When folks speak about “Awards season” they’re normally referring to awards for films, just like the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, and the Oscars, however not all the upcoming awards exhibits are film associated because the Grammy Awards are this weekend as properly. It’s essentially the most prestigious award in music, which is why it blew my thoughts to find simply what goes into making a Grammy award, as a result of it’s not even near what I’d have guessed.
Contemplating simply what number of Grammy awards are given out yearly, Disneyland even received a Grammy as soon as, I assumed that it took some type of main operation, an meeting line to rival the auto trade, to provide all of them. Apparently not. Grammys are constructed by hand by 4 guys within the mountains of Colorado, and that is not the one stunning reality about these awards.
The Grammys Are Made By 4 Folks
A narrative within the Los Angeles Instances reveals quite a lot of particulars in regards to the Grammy Awards that not solely did I not know, however I by no means would have guessed. The most important revelation is that each single award is made by hand by a man named John Billings and his three craftsmen at a workshop within the city of Ridgway, Colorado. It takes about 15 hours to provide one Grammy.
Billings apprenticed Bob Graves, who produced the primary Grammys. When Graves handed away, Billings purchased the enterprise and has been doing it ever since. Invoice Freimuth, the previous Senior VP of Awards for the Recording Academy defined why the Grammys nonetheless makes its awards this manner, saying…
I assume it’s probably not our type to go together with the best manner of doing issues. One of many causes artists admire the award is as a result of it’s handmade and handcrafted by different artists. Some would argue that it’s extra valuable due to that.
There’s actually one thing to be stated for understanding the award you’re holding was handmade by an artist, and one can think about that musical artists admire that. In fact, it does imply that not each single Grammy is totally an identical, however Billings says that’s a part of the allure of all of it…
We’ll ask one another, ‘Is it a flaw or does it give it character? If it’s flawed we toss it, the others we hold.
One has to think about that is particularly good for the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyonce, who’ve so many Grammys that perhaps they will admire that every one is a tiny bit completely different.
The Grammy Award Elevated In Dimension For Tv
The overall design of the Grammy Award hasn’t modified because it was first handed out in 1959, however that doesn’t imply the award hasn’t gone via some adjustments. Within the early Nineties, the award was made about 30% bigger, and the explanation was tv.
Apparently, the sensation was that the outdated award was too small, so when folks had been watching the Grammy Awards on tv they’d bother seeing it. Rising its dimension mounted that drawback. It was additionally made much less fragile, because the tone arm on the award tended to interrupt off, so it was made extra sturdy.
Winner’s Aren’t Given “Actual” Grammys On Awards Night time
Whereas the Grammys could have been elevated in dimension for TV, it seems that doesn’t imply what the artists are handed that night time are the precise awards. The present makes use of “stunt Grammys” for the telecast, then the winners are despatched their awards later.
This enables the engraving of the awards to be dealt with on the workshop. This marks a big distinction from different awards. The Oscars which are given out on the present are the true factor, and winners get their Oscars engraved on the afterparty.
Taylor Swift Accidently Destroyed One Of Her Grammys
Taylor Swift has received 14 Grammys in her profession, and she or he has the possibility to win a number of extra this 12 months. Hopefully, if she wins a number of she’ll have higher luck holding them than she did again in 2010. That 12 months she received 4 awards, and ended up dropping one and smashing it into items. Billings now has the destroyed award, together with a word from Swift that learn “Oops.” Perhaps that’s why they don’t hand out the true awards on the present.
The 2025 Grammy Awards will likely be an thrilling contest. Beyonce is competing in a number of nation music classes however she’s additionally going up in opposition to some large expertise within the basic classes together with Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan.
So, be certain that to maintain your eye on the competitors and the trophies they’re awarded when the Grammys air on the 2025 TV schedule this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.