Berklee Alumni Win Eight Grammy Awards
John Mayer
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Gary Burton
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Berklee alumni were honored with eight Grammy Awards on music's biggest night for their outstanding contributions to some of last year's top releases. The winners were recognized for their work in varied categories and fields, including pop, rock, jazz, Broadway show music, producing, mixing/engineering, and mastering. With last night's wins, Berklee alumni have now received a total of 176 Grammy Awards.
John Mayer '98, who performed in a tribute to Bo Diddley at the ceremony, won two Grammys—in the categories Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, for "Say," and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, for "Gravity"—bringing him the sixth and seventh awards of his career.
In other rock categories, Thomas Pridgen '03 of the Mars Volta won Best Hard Rock Performance for "Wax Simulacra." Joe Travers '91 of Zappa Plays Zappa won Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Peaches en Regalia."
Gavin Lurssen '91 took home an Album of the Year award for his work as mastering engineer on Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's Raising Sand, which was the night's biggest winner.
Gary Burton '62 was awarded the sixth Grammy of his career in the category Best Jazz Instrumental Album for The New Crystal Silence with Chick Corea. Alex Lacamoire '95 won his first award, in the category Best Musical Show Album for In The Heights, a show for which he also won a Tony Award. Thomas Bellino '72 of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra also won his first award, in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category for Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard.