansong, Nothing's Impossible. Sadly, Solomon passed away last year. This wasn't just his final album, it was also the final album by producer Willie Mitchell, who produced most of Al Green's most beloved albums.  I thought Mitchell was a great choice to produce Solomon, and apparently they had wanted to work together for a few years. Mitchell died shortly before the album was actually released, Burke soon after, and it's a great last page in the books of both men.

I'm a big fan of Solomon Burke, and not just his '60s era stuff: he was one of my favorite artists of the '00s. I loved his four albums from that decade: Don't Give Up On Me (produced by Joe Henry),  Make Due With What You Got (produced by Don Was), Nashville (produced by Buddy Miller) and Like A Fire (produced by Steve Jordan). Nothing's Impossible holds up well to those great albums, ending an incredible career on a long, high note.

Nothing's Impossible isn't gimmicky or forced, doesn't feature guest stars or big collaborations. It's just amazing soul music, the result of a summit of two giants. The one attention-grabbing cover is Anne Murray's "You Needed Me." I never liked the song, but Burke puts it in a new light, although it's a bit corny, he sells it. But the part of the album that stops me in my tracks every time is the last song, chillingly titled "I'm Leavin'."  It's not predicting his passing - it's about a breakup - but still, he sings so movingly, it's a lovely wave goodbye to the fans he's left behind.

Here's a lovely op-ed about Solomon from someone who worked with him on some of his last albums, Shawn Amos.

SOLOMON BURKE R.I.P.

Another of the greats has left this world. This morning we all found out about the passing of one of the great soul singers ever, Solomon Burke.

There are plenty of news stories discussing the legacy of the man.  I don't remember when I first became aware of him.  I feel like I've always known the song "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love," which is just one of those immortal songs from the early rock and roll/R&B era.

At some point in the '90s when I was getting into the roots of R&B I became a fan and picked up one of his greatest hits albums, which is indeed pretty great. Dude was a preacher and a radio host, and you can hear that in "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love." It's also interesting that some of his early hits were country songs, including his first one, "Just Out Of Reach." 

What I found most inspiring is how his career was (seemingly) revived by his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Solomon had been eligible for induction from day one, it took him like 15 years to finally get voted in.  But it really revitalized him: the next year, he released Don't Give Up On Me on Fat Possum Records, produced by the great Joe Henry. I don't know if that album was in the works before the induction, but his induction seemed to give him a bit of momentum.  Instead of being the usual "all star collabs" type deal, this album featured lots of amazing songwriters writing songs just for the album. Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits and even Bob Dylan donated original tunes. The album is a masterpiece and I'm not the only one who thinks so: it won a Grammy but also was named Mojo magazine's album of the year. I'm serious, check it out. I enjoy it even more than the greatest hits album, and that's what I find so inspiring about the man: he was vital up 'til the very end. (In fact, I named him one of my Artists of the '00s). I've enjoyed his subsuquent albums: 2005's Make Due With What You Got (produced by Don Was), 2006's Nashville (produced by Buddy Miller), 2008's Like A Fire (produced by Steve Jordan), and Nothing's Impossible, which came out earlier this year and which was produced by the late great Willie Mitchell. They are all well worth checking out, although I prefer Don't Give Up On Me. How many 70 year old artists leave this world with five straight great albums in a row?  That's pretty inspiring, and a great way to go out.