The Grammy Awards are, of course, all about music. Evidence suggests that most people who will watch the 54th Grammy Awards telecast (2/12/12) will be tuning in more for the performances than for the awards. So the performances are important both to the sponsoring organization, NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) in attracting viewers, and to the performers who get prime time network exposure.

Performers and presenter are potential Grammy nominees next year

Between them, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have won a total of 48 Grammy Awards, either as solo artists or as part of a group. All three are releasing albums in 2012 that will be eligible for Grammys next year, so exposure on this year's telecast can't hurt (even for Ringo, who will be presenting but not performing.)Over the years, Springsteen has collected 20 Grammy Awards. McCartney has four as a solo performer or songwriter and another 14 with other members of Wings and The Beatles. Starr shares 10 Beatles awards.

Short list: current classic rock nominees

Last year's nominees included about a dozen classic rock artists, but you won't need more than one hand to find enough fingers to count the number who are nominated this time around. Although several Rock categories have been consolidated with others or eliminated in the past year, that doesn't really seem to be a major contributing factor.Jeff Beck, who won three awards last year, has one nomination this time, in the Best Rock Album category for his Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul. Three current or former members of The Allman Brothers Band are nominated for solo albums (Gregg Allman - Low Country Blues, Warren Haynes - Man In Motion) or albums with another group (Derek Trucks, Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator.)If you want to stretch it, you could include McCartney's nomination for his shared role in Band on the Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection - Deluxe Edition) in the Best Historical Album category.

And the awards went to ...

Here are the Grammy Awards won by this year's classic rock performers and presenter.Wings (McCartney)
1974 - Pop Vocal Group
1975 - Album of the Year - Band On The Run
1978 - Best Album Package - Wings Over America
1980 - Best Rock Instrumental Performance - "Rockestra Theme"The Beatles (Starr, McCartney)
1965 - Best New Artist
1965 - Best Performance by a Vocal Group - "A Hard Day's Night"
1968 - Album of the Year - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
1968 - Best Contemporary Album - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
1970 - Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Show - Yellow Submarine
1971 - Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or TV Special - Let It Be
1987 - Best Music Video, Short Form - "Free As A Bird"
1997 - Best Music Video, Long Form - The Beatles Anthology
1997 - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal - "Free As A Bird"
2008 - Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media - Love

 

McCartney
1967 - Best Contemporary (R&R) Solo Vocal Performance - Male Or Female - "Eleanor Rigby"
1967 - Song Of The Year - "Michelle"
1972 - Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) - "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
2011 - Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance - "Helter Skelter"Springsteen
1985 - Best Rock Vocal Performance - Male - "Dancing In The Dark"
1988 - Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance - "Tunnel Of Love"
1995 - Best Rock Vocal Performance - Male - "Streets Of Philadelphia"
1995 - Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television - "Streets of Philadelphia"
1995 - Best Rock Song - "Streets Of Philadelphia"
1995 - Song of the Year - "Streets Of Philadelphia"
1997 - Best Contemporary Folk Album - The Ghost Of Tom Joad
2003 - Best Rock Song - "The Rising"
2003 - Best Rock Album - The Rising
2003 - Best Male Rock Vocal Performance - "The Rising"
2004 - Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group - "Disorder In The House" (with Warren Zevon)
2005 - Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance - "Code Of Silence"
2006 - Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance - "Devils & Dust"
2007 - Best Music Video, Long Form for Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run
2007 - Best Traditional Folk Album - We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions
2008 - Best Rock Instrumental Performance - "Once Upon a Time in the West"
2008 - Best Rock Song - "Radio Nowhere"
2008 - Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance - "Radio Nowhere"
2009 - Best Rock Song - "Girls in Their Summer Clothes"
2010 - Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance - "Working on a Dream"

54th Grammy Awards - CBS - Sunday, February 12, 2012 - 8:00 PM EST