Booker T. Jones Wins 2010 Grammy Award; Legendary Soul Artist Wins Best Pop Instrumental Album
Anti- Records offers heartfelt congratulations to Booker T. Jones for his Grammy Award win in the category of "Best Pop Instrumental Album" for his spectacular album Potato Hole.
Booker T. was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and previously won Grammys in 1997 for work with his band Booker T. and the MGs as well as a lifetime achievement award in 2007.
Potato Hole was Booker T's first new album in nearly two decades, and the lead single "Warped Sister" was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental (losing in that category to the legendary Jeff Beck.)
On the Friday prior to the Awards Ceremony, Booker T. appeared at the MusicCares benefit event honoring his old friend Neil Young (who contributed guitar on Potato Hole) As part of what Rolling Stone Magazine called "a true power trio" (along with Keith Urban and John Fogerty) Booker T. played keys on a rousing rendition of Young's anthem "Rockin' in the Free World."
"Potato Hole" and two other tracks from the album, "Hey Ya" and "Space City," were included in The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop poll which tabulates votes from over 697 music critics' to distill the most important music of the prior year. Potato Hole was also recognized by No Depression in its Top Albums of 2009. Booker's signature Hammond B-3 sound was also featured on the latest album by celebrated punk band Rancid.
The song "Pound It Out," from Potato Hole will be featured in Ken Burns' forthcoming "Tenth Inning," an epilogue to the filmmaker's acclaimed nine-part "Baseball" documentary series. Following the Grammy ceremony, Booker T. departed California to embark on a whirlwind tour of Japan, before returning Stateside to work on his as-yet-untitled follow-up to Potato Hole.