Songwriters, engineers and singers who refined their talents at Middle Tennessee State University have once again been recognized for their contributions to the music industry with the announcement of the nominees for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
The nominees’ list includes:
• MTSU music business alumnus Rob Williford, right-hand band man and songwriting partner of reigning two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs, who’s nominated as a co-writer for Best Country Song for the platinum-selling “Doin’ This.”
Williford, a 2016 MTSU graduate from Gastonia, North Carolina, earned his first No. 1 single, “One Number Away,” in 2018 and the 2019 CMA Song of the Year award for “Beautiful Crazy.”
• Grammy-winning master of fine arts and recording technologies alumnus Aaron Raitiere, whose songwriting and singing are integral to Ashley McBryde’s Best Country Album nominee, the small-town-tales collection of Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville.
The Danville, Kentucky, native co-wrote all but one of the songs and sings on two from McBryde’s concept album. Their musical pals, including Brandy Clark and Caylee Hammack, join them to make up the “cast.”
2009 alumnus Raitiere won his first Grammy at the 2020 ceremonies for co-writing “I’ll Never Love Again” for A Star is Born in the Best Song for Visual Media category.
• Grammy-winning recording industry grad Brandon Bell, whose mixing work on Brandi Carlile’s In These Silent Days earned him multiple nominations, including Album of the Year and Best Americana Album, plus record of the year for “You and Me on the Rock.”
Bell, a 2004 graduate who has engineered projects for artists ranging from Amythyst Kiah to The Lonely Island to Zac Brown Band—plus Raitiere’s new album—won the bluegrass album Grammy for mixing Nobody Knows You, the Steep Canyon Rangers’ 2012 release.
• Multi-Grammy winner and recording industry grad Tony Castle, who is nominated for engineering icon Willie Nelson’s newest country album, A Beautiful Time.
Castle, a 1995 MTSU recording industry production and technology alumnus, has won two Grammys for engineering Nelson’s album-length tributes to songwriter George Gershwin and vocalist Frank Sinatra, respectively.
• Multi-Grammy-winning former student Hillary Scott, who has won her awards as part of the band Lady A and for her solo contemporary Christian music performance work, is back in the Contemporary Christian Music Performance category along with the sibling duo For King + Country for their song “For God Is With Us.”
Lady A won the first of their five Grammys in 2009 for “I Run to You.” Scott’s 2016 independent album Love Remains also won her solo Grammys for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.
The 2023 Grammys Will Air Live
Tune in Sunday, Feb. 5, from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Central on CBS and the Paramount+ networks from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles; nominees were announced Nov. 15.
Under Grammy rules, awards for Best Album and Record of the Year go to the winning artist, producers and/or engineers. The Song of the Year award goes to the songwriter, and performance awards go to the artist.
MTSU once again plans to take a contingent of College of Media and Entertainment students, faculty and administrators to L.A. for a long weekend of gathering with local alumni and attending backstage and pre-show Grammy events.
37 Grammys and Counting Since 2001
The Department of Recording Industry at MTSU, part of the College of Media and Entertainment, trains song creators and performers in its Commercial Songwriting Program, provides expert instruction in recording live music and audio in its Audio Production Program, and prepares budding music entrepreneurs, including managers and publishers, for careers in its Music Business Program.
MTSU alumni, former or current students, and faculty from across the university have been a part of more than 134 Grammy nominations over the last two decades.
The number of MTSU-connected Grammy winners since 2001 currently stands at 15 people with a total of 37 Grammys in categories from classical to pop to rock to country to gospel.
For more information about the Department of Recording Industry at MTSU, visit mtsu.edu/recording-industry. More details about the 65th Annual Grammy Awards are available at grammy.com.
