Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands is living up to the school’s motto “Excellence Is Our Habit” as they have officially been nominated for two Grammys.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Aristocrat of Bands has been nominated for a Grammy for their album The Urban Hymnal in the Best Roots Gospel Album category.
They received a second Grammy nomination for their collaboration on a spoken word single with artist J Ivey.
The band submitted their nomination application to the Grammys in August ahead of the release of The Urban Hymnal.
The 10-track album is filled with organic sounds that were created on the TSU campus and features gospel music trailblazers such as Jekalyn Carr, Fred Hammond, and Kierra Sheard.
The Aristocrat of Bands is the first collegiate band in history to earn a Grammy nomination.
Dr. Reginald McDonald, director of bands, said the nominations are a huge accomplishment for the university.
“This is a tremendous day in the history of our beloved Tennessee State University,” Dr. McDonald said in a news release.
“This is not just a band accolade, but a university-wide accomplishment. I personally appreciate our President Dr. Glenda Glover’s vision for our university.”
Dr. Reginald McDonald, Director of Bands at TSU
The Grammys will take place on February 5, 2023, at Cypto.com arena in Los Angeles.
