Grammy ride comes to an end

OK, so I’m not going to win a Grammy.

They announced the final nominees for the awards on Thursday, and my name is not on the list.
But I’ve been asked every day – several times a day – for the past few weeks when I would know.

I know now.

No Grammy for me.

That’s no shocker for anybody. I’m not disappointed. I’m just thrilled to have even been in the mix. If you missed my column about it, here is the link for “The Grammy of my dreams.”

As many of you know, I was nominated for the Grammy my local musician/producer Joey Stuckey, who was the brainchild behind my audio book, “Gris & That,’’ a collection of 16 of my favorite columns I read in Joey’s studio on Third Street.

Joey is a voting member in the Grammys. When he and his wife, Jennifer, told me several months ago “Gris & That” had been nominated in the “spoken word” category, I was excited. But I didn’t allow myself to get too excited.

After all, I told myself, there were probably thousands of entries. And I was trying to draw the distinction between having my audio book submitted and actually being “nominated.’’

Then, a few weeks ago, the list had been pared from almost 2,000 to the final 103. My name was on that list!!! On the ballot, I was just two named below Garrison Keillor. I was in the company of folks like Jimmy Carter, Tim Russert, Anderson Cooper, Amy Tan and Frank McCourt.

The "Spoken Word" category includes a wide range of genres. There is everything from audio books to radio commentary, drama, comedy and even speeches.

When the nominees were announced Thursday, the list was down from 103 to five. Complete list is here.

The final cute in my category:

• I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This! -- Bob Newhart
• New Rules — Polite Musings From A Timid Observer -- Bill Maher
• Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis -- Jimmy Carter
• The Truth (With Jokes) -- Al Franken
• Ossie And Ruby: In This Life Together - Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee

So, you see, Garrison Keillor did make it, either.

My wife, Delinda -- besides being disappointed about not getting to buy a new dress for the Grammy awards in February and getting to sit next to Alan Jackson -- is most disgusted that Al Franken made the list ahead of me. But that's a story for another day.

Thanks for everybody’s support during these last few weeks and months. It has been fun for me, and I believe it’s been fun for you, too.

For more information about the almost-made-the-final-cut “Gris & That’’ (it would make a great Christmas gift if I might say so myself) here is the link.