Get this: Charleston natives A Fragile Tomorrow have received 2017 Grammy Award pre-nominations in the categories of album of the year (Make Me Over), record of the year (Make Me Over, Noddy Holder), song of the year (Sean Kelly for “Make Me Over” (Noddy Holder), best new artist, and best engineered album, non-classical (Make Me Over).
Rachael Sage, head of A Fragile Tomorrow’s label, MPress Records gave us a bit of insight on how the Grammy process works. “We submitted all our artists in all appropriate categories as we do annually, and voting by members commences this week for the actual nominees,” she says.
But not all submissions are accepted — only the ones they deem appropriate as far as categorization. “Right now we’re just trying to spread awareness among NARAS members who vote, so they can hear AFTs music and recognize it’s merit in time to vote,” Sage says.
The band, which comprises brothers Dominic, Sean, and Brendan Kelly in addition to Shaun Rhoades, got the good news from the label earlier this week. “To be honest, I think the likelihood of us getting a nomination for record of the year or some big category like that is slim — I’m gonna guess and say Adele’s ‘Hello’ will get nominated and win that one. But I do feel like there’s a pretty solid chance we could get an engineering nomination,” he says. “Myself, Sean, and Brendan engineered [our album] with Grammy winner Malcolm Burn mixing it, and Grammy winners Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone on mastering. I think we did a lot of interesting and unique stuff with the way we engineered it as well as in the mix and mastering, so I feel pretty good that we could get recognized.”
Regardless, having hometown boys get on the Grammy Award shortlist is pretty darn cool. Dominic thinks so, too. “I’m incredibly proud of this record we put out and my hope was that it would be recognized by our peers in some way,” he says. “So needless to say, however significant or insignificant this whole thing is, it’s an honor that people would even consider nominating us for a Grammy.”
A Fragile Tomorrow also received a final-round nomination for best cover song in the Independent Music Awards. Their cover is of “One Way Ticket” by Mimi & Richard Fariña featuring Joan Baez and Indigo Girls. The nomination is extra special because of its family ties: Baez’s sister, Mimi, was married to the Kelly brothers’ cousin, Richard.
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For further updates, stay tuned to facebook.com/afragiletomorrow.
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