Who is the world "diggin' on" this year -- to quote Best New Artist GRAMMY Nominee, Joss Stone?

Besides Stone, count in Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Usher, the late Ray Charles, Green Day, Brian Wilson, Anita Baker, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Loretta Lynn, Sarah McLachlan, Bonnie Raitt, Gretchen Wilson, Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton, Elton John, Jamie Cullum, Al Green, Prince, Seal, Josh Groban, John Mayer, Ben Harper, Bruce Hornsby, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Tim McGraw, Van Morrison, The Counting Crows, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Elvis Costello and The Imposters, to name just a few favorites.

On Tuesday morning, December 7th, the 47th Annual GRAMMY Award Nominees were announced at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, California to celebrate the world's best musicians.

The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. is responsible for making the nominations and selecting the GRAMMY award-winners.

The Recording Academy, is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers.

Their mission is to advance artistic and technical excellence, work to ensure a vital and free creative environment, and act as an advocate on behalf of music and its makers.

This year, 107 categories in thirty-one fields received GRAMMY nominations.

The genres of music to be awarded include: Pop, Traditional Pop, R&B, Dance, Rock, Alternative, Rap, Country, New Age, Jazz, Gospel, Latin, Blues, Folk, Reggae, Hawaiian, Native American, World Music, Polka, Children's, Spoken Word, Comedy, Musical Show, Film/TV/Visua Media, Composing/Arranging, Package, Album Notes, Historical, Production -- Non-Classical, Surround Sound, Production -- Classical, Classical, and Music Video.

Artists and actors who read this year's nominations on Tuesday morning included:

Kanye West, Anita Baker, Nelly, Will.I.Am and Fergie of theBlack Eyed Peas, Dan Estrin and Doug Robb of Hoobastank, Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, actor Kevin Spacey, and two of our favorites, Best New Artist nominees, Joss Stone and Gretchen Wilson.

Even the city of Portland, Oregon got a GRAMMY nod, this year, thanks to Loretta Lynn & Jack White.

One Artist To Be Diggin' On

Joss Stone is the now eighteen year-old British pop/soul/jazz singer, who came onto the scene with Soul Sessions and then followed up her debut album with a formal debut album of mainly her own songs called Mind, Body and Soul. The latter, her first recording to establish her public identity, has earned her a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

In the "Pop" Field, her Mind, Body and Soul album, produced by S-Curve Records, will compete against the legendary Ray Charles, Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan and Brian Wilson -- under the 11th category, "Best Pop Vocal Album".

Stone's third chance to earn a Grammy is for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for You Had Me. Bjork's Oceania, Sheryl Crow's The First Cut is the Deepest, Norah Jones' Sunrise and Gwen Stefani's What You Waiting For? are the other hopefuls in this category.

Rap artist, Kanye West received the most GRAMMY nominations this year.

On Sunday, February 13th, West could win as many as 10 GRAMMYs.

The 2005 ceremony will take place at L.A.'s Staples Center.

The 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be aired on CBS from 8 to 11:30 p.m. EST/PST.

Set your TiVos now.

2005 marks the 32nd consecutive year the show will air on CBS.

It will also be Grammy Awards' Pierre Cossette's 35th awards telecast, and his last, as executive producer.

In conjunction with the awards ceremony, Heineken, a sponsor of the GRAMMYS, announced this week that they will again roll-out the Green Carpet in honor of The GRAMMY Foundation.

Last year, Heineken donated $20,000 to support the non-profit organization founded in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music on American culture. For further information, go to:

Other 2005 sponsors include: 7 UP, Cadillac, Verizon, PEOPLE Magazine, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Continental Airlines and Westwood One.

2005 GRAMMY Nominees

In addition to Kanye West, other big Grammy contenders this year include Alicia Keys and Usher, who each received eight nominations a piece.

The late Ray Charles received seven.

Green Day received six, who along with West, are all nominated in the biggest category, Album Of The Year.

Brian Wilson's Smile was nominated for Best Pop Album.

On December 1st, Wilson was honored by The Recording Academy as MusiCares 2005 Person of the Year.

On February 13th, Norah Jones, Loretta Lynn, and Prince, with be up for five nominations each.

All eligible nominees released their recordings from October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004.

For a complete list of nominees in 107 categories, along with links to some of our favorite releases, go to:

Please send this to five music lovers you know who are interested in the latest, greatest recordings of the year.

Inspire & Be Inspired (R).

Here's to healthy, adventuresomes, soulful, "jazzy, R&B, rockin', country, classical" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King