Lone Star Grammy Noms

Texas artists score big in 2015 Grammy Award nominations

Texas was well-represented in the latest round of nominations for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences 57th annual Grammy Awards. Beyonce, Miranda Lambert and Lecrae topped the list of 24 Texas-born or -based musical acts who earned 35 nominations for music released during the eligible period between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014.

Beyoncé's self-titled album Beyoncé earned nods for Album of the Year and Best Urban Contemporary album. The Houston pop star's single "Drunk In Love" (featuring husband Jay Z) was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. She was also nominated for Best Music Film for Beyoncé & Jay Z: On The Run Tour.

Longview-born Miranda Lambert received four nominations, including Best Country Album for Platinum, and two nominations for the single "Automatic": Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song. She was also nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Somethin' Bad" (with Carrie Underwood).

Houston's Lecrae earned three nominations, including Best Rap Performance for "All I Need Is You"; Best Gospel Performance/Song for "Help" (with Erica Campbell); and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for "Messengers" (featuring For King & Country).

Dallas-Fort Worth nominees
Dallas native Edie Brickell was nominated for Best American Roots Song for "Pretty Little One" (with Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers); Brickell and Martin performed in Dallas in October at the Winspear Opera House.

Dallas native and rising star St. Vincent was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album for her self-titled album St. Vincent. Her climb to fame got a major boost when she performed with Nirvana in April 2014 during their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Dallas-residing producer Tim O'Heir received a nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for Hedwig and the Angry Inch (with Justin Craig and Stephen Trask). O'Heir also was nominated for a Tony.

Arlington a capella group Pentatonix was nominated for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella, for "Daft Punk."

Austin nominees
Austin artists include a team who worked on The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume One (1917-27): Dean Blackwood, nominated for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package (with Susan Archie and Jack White), and Scott Blackwood, for Best Album Notes.

Ruthie Foster was nominated for Best Blues Album for Promise of a Brand New Day, and Eliza Gilkyson was nominated for Best Folk Album for The Nocturne Diaries. Craig Hella Johnson, conductor of Conspirare, was nominaed for Best Choral Performance for "The Sacred Spirit Of Russia."

Houston nominees
Robert Glasper Experiment received two nominations: Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Jesus Children" (featuring Lalah Hathaway and Malcolm Jamal Warner), and Best R&B Album for Black Radio 2.

Houston gospel acts included Aaron W. Lindsey, nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song for "No Greater Love" (with Smokie Norful), and the Walls Group, for Best Gospel Performance/Song for "Love On the Radio."

Houston jazz musicians included Everette Harp (with Jeff Lorber and Chuck Loeb), nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Jazz Funk Soul, and Jason Moran, nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for All Rise: A Joyful Elegy For Fats Waller.

Texas-born legends up for Grammy Awards include Johnny Mathis, a native of Gilmer, nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Sending You A Little Christmas; Johnny Winter, originally from Beaumont, nominated for Best Blues Album for Step Back; and Jacksonville-born Lee Ann Womack, nominated for Best Country Album for The Way I'm Livin'.

Mariachi Los Arrieros Del Valle of McAllen were nominated for Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) for Alegría Del Mariachi. And Pepe Aguilar of San Antonio was nominated Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) for Lastima Que Sean Ajenas.

Two Christian acts received nominations as well. MercyMe of Greenville was nominated twice: for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for "Shake," and for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Welcome To The New. And Waco act Crowder was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for "Come As You Are."

The Grammy Awards air February 8, 2015, on CBS.

Grammy Award nominees Edie Brickell toured with Steve Martin during the summer of 2014.

Paul Simon, Edie Brickell, Steve Martin at Houston Symphony concert July 2014

Photo courtesy of Houston Symphony

Grammy Award nominees Edie Brickell toured with Steve Martin during the summer of 2014.

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RELIVE THE ALAMO

Taylor Sheridan takes on epic event in Texas history for next project

Yellowstone Season 5 premiere, Taylor Sheridan

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Paramount

Taylor Sheridan is taking on one of the most epic events in Texas history.

North Texas producer, director, and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan — whose growing catalog of entertainment projects includes Yellowstone, Landman, Tulsa King, and the soon-to-be-released Frisco King — wants everyone to remember the Alamo.

At the invitation of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Sheridan will tell the story of the Battle of the Alamo for an immersive 4D movie to be shown at the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, which is set to open in 2028.

“The Alamo is the very bedrock Texas was founded upon. To chronicle the sacrifice made by the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives defending the Alamo is an honor I eagerly accept,” Sheridan says in a news release issued by Patrick’s office.

Sheridan’s Battle of the Alamo project promises to be epic simply because the battle itself was epic.

The 13-day conflict in 1836 was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. In a one-sided defeat, the Mexican army prevailed, killing the roughly 200 Alamo defenders and one-third of the roughly 1,800 Mexican soldiers. Much of the mission was destroyed as well.

The sacrifice of Alamo defenders like James Bowie, Davy Crockett, and William Travis helped fuel the Texas resistance, leading to the “Remember the Alamo!” rallying cry and helping to pave the way for Texas independence.

Sheridan, who grew up in North Texas, lives at the 600-acre Bosque Ranch in Weatherford. Sheridan has shot many of his TV shows in the Fort Worth area, such as Landman; Special Ops: Lioness; 1883; and The Madison. A new series, Frisco King, is filming in Fort Worth this spring.

Sheridan founded SGS Studios, which recently partnered on a new 450,000-square foot production campus at Fort Worth’s 27,000-acre AllianceTexas development.

"Over the last decade, Taylor has told the story of the American West — the people, the land, the depth, and the history — in a way no other filmmaker has,” Patrick said. “In addition to his amazing film portfolio, Taylor is a native Texan who knows and loves our state and its history.”

Sheridan’s re-creation of the Battle of the Alamo will be a key attraction for visitors to the $185 million Alamo Visitor Center and Museum. Nearly 160,000 square feet will be taken up by the 4D theater and more than 5,000 artifacts, including over 400 from the Phil Collins Texana Collection.

Today, the Alamo draws more than 1.6 million visitors a year, making it the state’s No. 1 tourist attraction.

Over the years, the Alamo has been the star of several films and TV shows. Most notably, John Wayne portrayed Davy Crockett in the 1960 movie The Alamo. A 2004 reboot of the same name featured Billy Bob Thornton as Crockett and Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston.

Other projects paying tribute to the Alamo include The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory, a 1987 TV movie, and Alamo: The Price of Freedom, a 1988 documentary-style IMAX film.

history movies taylor sheridan texas history alamo