Wisconsin Natives, Transplants Up for Grammys

Composer Justin Hurwitz on the set of ‘La La Land.’ Public domain image.

An American Idol finalist, a film composer and an actor who lent his talents to a political audiobook are among this year’s crop of Grammy Award nominees with Wisconsin ties.

Kenosha native Mark Ruffalo, who gained international fame for portraying the Hulk in a number of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, has been nominated for Best Spoken Word Album. Ruffalo paired up with senator and 2016 presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders to narrate the audiobook version of the politician’s memoir, Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In.

Joining Ruffalo in the category, which includes poetry, audio books and storytelling, are Neil deGrasse Tyson (Astrophysics For People In A Hurry), Bruce Springsteen (Born To Run), Shelly Peiken (Confessions Of A Serial Songwriter), and Carrie Fisher (The Princess Diarist).

Milwaukee native Danny Gokey, who finished third on the eighth season of American Idol, is up for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for his album, Rise. After appearing on the FOX singing competition, Gokey pursued a career in country music, opening for Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now World Tour” on a number of occasions.

In 2013, he switched musical directions, turning toward the adult pop/contemporary Christian music genre. His second album, Hope in Front of Me (2014), debuted at number one on the Billboard Christian Albums chart, and he has since earned numerous Dove Award nominations through the Gospel Music Association. This is his first Grammy nomination and he’ll face off against Matt Maher (Echoes), MercyMe (Lifer), Tauren Wells (Hills and Valleys) and Zach Williams (Chain Breaker).

Film composer Justin Hurwitz, who graduated from Nicolet High School in Glendale (a Milwaukee suburb) in 2003, earned four nominations for scoring the La La Land movie soundtrack. During his time at Harvard University, he was roommates with the film’s eventual director Damien Chazelle, with whom he collaborated on the 2014 film Whiplash. Last year, Hurwitz won two Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for La La Land.

For this year’s Grammy Awards, he is up for Best Song Written for Visual Media (“City Of Stars”), Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, and Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for the movie’s opening song, “Another Day of Sun.”

The 60th Grammy Awards air at 6:30pm on Sunday, Jan. 28, on CBS.