The Grammy Awards

Wow! The things you learn when you look up the list of nominees.

The most important one that I missed when they were first announced was a local connection.

Roberto Diaz was nominated for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance Without Orchestra. That's pretty cool. Diaz, a violist, is the son of Manuel and Betty Anne Diaz, both music professors at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music. He didn't win, but I'm sure this will not be his last nomination.

Then the Soweto Gospel Choir, who performed here Saturday in the Bill Heard Theatre, won for Best Traditional World Music. Congratulations to them.

And Chick Corea and Bela Fleck, who will be here on Feb. 21, were both Grammy winners. Corea won two and Fleck won one (with the Flecktones).

I'm sure next year, their duet album will be nominated.

With all the great musicians who have come from Columbus, I'm sure I left out others. Let me know if I did.