Martin,

It is actually a little weird. I was a NARAS member a few years ago, and did get those big packages of CD's, information, etc, for the big artists and categories. But you would also get these multi page sheets that had all these obscure, weird categories. Those of course, I would skip. I really didn't care to vote on "Best World Song played on Hammer Dulcimer and Zither". And there are all kinds of stuff like that. They do have to go through panels and many of them, you have to be on those panels to vote for them, kind of like the Oscars, where actors vote for actors, directors for directors etc, then the entire membership voting on BEST PICTURE.

I know several people who have won them, and a few nominated for those weird categories. Some of the winners get CERTIFICATES, and not the little statue. My friend and Co-writer, Wood Newton won for producing, and the studio, THE PARLOR, owned by my publishers, Larry Sheridan and Robin Ruddy, won for "THE BEST OF STEPHEN FOSTER" which won for "Best Folk album" in 2003. I think.

Other's I have known are RICHARD LEIGH, a co-writer and friend who wrote "DON'T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE" where he won SONG OF THE YEAR. He has that one in his living room with the collar of his dog, that he wrote the song about.
The other one was from a friend, Rosie Roselle, who was a very famous Southern Gospel Quartet singer. His group, the "MASTERS V" won for Gospel event of the year. On that one, I thought I broke the trophy one time, when I went to pick it up for a commercial we were shooting at the time. The little megaphone came off in my hand and I FREAKED OUT!! When I sheepishly went up to tell him, he laughed and said "That thing broke right after we got it. We've been using it for a doorstop."
They are really poorly made.

At any rate, that is about it. Anyone can be nominated. But getting to the "real categories" are another thing. There are around 27,00-0-35,000 NARAS members worldwide and I can BET YOU that a LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE joined just to nominate some friend or have someone nominate them so that they can say "hey, I'm a GRAMMY NOMINEE.

Not as prestigious as you would think.

MAB