Seven alumni up for Grammys in February

Seven talented MTSU alumni are nominated for Grammys this year in the categories of rap, gospel, American roots and country.

BryTavious “Tay Keith” Chambers, who graduated with an integrated studies major and media management minor in the College of Media and Entertainment in December, produced rap superstar Travis Scott’s No. 1 track, “SICKO MODE,” with Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee.

The song was nominated for best rap performance and best rap song and is part of Scott’s also-nominated No. 1 “Astroworld” album. The 22 year-old Memphis. native has produced nearly a dozen hot tracks for both renowned artists and newcomers, including BlocBoy JB’s triple-platinum “Look Alive”; Drake’s “Nonstop,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts; Lil Wayne’s “Hasta La Vista”; and Eminem’s “Not Alike.”

“I’ve put in thousands of hours, worked with hundreds of artists, linked up with so many producers, gone through so many laptops,” Chambers told DJBooth.net this fall. “It’s really about the work you put in and what you’re willing to sacrifice.”

Chambers’ fellow honorees this year include:

• 2010 audio production grad Michael Anderson, known professionally as Anderson East, who was nominated in the “Best American Roots Performance” category for his song “All on My Mind.”
• Repeat Grammy-winning songwriter/producer and 2003 music business alumnus Torrance “Street Symphony” Esmond,who’s recognized this year for producing “Hussle & Motivate” on Nipsey Hussle’s best rap album-nominated “Victory Lap” CD.
• Repeat nominee, winner and 2000 alumnus Jason A. Hall,whose engineering and mixing on the Brothers Osborne’s “Port Saint Joe” album helped it earn a best country album nomination.
• Multiple award nominee and 2000 School of Music alumnus Wayne Haun,who’s part of the best roots gospel album category for producing “Clear Skies” by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound.
• Multi-nominated songwriter/producer and 2001 recording industry graduate Luke Laird, named in the best country song list for co-writing Kacey Musgraves’ “Space Cowboy” and whose co-written “Butterflies” also earned Musgraves a best country solo performance nomination.
• Repeat nominee James “Jimmy” Mansfield, a 2014 audio production alumnus who worked as assistant engineer on both Ashley McBryde’s best country album-nominated “Girl Going Nowhere” and the Brothers Osborne “Port Saint Joe” project.

The 61st annual Grammy Awards air on Sunday night, Feb. 10, live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles beginning at 7 p.m. Central on CBS.

For more information on MTSU’s alumni nominated for this year’s Grammy awards, click here.