TWO LOUTS’ GRAMMY TOU

ROY: Time for our annual Grammy guess fest. Looks like there could be some political ramifications to this year's awards ceremony, with the Dixie Chicks front and center. Certainly, they will be in the thick of the race for Best Album, Song and Record.
LENNY: They may also surprise at this year's Oscars, with Shut Up and Sing a possible for Best Documentary.
ROY: How about Bob Dylan? Seems a shoo-in for a Best Album nod.
LENNY: I see Chicks and Dylan as the only two locks for Album of the Year, with James Blunt, The Fray, Mary J. Blige and others battling for the other three slots.
ROY: Throw in Academy fave John Mayer, and you have three Columbia albums vying for the big prize...
LENNY: Justin, Christina and one or two country albums also in the running.
ROY: And after their showing at the AMAs, Nickelback has to be considered, especially for Record or Song, with either "Far Away" or "Savin' Me."
LENNY: Dunh, only the best-selling rock band of the year... Definitely in the Rock categories, maybe even some of the majors, sure, why not?
ROY: Do you see the Red Hot Chili Peppers as this year's Green Day?
LENNY: I don't feel the momentum that others do, but they must be considered.
ROY: Lotsa buzz on Carrie Underwood, who would seem tailor-made for Grammy consideration.
LENNY: Agreed, but is she a Best New Artist, or does she get a big nom?
ROY: KT Tunstall and Corinne Bailey Rae seem to be odds-on favorites for Best New Artist nods. Do they have a shot at any other categories?
LENNY: I think KT does; her album has been around longer and now has two hits, but both are locks for New Artist, with Corinne possibly scoring in R&B, while KT could score in Folk.
ROY: The Fray should be strong... Don’t they qualify in the Best New Artist category also?
LENNY: I have them on my list.
ROY: Best New Artist is crowded... Gnarls Barkley, Blunt, Daniel Powter, Panic! at the Disco, Ne-Yo are all strong contenders.
LENNY: I'll take Blunt, Corinne, Fray, Underwood and Tunstall…
ROY: I'm guessing "Crazy" gets nods in Song and/or Record...
LENNY: I thought Steve Hochman's piece in the L.A. Times was strong, except for leaving out The Fray. I like Justin Timberlake's “SexyBack” for Record, but not for Song.
ROY: Of course, you’ve got old faves Tony Bennett and Bruce Springsteen in their respective Traditional Pop and Folk categories.
LENNY: Looks like a big and bigger year for Sony, while Atlantic's one-two punch of Blunt and Barkley should score big, and T.I. is a sleeper in the Rap-R&B categories.
ROY: I see Amy Lee is announcing the nominations on December 7, which means "Call Me When You're Sober" will nab a nom.
LENNY: Evanescence will score in rock.
ROY: Rascal Flatts is bound to be representing in Pop and Country.
LENNY: They could get lots of noms, including Best Album. So now we have Chicks, Mayer, Dylan, Rascal Flatts and either Mary J. Blige, The Fray, Justin, KT or Christina for Best Album.
ROY: If the Dixie Chicks grab a bunch of noms, the Grammys could turn out to be a referendum on the Bush administration, which might be interesting.
LENNY: It simply is, in my opinion, the best album of the year.
ROY: Maybe it's my own liberal bias, but the Chicks would provide some extra-musical oomph to the awards show... Give all the lefties a chance to grandstand.
LENNY: The album is great, the lead song is great, the politics are important…
ROY: Hochman makes a good point about U2/Blige's "One." That was a show-stopper when it was performed on last year's awards... The Academy loves that sort of multi-cultural stuff.
LENNY: To me, the year's big battle is between "Not Ready to Make Nice" and "Beautiful."
ROY: I'm thinking Dixie Chicks in Album, Blunt for Song, "One" in Record...
LENNY: Unless the Chicks sweep is in, “Beautiful” will be hard to beat…and write down Rick Rubin to win Producer of the Year.
ROY: And, of course, the great Jimmy Sturr for Polka Album...
LENNY: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
ROY: Whatever else happens, it promises to be a compelling Grammy show.
LENNY: Now it’s time for Ken Ehrlich to deliver.
ROY: Maybe they can get Borat to host.
LENNY: Or Michael Richards…
ROY: High five...
LENNY: Oy.
ROY: Vey.