Grammy Weekend Is Here!

A Ton of Deserving Artists Who've Never Won a Grammy, Plus Nickelback

With the Grammys coming up this Sunday, here's a list of artists who've NEVER received one.  And we're not counting those "lifetime achievement" awards.

Here are the 20 most nominated artists, who are without a win.  It includes a lot of deserving artists.  And also NICKELBACK.

• R&B singer Brian McKnight and Snoop Dogg, with 16 nominations each . . . They share the record for most Grammy nominations without a win.
• Joe Satriani, 15 nominations.
• Martina McBride, 14 nominations.
• Bjork and Nas, both with 13 nominations.
• Diana Ross and Spyro Gyra, both with 12 nominations.
• Katy Perry, Megadeth, Musiq Soulchild, Busta Rhymes, Connie Smith, Vanessa Williams, and Jazmine Sullivan, all with 11 nominations . . . Katy is up for TWO awards this year, including Best Pop Vocal Album.
• Dierks Bentley, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, and Alan Parsons, all with 9 nominations . . . Dierks Bentley is up for Best Country Album this year.
• Jamey Johnson and Tanya Tucker, both with 8 nominations.
   

Five Surprising People Who Do Have Grammys

Snoop Dogg, Queen, KISS, Dierks Bentley and Katy Perry haven't received any Grammy hardware to date.  But a list of potentially surprising people who DO have at least one Grammy includes:

1. David Seville and the Chipmunks, who won three Grammys in the late-'50s and early-'60s.
2. The Baha Men, who won Best Dance Recording for "Who Let the Dogs Out?" 15 years ago.
3. Former "Wayne's World" star Tia Carrere, who took home Best Hawaiian Music Album in 2009 and again in 2011.
4. President Obama, who got TWO of those sort of cheap Best Spoken Word Grammys, one in 2006 for "Dreams of My Father", and another in 2008 for "The Audacity of Hope".  (Am I the only one who thinks it's cheap that people get Grammy nominations for doing the audio version of their books?  Seems kinda lame, no?)
5. The Starland Vocal Band, who brought us "Afternoon Delight", was the Best New Artist Grammy winner in 1977.

(For more, hit up the full list at RollingStone.com.)

COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

Eric Church and His Road Crew Do a Shot of Jack Daniels Before Every Show

"CBS This Morning" took a behind-the-scenes look at ERIC CHURCH's current tour.  A lot of the focus was on the nuts and bolts of doing a major tour, but it also touched on how much respect Eric has for his hard-working crew.

He says, quote, "Those guys are my family, and they would have my back in any situation, and I would have theirs."

He also does a shot of Jack Daniels with them each night before the show.  He says, quote, "They busted their ass since 7:00 A.M., and they've been out there doing what they do and I feel like when I walk out there I get to, for them, spike the ball."

Here are a few interesting tour facts:  It costs $250,000 just to pull up to the venue each night, and $19 million to produce the nine-month tour.  There are 14 trucks and 12 buses, and it takes 12 hours to put the show up, and six to take it down.

(Here's a link to the story.  He talks about the crew having his back at the 4:24 mark.  The Jack Daniels toast starts at 5:31.)

While we're on the subject:  Eric is up for FOUR Grammys, but in his mind, he's already won.  He explains, quote, "It's the one award that it's enough to be nominated.  With the Grammys the way they choose them, it's not about the commercial side.

"It's truly about people get in a room, and it's about musical merit, and when you take all those records and you come up with the four or five, that's enough." 

(You can listen to Eric's Grammy quote on Delicious Audio.)

Watch Reba McEntire Do the "Boob Bounce"

REBA MCENTIRE brought her stepson Brandon Blackstock and his famous wife KELLY CLARKSON to see the musical "Kinky Boots" on Tuesday in Nashville.  But that's not the story.  The story is what happened backstage AFTER the show.

Reba wore a pair of kinky boots and did the "boob bounce" with a female cast member.  Basically, you stick your chest out . . . and then bounce.  Reba didn't perform with as much zest as the actress, but I'm not complaining.

(The actress's name is Bonnie Milligan, and she posted an Instagram video of the delightful encounter.  And here's a link that includes a pic of Reba and some cast members wearing kinky boots, plus a shot of Kelly backstage.)

Brantley Gilbert is Getting Married in June, And There Will Be Mac and Cheese at the Reception

BRANTLEY GILBERT and his fiancée Amber Cochran are getting married in June.  She's doing the wedding planning, and letting him THINK he's in on it.  He says, quote, "She keeps me a part of what's going on, and asks me my opinion, or something."

She did throw him a bone on one menu item.  He adds, quote, "One of the things was, I wanted a macaroni and cheese station at the reception because I really dig macaroni and cheese, and she made that happen so I'm really stoked about that."

(You can hear Brantley's Mac and Cheese comments on Delicious Audio.)

Country Music Extras

BRAD PAISLEY announced the first round of dates of his "Crushin' It World Tour".  It kicks off May 15th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and will stretch into the fall.  JUSTIN MOORE and newcomer MICKEY GUYTON are the openers.  Shows are still being added but you check for updates at BradPaisley.com.

Is "Bro-Country" on its way into the dictionary?  The Cambridge Dictionary Blog added it the other day.  They define it as, quote, "A sub-genre of country music sung by young white men, featuring songs with macho themes such as trucks, drinking, and partying."

According to Taste of Country, making it onto the blog means it's been "recognized" as a new word, but it hasn't officially been added to the English language.

I doubt CARRIE UNDERWOOD would harm a fly.  Unfortunately, a 35-year-old Ohio woman named Carrie Lynn Underwood isn't quite as gentle.  She was arrested and charged with beating her 72-year-old mother until she became unconscious.  For what it's worth, looks like she took a few hits to the face too.  (WLWT)

Here are the Top 10 albums and songs on "Billboard's" country music charts this week . . .