Erivo, who is nominated for the cast recording of The Color Purple revival in the Best Musical Theater Album category, is scheduled to join forces with 10-time Grammy winner John Legend in a tribute to those from the music community who were lost in the past year.
Other performers announced for the music industry's biggest night are Adele, Kelsea Ballerini, William Bell, Chance The Rapper, Gary Clark Jr., Daft Punk, Andra Day, Tori Kelly, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Little Big Town, Demi Lovato, Lukas Graham, Bruno Mars, Metallica, Maren Morris, Anderson .Paak, Katy Perry, Sturgill Simpson, A Tribe Called Quest, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and The Weeknd.
This year’s presenters include singer/songwriter Camila Cabello; current Grammy nominees The Chainsmokers; three-time Grammy winner and current Grammy nominee Kelly Clarkson; actor Laverne Cox; singer/songwriter Jason Derulo; five-time Grammy winner Celine Dion; pop/funk band DNCE; current Grammy nominee Halsey; actress Taraji P. Henson; actor/model Paris Jackson; previous Grammy nominee Nick Jonas; previous Grammy nominee Jennifer Lopez; three-time Grammy winner Tim McGraw and five-time Grammy winner Faith Hill; singer/songwriter/actor Katharine McPhee; two-time Grammy winners and current Grammy nominees Pentatonix; current Grammy nominee Thomas Rhett; actor Gina Rodriguez; TV/radio host and producer Ryan Seacrest; current Grammy nominee Solange; and previous Grammy nominee and actor John Travolta.
Nominations of interest to theatre fans follow:
Best Musical Theater Album:
Bright Star
Carmen Cusack, principal soloist; Jay Alix, Peter Asher & Una Jackman, producers; Steve Martin, composer; Edie Brickell, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
Label: Ghostlight
The Color Purple
Cynthia Erivo & Jennifer Hudson, principal soloists; Stephen Bray, Van Dean, Frank Filipetti, Roy Furman, Scott Sanders & Jhett Tolentino, producers (Stephen Bray, Brenda Russell & Allee Willis, composers/lyricists) (New Broadway Cast)
Label: Broadway Records
Fiddler on the Roof
Danny Burstein, principal soloist; Louise Gund, David Lai & Ted Sperling, producers (Jerry Bock, composer; Sheldon Harnick, lyricist) (2016 Broadway Cast)
Label: Broadway Records
Kinky Boots (London cast)
Killian Donnelly & Matt Henry, principal soloists; Sammy James, Jr., Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Oremus & William Wittman, producers (Cyndi Lauper, composer & lyricist) (Original West End Cast)
Label: Masterworks Broadway
Waitress
Jessie Mueller, principal soloist; Neal Avron, Sara Bareilles & Nadia DiGiallonardo, producers; Sara Bareilles, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
Label: DMI Soundtracks
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Cinema — Andrea Bocelli
Fallen Angels — Bob Dylan
Stages Live — Josh Groban
Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin — Willie Nelson
Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway — Barbra Streisand
The last three Grammys for Best Musical Theatre Album went to Hamilton (2016), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (2015), and Kinky Boots (2014).
The late David Bowie, who made his stage debut with the musical Lazarus this year, was nominated in multiple categories for his final album, Blackstar, including Best Rock Performance, Rock Song, Best Alternative Music Album, and Best Engineering.
Other nominations:
Best Pop Solo Performance - Ariana Grande, Dangerous Woman
Best Traditional R&B Performance - Fantasia, Sleeping with the One I Love
Best R&B Album - Mya, Smoove Jones
Best Country Solo Performance - Carrie Underwood, Church Bells
Best American Roots Performance - Rhiannon Giddens, Factory Girl
Best Folk Album - Rhiannon Giddens, Factory Girl
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) - Carol Burnett, In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, And Fun in the Sandbox
Best Song Written for Visual Media - A group of artists including Anna Kendrick and James Corden, “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals - Alan Broadbent, “I’m a Fool to Want You” (from Kristin Chenoweth’s album The Art of Elegance)
Best Album Notes - Ken Bloom & Richard Carlin, Sissle and Blake Sing “Shuffle Along”
For a complete list of nominees, visit Grammy.com/Nominees.
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards are produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, Ben Winston is a producer, and David Wild and Ehrlich are the writers.
