Jon Batiste attributes his three 2026 Grammy nominations to a focus on honest music and reconnecting with influences like Randy Newman. The album Big Money blends genres to honor American musical traditions. Batiste views awards as secondary to preserving cultural roots.
The 39-year-old musician Jon Batiste has received three nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards for his album Big Money. These include Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song, and Best American Roots Performance for the track Lonely Avenue, a collaboration with 82-year-old songwriter Randy Newman.
Batiste initiated contact with Newman to reconnect and create music without pressure. Their casual living-room sessions, during which Newman was in a quieter phase, gradually renewed his interest in singing and playing. This led to the recording of Lonely Avenue and what Batiste describes as a meaningful bond between the two artists.
Batiste recorded Big Money in just two weeks, incorporating elements of gospel, soul, blues, folk, and rock. He sees the project as a reflection of shared American musical history, emphasizing people, collective memory, and community over genre boundaries.
Having previously won seven Grammys, including Album of the Year in 2022 for We Are, Batiste notes that this year's nominations feel particularly significant. He once felt early recognition was long overdue after years of going unnoticed, but now prioritizes carrying musical traditions forward above awards.
One song on the album, Do It All Again, was written for his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, capturing themes of resilience, commitment, and gratitude.
As the Grammy ceremony approaches, Batiste plans to attend with family and friends, hoping to share the experience with Newman. His broader goal is to build bridges between generations, honor musical roots, and continue, in his words, “documenting the real.”
