Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner in Grammy Hall of Fame

Mea culpa. I repeat that as Mea maxima culpa. I will not dwell anymore on how it happened but last Wednesday’s piece was actually the list of Grammy nominees from one year ago. Obama also won that face-off. America now has a black, Grammy winner for its president. Here now are the news about Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner and the rest of the Grammy nominees for the 2009 awards, which should have come out.

It was thought to be a shocking display of profligacy at the Woodstock Music Festival nearly 40 years ago. This was Jimi Hendrix’s version of The Star Spangled Banner, which is the national anthem of the US. However, it was also a beautiful, familiar song rendered in a memorable performance. Recently, what many people thought a show of disrespect was enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The music industry has not only forgiven, it has also honored Hendrix. The recording will now be featured with 826 titles at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles as a celebration and reminder of the triumphs and achievements of the recording arts.

Among this year’s other selections are Banana Boat (Day-O) by Harry Belafonte; For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder; Good Rockin’ Tonight by Wynonie Harries; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly by Ennio Morricone; Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Stardust by Louie Armstrong; The In Crowd by The Ramsey Lewis Trio; Love Theme from the Godfather by Carlo Savina; Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs; We are the Champions/We Will Rock You by Queen; Synchronicity by The Police; and Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Time now to go on with the nominees’ list. I had the pop and rock nominees of the 2009 Grammy Awards out last Friday. Here are the R&B, hip-hop and rap lists plus a few other categories.

Female R&B Vocal: Me, Myself And I, Beyoncé Knowles; Heaven Sent, Keyshia Cole; Spotlight, Jennifer Hudson; Superwoman, Alicia Keys; Need You Bad, Jazmine Sullivan.

Male R&B Vocal: You’re the Only One, Eric Benet; Take You Down, Chris Brown; Miss Independent, Ne-Yo; Can’t Help But Wait, Trey Songz; Here I Stand, Usher.

Duo or Group R&B Vocal: Ribbon in the Sky, Boyz II Men; Words, Anthony David featuring India.Arie; Stay With Me By The Sea, Al Green featuring John Legend; I’m His Only Woman, Jennifer Hudson featuring Fantasia; Never Give You Up, Raphael Saadiq featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ.

Traditional R&B Vocal: A Change is Gonna Come, Wayne Brady; You’ve Got the Love I Need, Al Green featuring Anthony Hamilton; Baby I Know, Linda Jones with Helen Bruner and Terry Jones; Love That Girl, Raphael Saadiq; In Love with Another Man, Jazmine Sullivan.

Urban Alternative Vocal: Say Goodbye to Love, Kenna; Wanna Be, Maiysha; Be OK’, Chrisette Michele featuring will.i.am; Many Moons, Janelle Monae; Lovin You (Music), Wayna featuring Kokayi.

R&B Song: Bust Your Windows, Jazmine Sullivan; Customer, Raheem De Vaughn; Heaven Sent, Keyshia Cole; Miss Independent, Ne-Yo; Spotlight, Jennifer Hudson.

R&B Album: Love & Life, Eric Benet; Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA, Boyz II Men; Lay It Down, Al Green; Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Hudson; The Way I See It, Raphael Saadiq.

Contemporary R&B Album: Growing Pains, Mary J. Blige; Back of My Lac’, J. Holiday; First Love, Karina; Year of the Gentleman, Ne-Yo; Fearless, Jazmine Sullivan.

Rap Solo: Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)Ö, Jay-Z; A Milli, Lil Wayne; Paris, Tokyo, Lupe Fiasco; N.iÖÖe.r. (The Slave and The Master, Nas; Sexual Eruption, Snoop Dog.

Rap by a Duo or Group: Royal Flush, Big Boi featuring Raekwon and Andre 3000; Swagga Like Us, Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne; Mr. Carter, Lil Wayne featuring Jay-Z; Wish You Would, Ludacris featuring T.I.; Put On, Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West.

Rap/Sung Collaboration: American Boy, Estelle featuring Kanye West; Low, Flo Rida featuring T. Pain; Green Light, John Legend & Andre 3000; Got Money, Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain; Superstar, Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos.

Rap Song: Lollipop, Lil Wayne featuring Static Major Major; Low, Flo Rida featuring T.Pain; Sexual Eruption, Snoop Dogg; Superstar, Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos; Swagga Like Us, Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne.

Rap Album: American Gangster, Jay-Z; Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne; The Cool, Lupe Fiasco; Nas, Nas; Paper Trail, T.I..

Musical Show Album: Gypsy; In The Heights; The Little Mermaid; South Pacific; Young Frankenstein.

Compilation Soundtrack Album: American Gangster; August Rush; Juno; Mamma Mia; Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Score Soundtrack Album: The Dark Knight; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; Iron Man; There Will be Blood; Wall-E.

Song Written for a Motion Picture, TV or other Visual Media: Down to Earth, Peter Gabriel from Wall-E; Ever Ever After, Carrie Underwood from Enchanted; Say, John Mayer from The Bucket List; That’s How You Know, Amy Adams from Enchanted; Walk Hard, John C. Reilley from Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story.

Short Form Music Video: Honey, Erykah Badu; Who’s Gonna Save My Soul, Gnarls Barkley; Another Way to Die, Alicia Keys & Jack White; House of Cards, Radiohead; Pork and Beans, Wheezer.

Long Form Music Video: Where The Light Is ­- Live in Los Angeles, John Mayer; Runnin’ Down a Dream, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers; Good Girl Gone Bad Live, Rihanna; Respect Yourself - The Stax Records Story, Various Artists; Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who, The Who.

The members of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences tell us that these are the best from the Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008 harvest and these set the standards by which all other recordings will be measured for that particular year.