Pinetop Perkins, Last of the Great Mississippi Bluesmen

Pinetop Perkins, the last of the great Mississippi Bluesmen, passed away Monday at his home in Austin, Texas at the age of 97.  

 Playing music right up until the end, Perkins is the oldest winner of a Grammy award having earned one this last February for best traditional blues album "Joined at the Hip: Pinetop Perkins & Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith." 

Perkins lived his life in the tradition of many bluesmen, rambling from place to place, watching most of his contemporaries pass on. Perkins, whose real first name was Willie, was born in 1913 in Belzoni, Mississippi and gave himself the name “Pinetop” because he liked the music of another musician named Pinetop Smith.  He spent his childhood picking cotton and plowing fields with a mule, very rarely going to school.

Well known for his piano blues, Pinetop was originally a guitar player but switched to piano after an encounter with a woman left him with tendon damage from stab wound to his arm.   In the late 1940’s Perkins played on the King Biscuit Time radio show broadcast and by the next decade he was touring with Ike Turner and playing with the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson and slide guitarist Robert Nighthawk.

Pinetop’s big break came while he was in his 50’s.  Muddy Waters was looking new piano player when Perkins showed off his aggressive keyboarding during a jam session. "He liked what he heard. The rest is history," said Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, who was a drummer in Waters' band back in 1969.

Perkins' first solo album, "Boogie Woogie King" was released in 1976.  Beginning in 1992 with "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie," he released 15 albums in 15 many years.  He received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2005 and won a 2007 Grammy for best traditional blues album for his collaboration on the "Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas."

His manager, Patricia Morgan, said funeral arrangements were pending in Austin and a graveside service would be held near Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he wanted to be buried.  "We knew he lived a good life. What can you say about the man? He left here in his sleep. That's the way I want to go."

53rd Grammy Award Nominations

The nominations are in for the 53rd Grammy Awards and this year Eminem tops the nominations with 10; Bruno Mars garners seven; and Jay-Z, Lady Antebellum, and Lady Gaga each earn six nods. Jeff Beck, B.o.B, David Frost, Philip Lawrence, and John Legend receive five each; and Alex Da Kid, the Black Keys, Drake, Cee Lo Green, Ari Levine, Katy Perry, Rihanna, the Roots, Dirk Sobotka, and Zac Brown each have four nominations. 

 The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards will take place in Los Angeles at Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, and will air live on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). 

Below is a list of the nominees in the the major categories. 

Song of the Year
'Beg, Steal or Borrow' -- Ray LaMontagne
'Forget You' -- Cee-Lo
'The House That Built Me' -- Miranda Lambert
'Love the Way You Lie' -- Eminem Feat. Rihanna
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum

Album of the Year
'The Suburbs' -- Arcade Fire
'Recovery' -- Eminem
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum
'The Fame Monster' -- Lady Gaga
'Teenage Dream' -- Katy Perry

Best New Artist
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence and the Machine
Mumford and Sons
Esperanza Spalding

Record of the Year
'Nothing on You' -- B.o.B. Feat. Bruno Mars
'Love the Way You Lie' -- Eminem Feat. Rihanna
'Forget You' -- Cee-Lo
'Empire State of Mind -- Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
'King of Anything' -- Sara Bareilles
'Halo (Live)' -- Beyoncé
'Chasing Pirates' -- Norah Jones
'Bad Romance' -- Lady Gaga
'Teenage Dream' -- Katy Perry

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
'Haven't Met You Yet' -- Michael Bublé
'This is It' -- Michael Jackson
'Whataya Want from Me' -- Adam Lambert
'Just the Way You Are' -- Bruno Mars
'Half of My Heart' -- John Mayer

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
'Satisfied' -- Jewel
'The House That Built Me' -- Miranda Lambert
'Swingin'' -- LeAnn Rimes
'Temporary Home' -- Carrie Underwood
'I'd Love to Be Your Last' -- Gretchen Wilson

Best Pop Performance By a Group or Duo with Vocals
'Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals Version)' -- 'Glee' cast
'The Only Exception' -- Paramore
'Babyfather' -- Sade
'Hey, Soul Sister (Live)' -- Train

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
'Airplanes, Part II' -- B.o.B., Eminem & Hayley Williams
'Imagine' -- Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare
'If it Wasn't for Bad' -- Elton John & Leon Russell
'Telephone' -- Lady Gaga & Beyoncé
'California Gurls' -- Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg

Best Pop Vocal Album
'My World 2.0' -- Justin Bieber
'I Dreamed a Dream' -- Susan Boyle
'The Fame Monster' -- Lady Gaga
'Battle Studies' -- John Mayer
'Teenage Dream' -- Katy Perry

Best Country Song
'The Breath You Take' -- George Strait
'Free' -- Zac Brown Band
'The House That Built Me' -- Miranda Lambert
'I'd Love to Be Your Last' -- Gretchen Wilson
'If I Die Young' -- The Band Perry
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum

Best Country Album
'Up on the Ridge' -- Dierks Bentley
'You Get What You Give' -- Zac Brown Band
'The Guitar Song' -- Jamey Johnson
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum
'Revolution' -- Miranda Lambert

Best Rock Song
'Angry World' -- Neil Young
'Little Lion Man' -- Mumford & Sons
'Radioactive' -- Kings Of Leon
'Resistance' -- Muse
'Tighten Up' -- The Black Keys

Best Rock Album
'Emotion & Commotion' -- Jeff Beck
'The Resistance' -- Muse
'Backspacer' -- Pearl Jam
'Mojo' -- Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
'Le Noise' -- Neil Young

Best R&B Song
'Bittersweet' -- Fantasia
'Finding My Way Back' -- Jaheim
'Second Chance' -- El DeBarge
'Shine' -- John Legend & The Roots
'Why Would You Stay' -- Kem

Best R&B Album
'The Love & War Masterpeace' -- Raheem DeVaughn
'Back To Me' -- Fantasia
'Another Round' -- Jaheim
'Wake Up!' -- John Legend & The Roots
'Still Standing' -- Monica

Best Contemporary R&B Album
'Graffiti' -- Chris Brown
'Untitled' -- R. Kelly
'Transition' -- Ryan Leslie
'The ArchAndroid' -- Janelle Monáe
'Raymond V Raymond' -- Usher

Best Rap Song
'Empire State Of Mind -- Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
'Love the Way You Lie' -- Eminem & Rihanna
'Not Afraid -- Eminem
'Nothin' On You' -- B.o.B & Bruno Mars
'On To The Next One' --Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz

Best Rap Album
'The Adventures of Bobby Ray' -- B.o.B
'Thank Me Later' -- Drake
'Recovery' -- Eminem
'The Blueprint 3' -- Jay-Z
'How I Got Over' -- The Roots

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television
'Crazy Heart' -- Various Artists
'Glee: The Music, Volume 1' -- 'Glee' Cast
'Treme' -- Various Artists
'True Blood-Volume 2' -- Various Artists
'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' -- Various Artists.