LOS ANGELES, Ca. (WTVF) — For the ninth straight year, students and faculty from Middle Tennessee State University will return to the Grammy Awards to celebrate alumni who were nominated, and mark the 50th anniversary of the university's Recording Industry program.
Former MTSU students received a combined total of nine Grammy nominations this year.
MTSU alumni, former or current students, and faculty from across the university have been a part of more than 149 Grammy Award nominations in the last two decades.
The number of MTSU-connected Grammy winners since 2001 currently stands at 19 people with a total of 39 Grammys, including nine repeat recipients, in categories from classical to pop to gospel.
"In fact, one of the major networks called MTSU a 'Grammy Factory,'" said MTSU president Sidney A. McPhee. "I think we are one of only a few universities that have this kind of presence in LA during this world-class event."
Students from the College of Media and Entertainment, faculty and administrators will take part in several days of events in Los Angeles, and have the opportunity to gather with local alumni and attend backstage and pre-show Grammy events.
On Friday, students and faculty worked the red carpet at the MusiCares Person of the Year event. On Saturday, MTSU will honor all of its nominees, and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Department of Recording Industry. On Sunday, the group will join forces with the Leadership Music organization from Nashville and attend the awards show at Crypto.com arena.
McPhee said the trip provides students with valuable educational and networking opportunities.
"They get an opportunity to meet a lot of production folks," said McPhee. "They have an opportunity to see the background work that goes into putting on world class event like the Grammys."
The 66th annual Grammy Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. from 7 to 10:30 p.m. on NewsChannel 5.
For people of my generation, in our younger days we spent part of our weekends watching music shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train. That was before the age of music videos. Several years before Soul Train was syndicated out of Chicago, another syndicated R&B show was taped in Nashville at NewsChannel 5. Night Train aired in the 60s and included what may have been the first TV appearance for legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Forrest Sanders has another great look back at station history.
-Lelan Statom
