Grammy's Hidden Surprises

Banda El Recodo is a family-run group that dates back to 1938. These horn players can really blast, and the arrangements are lively and fun. They're nominated for Best Banda Album, the category for Mexican brass bands.

Neil Young's idosyncratic voice is a surprise in the Best Solo Rock Vocal category. Perhaps it's a sign of the times that he's getting attention this year for his CD, Living with War. "Lookin' for a Leader" is also nominated for Best Rock Song.

Nominated for for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, this live recording turned out to be one of the last for sax great Michael Brecker. He died last month at the age of 57. Some Skunk Funk is also nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

'Ridin'' gets Chamillionaire a nomination for Best Rap Song, but Weird Al's parody riffs on the hip-hop hit. His CD, Straight Outta Lynwood, is nominated for Best Comedy Album.

Rolf Lislevand plays an ancient lute called a theorbo on Nuove Musiche, one of producer Manfred Eicher's albums. Known for coaxing the best performances out of the artists he works with, Eicher is nominated for Classical Producer of the Year.

Norwegian composer Knut Nystedt is an organist and choral conductor who once studied with Aaron Copland. Immortal Nystedt by Bærum Vokalensemble and Ensemble 96, is nominated for Best Choral Performance and Best Surround Sound Album.

Josh Turner grew up in South Carolina and first hit the stage at age 14 when his mother signed him up to sing for a church fundraiser. "Would You Go with Me" is a nominee for Best Male Country Performance and Your Man, for Best Country Album.