Wednesday, February 15th 2023, 4:43 pm
Several Oklahoma musicians were honored with Grammy nominations this year, but only one came home with the gold trophy.
First-time nominee, Kitt Wakeley, won for his album An Adoption Story.
This award-winning compilation was created about his own life. He and his sister were put into the foster care system and separated.
Wakeley and his sister grew up in separate homes. Thirty years later, his story comes full circle.
Composing the piece and going to London, he recorded at Abbey Road Studios, but then was able to come back to the US and mix it together with award-winning artists.
“Once I have what I am comfortable with here, I move to the studio and work with strings, brass, guitar, and bass, all of it. When I am done with the demos, I start to craft it,” Wakeley said.
Then on February 5th, his name was called for this prestigious award.
“Winning the Grammy is the highest accolade we could ever ask for as a musician,” Wakeley said.
For this musician, he’s had other trophies, from #1s on the billboard charts, to a ticket from his Carnegie Hall performance, all of those being moved over for the Grammy.
“This is from Tiffany’s. You get the medallion before you get the trophy,” Wakeley said. “There will be angelic lights, celestial choirs. There will be an aww moment every time I walk in the room.”
Even though Wakeley has won a Grammy, he is not done yet.
“We are not quite done with maximizing this project quite yet, but I am excited about heading back to LA in a few days to start the next project.”
Tevis Hillis, a proud Oklahoma native, anchors the weekend morning news. She also covers breaking news, education, and topics relevant to people in their 20s for her weekday audience. In addition to her on-air role, Tevis is an adjunct professor for OU Nightly, mentoring over 160 students each semester.
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