GRAMMY COUNTDOWN CONTINUES

By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger

Photographer: George Whylie

Videographer: Maxine Nolan

Photos Courtesy of: www.grammy.com

As the countdown to the GRAMMY Awards on February 12th continues, all kinds of announcements about the highly anticipated evening are building excitement for all the heartfelt fans!

It will be a huge night hosted by none other than a two-time GRAMMY winner himself, LL Cool J. This marks the first time in seven years that the GRAMMY Awards will have an official host and one that is both an actor and talented rap artist. LL Cool J is simply thrilled to be a part of this monumental occasion. He is no stranger to the event as not only has he been a past winner but he has hosted “The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! – Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night” since its start in December of 2008. Some of the other familiar names that have hosted past GRAMMY Awards shows are Queen Latifah (47th Annual GRAMMY Awards), Jon Stewart (43rd and 44th Annual GRAMMY Awards), Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell.

The lineup of performers is finally taking shape and great sounds will resonate throughout the evening. Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift will all bring the audience to their feet.

The Foo Fighters have six nominations which include Album of the Year and Best Rock Album of the Year for ‘Wasting Light’, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for ‘Walk’, Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for ‘White Limo’ and Best Long Form Music Video for ‘Foo Fighters: Back and Forth’.

Bruno Mars also has six nominations to his name. He has been nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for ‘Grenade’, Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Doo-Wops and Hooligans and Producer of the Year, Non Classical (as a member of the Smeezingtons, with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine).

Nicki Minaj is up for Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for ‘Moment 4 Life’ with Drake, Best Rap Album for ‘Pink Friday’ and Album of the Year (as a featured artist on Rihanna’s ‘Loud’).

Jason Aldean is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for ‘Dirt Road Anthem’, Best Country Duo/Group Performance for ‘Don’t You Wanna Stay’ (with Kelly Clarkson) and Best Country Album for ‘My Kinda Party’.

Taylor Swift does it again with nominations for Best Country Song for ‘Mean’ and Best Country Album for ‘Speak Now’.

Kelly Clarkson is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for ‘Don’t You Wanna Stay’ with Jason Aldean.

Just announced today, GRAMMY nominees Coldplay and Rihanna will make history as they perform together live on stage. GRAMMY 2012 Musicares Person of the Year, Paul McCartney, is also making a guest appearance and will perform for fans that evening.

Four-time GRAMMY winner Rihanna has four nominations: Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Loud; and two nods in Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “What’s My Name?” (with Drake), and “All Of The Lights” (with Kanye West, Kid Cudi & Fergie).

Seven-time GRAMMY-winning group Coldplay is up for three awards: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Paradise,” and Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Every Teardop Is A Waterfall.”

This will definitely be “Music’s Biggest Night” with a star-studded list of performers and nominated artists. The event will take place live on Sunday, February 12th, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, broadcast in high definition with 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8:00 – 11:30 PM (ET/PT). All forms of media will promote coverage of the event from radio (Westwood One/Dial Global) to online at www.thegrammy.com or www.cbs.com or www.youtube.com/thegrammys.