Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis share Emmy nom with Sheila E for Prince special

They will compete for outstanding music direction with the Oscars, Kennedy Center Honors, "Saturday Night Live" and Super Bowl halftime with J. Lo and Shakira.

July 29, 2020 at 1:04PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Miguel and Sheila E. at Grammys salute to Prince/ CBS photo
Miguel and Sheila E. at Grammys salute to Prince/ CBS photo (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

In the 500-plus Emmy nominations in 123 categories announced on Tuesday, there was one recognition with a Minnesota connection:

Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Sheila E. are nominated for outstanding music direction for "Let's Go Crazy: A Grammy Salute to Prince."

It's the first Emmy noms for all three, who received early career boosts from Prince.

They have some stiff competition in this category:

Adam Blackstone for Super Bowl LIV Halftime starring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira;

Rickey Minor for the Oscars;

Rickey Minor for the Kennedy Center Honors;

Lenny Pickett and Leon Pendarvis for "Saturday Night Live."

Only one of the finalists, Minor, who was bandleader on "American Idol" and "The Tonight Show," has won an Emmy -- for outstanding music direction in 2017 for "Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America."

The Emmy Awards are scheduled for Sept. 20.

about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Critic / Reporter

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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