Black Pumas Score Three More Grammy Nominations

One year after earning a Best New Artist nomination, Austin’s Black Pumas today received nods in three categories for the 2021 Grammy Awards. The deluxe edition of their self-titled release scored an Album of the Year look and their song “Colors” is up for Record of the Year.

Black Pumas performing at Mosaic Sound Collective in October (Photo by David Brendan Hall)

In addition to those two marquee categories, the aforementioned single, penned by vocalist Eric Burton, also checks in for Best American Roots Performance. The Black Pumas, formed in late 2018, include Burton, Adrian Quesada, Stephen Bidwell, Brendan Bond, JaRon Marshall, Angela Miller, and Lauren Cervantes.

Meanwhile, Austin Music Awards Hall of Famer Ruthie Foster collected her fourth Grammy nomination in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category for Live at the Paramount, capturing an exquisite performance with her big band at our city's oldest theater from January 2019.

Other Austin adjacent nominations announced this afternoon include Bad Livers singer/banjoist Danny Barnes, whose album Man on Fire enters into the running for Best Bluegrass Album. Wimberley native Sarah Jarosz earned nominations in Best American Roots Song for “Hometown” and Best American Album for World on the Ground. More peripherally, the ZZ Top doc That Little Ol’ Band From Texas got nominated for Best Music Film.

Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters – co-produced, in part, by longtime former Austinite David Garza – received a Best Alternative Music Album nomination. From that April release, “Shameika” earned nominations for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.

The Grammys, hosted by Trevor Noah, air Jan. 31. View the full list of nominees here.