What makes someone a Chicago artist?

In response to my post about the Grammys slighting Chicago’s musical giants, a reader who happens to be Herbie Hancock’s publicist sent in the following. All due respect to the man who gave us “Rockit,” but Hancock has never been widely identified as “a Chicago artist” — not in the way Smashing Pumpkins or Kayne West or Curtis Mayfield or Muddy Waters has. But I’m certainly open to hearing what readers think.

Subject:

Your Grammy post and Herbie Hancock

From:

“Nancie S. Martin”

Hi Jim,

I enjoyed your “Grammy Fun Part Two” post.

But you apparently aren’t aware that our client Herbie Hancock, winner of 10

Grammys and nominated for three this year, was born in Chicago and was a

child piano prodigy who performed a Mozart piano concerto with the Chicago

Symphony Orchestra at age 11. You could look it up (at herbiehancock.com,

for instance).

So go ahead and claim him. It’ll up Chicago’s total Grammy count, and if he

wins for Album of the Year it’ll change your perspective on the Big Four.

Best regards,

Nancie