“Rock & Roll Days: A Celebration of Sun Records”

With the 62^nd Annual Grammy Awards show fast approaching to TV screens on Sunday, January 26,2020, millions of music followers will be watching the annual show to see if their favorite musician, band, or composer wins their award for best music album, song, composition, or even best new recording artist. This year’s event will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA at 8:00 p.m. and will recognize the best of the best in all eighty-four categories.

Sean and Marty Wendell performing together at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY Sunday, February 24, 2019.

The Capital Region has seen its fair share of Grammy award winning artists who have either won their own Grammy or were considered for this prestigious award. Lana Del Ray, from Lake Placid, NY, has a nomination this year for her album, Norman F****** Rockwell, and drummer, Mark Foster, who performed as part of the “Family Tree” open mike jam back in November at the Ale House, is an accomplished drummer who performs with the Grammy award winning orchestra, the Albany Symphony, who won their Grammy in 2014 based on their recording of John Corigliano’s Conjurer.

This past year, “Rock & Roll Days: A Celebration of Sun Records”, a record by Capital Region’s Rockabilly Hall of Fame artist, Marty Wendell, was considered for a Grammy. Although Wendell’s album made it to the final round of nominee selections, the album did not receive a nomination for “Best Americana Album”. The artists and the albums that were selected for the final consideration in time for the Grammy awards include “Years to Burn” (Calexico and Iron & Wine), “Who Are You?” (Madison Cunningham), “Oklahoma” (Keb Mo), “Tales of America” (J.S. Ondara), and “Walk Through Fire” (Yola). Other albums that also were ejected from the final consideration for this category include “Threads” (Sheryl Crow) and “Western Stars” (Bruce Springsteen).

This was the first time in his 55-year career in music that any of Wendell’s albums were even considered for a Grammy. To be considered for this award is an honor for Marty and his band who worked hard to make this album as much as a success as it can be.

“Rock & Roll Days: A Celebration of Sun Records” was released in early 2019 and was produced by Wendell’s son, Sean Wendell of Centurion Productions. Marty, who in 1968 opened for rock and roll legend, Johnny Cash, during his “Live at Folsom Prison” tour, features a recorded conversation with Cash that can be heard on the album. This recorded interview was a radio spot used to assist Wendell with the promotion of his first single release, “Hey, Hey Mama”. This conversation, along with 14 other songs, can be heard on this latest album and it can be purchased on CD Baby, Apple Music, and Wendell’s website at http://www.martywendell.com.

Marty Wendell and his band will be back to tour again this year and Wendell is looking forward to touring again in the new year. Although his album made it to the final vote but did not garner a nomination, he is honored to be included as a local Grammy contender, whose album competed with some heavy weight artists as Sheryl Crow, Bruce Springsteen, and Lana Del Ray. May 2020 be a success for Wendell and his ensemble as they continue to produce and perform great music for all to enjoy in the Capital Region and beyond.