Grammy Nominee Linda Chorney’s David & Goliath Moment

There is no doubt that singer/songwriter Linda Chorney is incredibly talented. Her music and the emotions set within her lyrics are beautiful and daring. So, it was no surprise that she should be up for a Grammy nomination.

What is a surprise is that that nomination was taken away before it was announced and, then, through a series of events, the omission was discovered by Chorney, who took her case right to the head of the Recording Academy – Harvey Mason, Jr., who, after looking at the incident did the right thing and reinstated the nomination for Chorney in the American Roots song category of the Grammys.

Getting the Whole Story

We urge you to read the whole story, because it’s truly fascinating, but according to Variety: “Singer-songwriter Linda Chorney has belatedly picked up a Grammy nod in the American roots song category, after Recording Academy president-CEO Harvey Mason Jr. personally looked into the mystery of why her name was absent from the official nominations, even though a few early news accounts had listed her as a nominee.”

It seemed like an odd coincidence that Chorney, of all people — a prior nominee with some Grammy-related controversy in her past — would have accidentally been the random victim of a Grammys snafu. But, as Mason found out and was able to relay to Chorney this week, it was not a coincidence.  Her nomination had been flagged by someone within the Academy for an audit, specifically because of that past history… and it wasn’t resolved by the time the nominations were officially announced Nov. 23, at which point another nominee had been bumped up into her place.”

Our very own Brad Koepenick caught up with Linda Chorney and asked her some questions.

Here’s Linda and Brad:

“Tell the truth…Make a difference.”
—Linda Chorney, Grammy Nominee

Congrats on your 2022 Grammy Nomination!

First of all, thank you for stepping up recently for the VIP High School Songwriting Program at this year’s CLUB VIP. Why do YOU think it’s important to foster such skills with the “yungins”?

The more you are on stage, and in the spotlight, the easier it becomes…like riding a bike. But ya gotta prepare yourself for lots of falls, bruises, and getting back up again. But no matter what, don’t stop believing in yourself. The path as an artist, is not an easy one.  It is a life filled with rejection, but also rewarding if you can make a living loving what you do.

You have such a unique Davy versus Goliath story to tell (especially THIS year). Could you give us a “thumbnail sketch” of what has transpired these past few months?

Oh boy do I have a story. I believe for the first time in history, the gatekeepers got caught redhanded. So many people claim they were robbed in the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, and Tonys, but can never prove what goes on behind the curtain. I could. I had the proof in black and white that someone removed me from the list of nominees for the Grammys this year.  But I fought my way back on, with the help of CEO Harvey Mason, Jr. having the integrity to do the right thing.

I went out for this nomination, to prove the last one was not a fluke. And I got it!

How do you think the GRAMMY folks will address this in the future?

Hopefully there will be checks and balance in place to make sure there will be a stronger chain of command. Of course, it is unclear whodunnit. But I will find out. There are some holes in the story. But the bottom line is that Harvey chose the more difficult path, by choosing truth, rather than doubling down on BS, like most people in power—I am sure knowing full well that there will be more questions to fill in the blanks. I commend him for his integrity. He could have just swept this little indie under the rug. I’m very grateful…and I might even win!

I saw the feature film When I Sing and have been a big fan of your past work. What can we expect in the near future?

Aww shucks, I’m ba-lush-in’!

I’m finishing up my book, that I think I’m going to call WHEN I SING.

It’s a trilogy of my life’s story as an indie who refused to let the industry gatekeepers hold her down. 

Part 1: My First Nomination 

Part 2: Life After My First Nomination 

Part 3: My Second Nomination

You’ve truly been representing the “voice of the indie artist”. What advice might you have for prospective singer/songwriters?

Don’t do it. The odds are stacked against us to make a living. How’s that for inspiration?

What is your greatest joy?

My dog, My Dad, My husband Scott, My music, and this latest nomination of validation that I didn’t need – but wanted. Now I can drop the mic.

Who’s on your turntable these days?

Always Classic Rock and Classical

Any last words to our readership? The future is friendly, but we need some wisdom.

Don’t take any shit. Tell the truth. When you see a yellow flag from someone who does you wrong—don’t walk away. RUN. People who offer to help you, sometimes have another agenda. It is not worth it. If you sense something rotten, even if they can get you to the next level, RUN AWAY. No excuses. And if you want to help someone, do it because you want to help them, not because you expect anything in return. Do it because your heart tells you to. Make a difference.

Have a fantastic GRAMMY run! You inspire!