Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
~1 Peter 3:3-4
There are a lot of music award shows that I like to watch: American Music, MTV Video, Country, People’s Choice, Radio Music, Blockbuster Entertainment, the Juno’s, Much Music, and the list could go on and on…but the show I like the most and the one that as an artist I respect the most is the Grammy’s.
Here’s why.
With the AMA’s, the CMA’s, MTV, Blockbuster, Much, etc, you’re guaranteed to watch performances by only the most popular artists of that particular year, or performances by whatever artists are currently dominating radio air waves (who of course are depicted by callers calling into vote, which when translated means, teenage girls with cell phones who have a lot of time on there hands) and THAT usually means: a LOT of Kanye, Eminem, Rihanna, Britney, Christina, Katy, Gaga, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Carrie, Taylor and all the rest of ‘pop’ (not that I’m opposed to pop). But with the Grammy’s you’re guaranteed to watch – how refreshing – all genres. I love that. The Grammy’s are about the music and not the dancing, the lights, the crazy weird costumes and the spastic-like performing. The Grammy’s keep it real. It’s why winning a Grammy is so coveted by every artist in any and every genre, and why every songwriter who dreams of becoming something/someone wants to win a Grammy.
So while watching the Grammy’s this year, my mind (as per usual) began to wander onto the meaning of life and all it’s success and reward and achievement. I marvelled at this year’s presentation in all it’s glitz and glam and high fashion, but I began to think about what really defines success and what acknowledgement means to me and if I could stand on a stage and have 26 million viewers hear my acceptance speech, what would I say and why would I say it.
Those thoughts led to this…
Do you think 26 million people would watch a show called the Granny’s?
It wouldn’t be anything fancy, and it most certainly wouldn’t be about the glitz and glam and high fashion, it would just be a basic awards show celebrating your average everyday women, aged 60+, who haven’t done remarkable things (according to Forbes anyway, or Hollywood, or People Magazine, or Entertainment Tonight or to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences). They would, however, be women who have done remarkable things according to Cindy and Michelle and Diane and Tina and – insert your own name. And as I watched the show unfold with respected categories mentioned, nominees named, familiar faces plastered on the big screen, awards distributed and acceptance speeches tearfully delivered, I began to think about what categories could be presented at the Granny’s. Categories honouring longevity, wisdom, grace, influence, perseverance, love, dedication, kindness, generosity and selflessness, and I found myself craving to truly watch an awards show like that and be inspired by women who are out there making a difference in a real and tangible way; women, who on an everyday basis, have proven and continue to prove determination and perseverance in life; women who have reached 60+ with true joy, true success and true fulfillment. That’s when I did something that shocked even me, ME – Cindy, a songwriter with a Grammy dream…
I turned off the Grammy’s and started to pray that one day I would win a Granny instead.
