Latin Grammys: Are the Latin music industry’s shiniest awards stained forever?

By Fernie Ruano Jr.

Imagine if you’ve holed up every day for a year in a music studio and drained your savings account in hopes of getting noticed by the Latin Recording Academy and perhaps have your album nominated for a Latin Grammy award, but you get passed over in favor of “friends” of the academy; chances are you would not only feel a bit deflated, but be questioning the career  you’ve worked so hard to establish, especially if you’re not a member of the academy and therefore have no financial obligations with the organization.

And little to no chance of being nominated or - much less - winning a Latin Grammy.

That’s the prevailing question – and a legitimate one to ask and ponder – as Latin music promoters and publicists turn up their efforts in preparation for the 15^th Latin Grammy Awards show, Thursday, November 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

What’s supposed to be a celebration of the industry’s best – from artist who compose and interpret traditional to contemporary music – has been turned into a platform for the $$$$ and influential inside of the Latin Recording Academy, a “non-profit organization” made up of artists, musicians and other recording professionals and technicians. If you’re part of the “Buddy System”, which in part means you’re in bed with promoters and publicists, or what’s left of them, you’re in. It’s sad, but true.

How else to explain the inclusion of several Miami-based artists like Aymee Nuviola, in the “Best Salsa Album” category for “First Class to Havana”, her most recent album and one she’s been promoting relentlessly in recent weeks, including at a Celia Cruz-tribute concert held in Miami, and Palo, nominated in the “Best Contemporary Tropical Album” for “Palo! Live”, a live recording recently featured in a “Miami-sound” documentary.  And while there’s nothing wrong with their efforts, they don’t belong in the same category with Carlos Vives (“Mas+Corazon Profundo”) and Prince Royce (“Soy El Mismo”). And does Nuviola really belong in the same category, much less in the same row of seats, with Anthony?

Why is Rey Ruiz, a mid-90's exponent of "Salsa romantica" and one of the truly good people in the business, now coming out of nowhere to promote "Regalo", a single which he "hopes to turn into an album." ? Where is Romeo Santos? Alejandro Fernandez? Gilberto Santa Rosa? My guess is their publicity efforts and contributions fell short of the standards upheld by the Latin Recording Academy or perhaps they figured one last push would score with the Latin Recording Academy; At least, this year anyway.

But in all probability, I will be tuned in a week from now because I’m still very passionate about Latin music and have been associated with the industry for 15 years; it’s like the phone number stored in your cellphone you haven’t deleted yet, even though she told you to never call her again. You can’t shake her and believe time will soften all wounds. I feel the same way about the Latin music industry.

I’m often asked why is it the Latin music industry continues to struggle in developing new artists and with it suffers from its inability give the industry a fresh face to be excited about? Well, besides stagnant record sales, which are routinely linked to pirating of music, and the inability of A&R’s at any of the mainstay record labels to discover new talent, the industry as a whole has itself to blame.

And the Latin Grammys are just another hole in the ditch.

The 15^th Latin Grammy Awards will be presented on November 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The telecast will begin at 8 p.m. on Univision. For a complete list of nominees visit www.latingrammy.com.

Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.