Duo Earns Nomination

Northwest Arkansas’s own Trout Fishing in America, Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet, received a 2009 Grammy nomination for their 2008 album, “Big Round World” on their Trout Record label. The album was nominated in the Best Musical Album for Children category. This is the fourth Grammy nomination for Trout Fishing in America; their previous nominations came in 2002, 2004 and 2006.

Eight of the 14 songs on “Big Round World” were derived from songwriting workshops with children across America. The Afro-Pop vibrancy of the title cut sets the tone for the thoughtfully happy music, but the album takes unexpected forays into a wide range of genres from cool jazz to rock and bluegrass.

This is a particularly proud moment for Grimwood and Idlet since they produced this CD in their own “Trout House” studio. TFIA enlisted some local musicians to lay down parts on some of the songs on the CD. Kelly Mulhollan and Donna Stjerna from Still on the Hill and Toucan Jam join in for the insouciant “I Don’t Care” a song in which Idlet shows off his banjo skills. Dave Renko of the Cate Brothers adds his saxophone touch on two cuts, “Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks” and “Too Good To Be True.”

The duo stretches out musically on this CD, playing even more instruments than on their past releases. Guitarist Idlet added percussion, mandolin and ukulele, while Grimwood sat down at the keyboard to add that soulful B-3 sound.

TFIA has received more than 25 national awards including three previous Grammy nominations. They have been featured on the Today Show, NPR’s All Things Considered, Morning Edition, World Cafe, Mountain Stage and Dr. Demento.

This has been a big year for TFIA. Earlier this month, “Big Round World” was selected to top NPR’s “The Year in Music for Kids” list for 2008.  The CD also received a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor and NAPPA Gold Award from the National Parenting Publications. In June, “Performing Songwriter” named Trout Fishing in America one of the 100 Most Influential Independent Artists of the Past 15 Years. Also this year, TFIA entered the world of children’s books, inking a deal with Canadian publishing house The Secret Mountain. “My Name is Chicken Joe,” a book and CD combination, is set for release next year.

The Grammy Awards will air on CBS on February 8.

Categories: Commentary