Brandi Carlile, known as the “ballad killer,” has been quite well known over the course of the last several years thanks to the Grammy Awards and its millions of viewers. But did they know Brandi Carlile, the fierce, no-bull, muddy-booted, butt-kicking rock star? And by “knew,” I mean did they actually know her?
If they didn’t before, they most certainly do so now.
Carlile and her rowdy friends — including longtime bandmates Tim and Phil Hanseroth and esteemed Seattle drummer Matt Chamberlain — stampeded through her fierce, dusty canyon rocker “Broken Horses” shortly after the start of the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday. This came after an adorable introduction from Carlile’s wife Catherine and their two daughters.
The subsequent battle, however, was anything but charming as it included a song that stank of motor oil and which had previously been recognized with two accolades. It is a miracle that Harry Styles did not overturn a table and begin a mosh pit with the member of Coldplay.
The folk rocker from Maple Valley (with an emphasis on the rock) literally and figuratively rocked “music’s biggest night” at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This year, the Maple Valley musician received a total of seven nominations, making him one of the most nominated artists at the Grammy Awards.
Carlile had already walked away with three trophies by the time the broadcast event started, so she kicked off the day with a joyful headbanging session during the daytime Premiere Ceremony, which is where the majority of the awards are handed out.
“Rock ‘n’ roll!” Carlile yelled as she and the Hanseroth twins made their first afternoon march to the stage to claim the best rock performance award as the house band performed “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine.
Carlile was accepting the prize together with the Hanseroth brothers. “Oh, I just can’t find the words to express how much this means to both of us. When I first met these guys 22 years ago, we decided to get in a van and be a band together.
When I first met them, they were covered in Ramones tattoos, and they had never even played an acoustic guitar. We were born and raised in Seattle, and when I first met these guys, we decided to get in a van and be a band together. And then the following took place.”
Carlile included a thank you to “everyone in Seattle that made us want to strive for this amazing award” in her standard acknowledgements to her staff, bandmates, and others.
After one minute had passed, the band came back to the stage to receive the award for best rock song. They were up against legendary rock bands like Ozzy Osbourne and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as indie bands like The War on Drugs and Turnstile.
“Oh my God, this is really incredible!” Carlile, who was stunned, let out an exclamation. “Oh, I’m never going to be the same. Teresa Carlile, my mother is out there somewhere. Mom, I feel like I owe you an apology for ordering me to tone down my
furious singing since it is quite clear that I disregarded your instruction, just as I disregarded everything else you had ever instructed me to do. But I got rid of my long hair, I took some screaming lessons, and I just won a Grammy for a rock and roll song that I penned with all of my heart.
Although the nominations were Carlile’s first in the rock category, she went on to earn three more in her Americana and roots music home base. Carlile’s name was called again when “In These Silent Days” won the award for best Americana album.
Related: 2023 Grammy Awards: Madonna Makes a Surprise Appearance
Carlile had previously come in second place behind “my idol” Bonnie Raitt for best Americana performance and best American roots song, respectively.
Carlile, who was still euphoric from the excitement of the moment, said, “Damn, I thought Bonnie was going to sweep!” after passing through another round of embraces on the way to the stage.
According to what she claimed, “we recorded this album in one room, one area, live.” We did not delete any of the first or second takes, and we wore our emotions on our sleeves. It would mean the world to me to take first place in Americana since it is my community, which I care so much about.
Carlile is still up for album of the year as well as single of the year, the latter of which she may win with her love ballad “You and Me on the Rock,” which is reminiscent of Paul Simon.
Carlile, who was still euphoric from the excitement of the moment, said, “Damn, I thought Bonnie was going to sweep!” after passing through another round of embraces on the way to the stage.
According to what she claimed, “we recorded this album in one room, one area, live.” We did not delete any of the first or second takes, and we wore our emotions on our sleeves. It would mean the world to me to take first place in Americana since it is my community, which I care so much about.
On Sunday, several other performers with links to the community did not fare as well. The electronic music group ODESZA, hailing from Seattle, may have had a respectable chance of winning their first Grammy if they hadn’t been up against such distinguished competitors.
Instead, the genre-hopping production team gladly became a historical footnote as Beyoncé won the best dance/electronic music album prize over their dramatic dance-floor shaker “The Last Goodbye.
” This victory allowed Beyoncé to become the artist with the most awards in the history of the Grammys. (The pop sensation began the day in a tie for second place with Quincy Jones, a graduate of Garfield High School.)
Beyoncé paused to gather her composure before continuing, “I’m trying not to get too emotional, and I’m trying to just absorb this night.”
The Grammy Trophies are just as much about the performances as they are about the awards, and the in memoriam part started with Kacey Musgraves giving an emotional homage to country music legend Loretta Lynn, who was once a resident of Washington, District of Columbia.
The only thing that was disappointing was that drummer Jeremiah Green from Modest Mouse and co-founder Van Conner of Screaming Trees were not included in the picture clip that paid tribute to artists and industry professionals who had died away in 2018.
Willie Nelson, a real classic of country music, took home the award for best country solo performance earlier in the day, beating out singer-songwriter Zach Bryan, a veteran of the United States Navy who was stationed in Washington at the time his career took off.
The heartbreaking “Something in the Orange,” which was recorded by Bryan at the legendary Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, has become a big hit on streaming services despite receiving little backing from country radio.
Bryan, who does not consider himself to be a country singer, has been one of the coolest breakout stories in the history of music ever since he was honorably discharged from the military in 2021.
Upon leaving the military, Bryan immediately began playing to throngs of fervent fans across the country. The Oklahoma native and longtime resident of Whidbey Island was a shocking snub in the category for best new artist. This was most likely due to the fact that he has maintained a distance from the established music scene in Nashville.
On social media, the prolific composer and tweeter Bryan tweeted, “Grandpa used to rave about Willie for hours, never been such a joy to lose to someone!” Bryan is as as prolific a songwriter as he is a tweeter.
Congrats Best Americana Album winner – ‘In These Silent Days’ @brandicarlile #GRAMMYs
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 5, 2023
🎶 WATCH NOW https://t.co/OuKk34l332 pic.twitter.com/nu4ELnKa82
The creative outlet of Seattle/Los Angeles art-pop veteran Mike Hadreas, Perfume Genius, was considered for consideration for the award for best alternative music performance for his appearance on the comeback track
“Spitting Off the Edge of the World” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Instead, the award was given to the up-and-coming band Wet Leg from the United Kingdom for their quirky indie rock single “Chaise Longue.” The band was one of the favorites of the THING festival held the previous summer.
In other news, “Chloe and the 20th Century,” the most recent album released by Father John Misty, a former resident of Seattle who is now a Sub Pop star, was nominated for an engineering prize but ultimately fell short to the team that worked on
“Harry’s House” by Harry Styles. And Shawn Okpebholo’s “Lord, How Come Me Here?” record, which included J’Nai Bridges, an opera singer who grew up in Lakewood, was unable to win home the prize for best classical solo voice album.
