Pick Six is a half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view.
Jim Joyce of Minneapolis:
1 H.E.R., "I Can't Breathe" video. H.E.R. winning the Grammy for Song of the Year led me to her powerful and visceral video that became one of the soundtracks of the Black Lives Matter protests this past year.
2 Brandi Carlile, "I Remember Everything." Another Grammys highlight for me was Carlile's poignant tribute to John Prine with her rendition of his song. We'll "miss him in the morning light, like the roses miss the dew" but I'll also remember so many of John's tender, humorous and ironic songs.
3 "The Black Church." This PBS documentary probes the Black church's deep history and profound impact on Black culture in America. It also makes a strong case that the songs from Black churches were instrumental in the success of the civil rights movlilement of the '50s and '60s.
Jon Bream, Star Tribune critic:
1 Loretta Lynn, "Still Woman Enough." At 88, the enduring Nashville queen offers classic country covers and stripped-down remakes of some of her hits in a homey cabin environment. The lone new original is the title tune, a swampy strut that reaffirms this survivor's femininity and feistiness, with assists from Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood.
2 Lil Baby, "The Bigger Picture," Grammy Awards. More an elaborate theatrical video than a live performance, this taped presentation began with a scenario evoking Rayshard Brooks being shot by Atlanta cops after a traffic stop at Wendy's and then went into Lil Baby's sharp bars about police brutality toward Blacks, punctuated by words from activist Tamika Mallory and rapper Killer Mike of Run the Jewels. Pointed and powerful.
3 BTS, MusiCares' Music on a Mission. A BTS performance without elaborate choreography? Yes, the K-pop kings delivered "Dynamite" with just voices while mostly seated. BTS helped draw more than 18,000 viewers for the Recording Academy's virtual fundraiser to help musicians in need.
