Caribbean artists who won Grammys

Every year the world recognizes the achievements of musical performing artists with the annual Grammy awards ceremony. Fondly referred to as the Grammys the process of winning one is long.

Representing the Caribbean

The Caribbean has always been represented at the Grammys. Rihanna’s single “Work” featuring Drake has received nominations for Record Of The Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Grammy nominees for Best Reggae Album include the island’s emerging artists like Raging Fyah and Devin Di Dakta & J.L. as well as Ziggy Marley and Sly & Robbie.

Steven Michael Marsden (Lenky), who helped write Tanto Metro & Devonte’s “Everyone Falls In Love holds a Best R&B Song nod for Tory Lanez’ “Luv” since the track’s hook uses a piece of the 1998 reggae anthem. Also, Drake’s Views, which earned an Album Of The Year nomination, is heavy with the island’s influence sampling Beenie Man‘s 1995 song “Tear Off Mi Garment” on “Controlla”and Mavado’s 2006 hit “Dying” featuring Serani on “9.”

The process begins with members and record companies submitting entries which are then screened for eligibility and category placement. The Academy’s voting members, all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording, then participate in the nominating process that determines the five finalists in each category; and the final voting process which determines the Grammy winners.

Final-round ballots are sent to voting members in good dues standing. The finalists determined by the special nominating committees are also included in this ballot.

In this final round, Recording Academy members may vote in up to 15 categories in the genre fields plus the four categories of the General Field (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist.) Ballots again are tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Deloitte.

Here is a list of Caribbean artists that have won Grammys and the work for which they won it:

1985 Black Uhuru Anthem

1986 Jimmy Cliff Cliff Hanger

1987 Steel Pulse Babylon the Bandit

1988 Peter Tosh No Nuclear War

1989 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Conscious Party

1990 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers One Bright Day

1991 Bunny Wailer Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley

1992 Shabba Ranks As Raw As Ever

1993 Shabba Ranks X-tra Naked

1994 Inner Circle “Bad Boys”

1995 Bunny Wailer Crucial! Roots Classics

1996 Shaggy Boombastic

1997 Bunny Wailer Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley’s 50th Anniversary

1998 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Fallen Is Babylon

1999 Sly and Robbie Friends

2000 Burning Spear Calling Rastafari

2001 Beenie Man Art and Life

2002 Damian Marley Halfway Tree

2003 Lee “Scratch” Perry Jamaican E.T.

2004 Sean Paul Dutty Rock

2005 Toots & the Maytals True Love

2006 Damian Marley Welcome to Jamrock

2007 Ziggy Marley Love Is My Religion

2008 Stephen Marley Mind Control

2009 Burning Spear Jah Is Real

2010 Stephen Marley Mind Control – Acoustic

2011 Buju Banton Before the Dawn

2012 Stephen Marley Revelation Pt. 1 – The Root of Life

2013 Jimmy Cliff Rebirth

2014 Ziggy Marley In Concert

2015 Ziggy Marley Fly Rasta

2016 Morgan Heritage Strictly Roots

2016 Honorable mentions, Bunji Garlin as a contributor on Best Dance/Electronic Album “Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack U”, by Skrillex and Diplo.

‘Trinidad James’, a T&T national, is listed as one of eleven writers of the song that won the Grammy for Record of the Year, “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars.

Courtesy NATIONAL ACADEMY OF RECORDING ARTS & SCIENCES, INC.

January 2017 www.sweettntmagazine.com

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