The atmospheric river that hit Los Angeles County did nothing to dampen the spirits of those attending the 66th GRAMMY Awards. Armed with storm ponchos and umbrellas, we made our way into the Premiere Ceremony at noon – before the rain began – and settled in for the three-hour, YouTube-streamed program where many of the lesser-known, but equally-important, performers, receive awards in 80 or so categories, such as Best Album Notes, Best Americana Performance, Best Remixed Recording (whatever that is?) and Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

We were there to root for Chicago and Chicago-adjacent musicians such as Laura Strickling and Daniel Schlosberg (nominees for #92, Best Classical Solo Vocal Album), Jessie Montgomery (#94, Best Contemporary Classical Composition, which she won!), Pacifica Quartet, and most of all, Third Coast Percussion, a four-man ensemble marking its seventh trip to L.A. as GRAMMY nominees.

Did it matter to us that Third Coast Percussion was up against classical fan favorites Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, and Leonidas Kavakos? No! And it didn’t matter to the Recording Academy voters, either; they chose Roomful of Teeth (love the name) for #90, the Chamber/Small Ensemble GRAMMY.

With a measure of humble disappointment, and rain paraphernalia in hand, we made our way through a downpour to the vast Crypto Arena (formerly Staples Center), where the pop production emceed by the gifted and upbeat Trevor Noah was about to begin. This made-for-TV show does not disappoint. Some of the icons performing this year included Billy Joel, Miley Cyrus, and Dua Lipa, whose lively opening act, “Training Season,” was choreographed in and through a huge cube-shaped jungle gym that dancers lifted, rotated, and carried across the floor. Note to self: my workout routine is impossibly dull.

Some of the finest moments, though, tapped into history. There was Joni Mitchell, making her GRAMMY show debut at age 80!; Stevie Wonder recounting Tony Bennett’s enduring influence; Luke Combs talking about Tracy Chapman’s 1988 hit “Fast Car.” And we were schooled in the history of Memphis Soul when award #77, Best Album Notes, was announced. The winner? Writers Robert Gordon & Deanie Parker, for Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos.

The duo’s concise comments, scripted to fit within the 45-second time limit, represented less an acceptance speech and more a narrative of Stax Records and the phenomenal years of research that went into this project. But … had Gordon and Parker written a second, equally compelling acceptance script, just in case Written In Their Soul won award #78, Best Historical Album? Yes, they had! (For more history on this project, Stax Records, and Deanie’s career there, see this New Yorker article.)

As great as everything was, something was still missing, so I created a few more award categories. They are:

Long Overdue Award: Miguel Zenon, who finally won his first GRAMMY Award after 12 nominations (Best Latin Jazz Album).

Vivacious Energy Award: For the way boygenius members Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus bolted up to the podium to claim their first GRAMMY. And then returned to the stage, still overjoyed, to pick up their second.

There’s Nothing Wrong With Being Perfectly Charming Award: To singer-songwriter-guitarist-cellist Laufey (it’s pronounced LEY-Vey, y’all), singing “From the Start.” See for yourself.

Best Riff on Classic Rock Tunes Award: Brandi Clark’s “Dear Insecurity,” whose first few measures evoke the seemingly impossible combination of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “Desperado.”

Most Complementary Back-Up Band Award: SistaStrings, which performed the role of expert House Band to anyone needing string orchestration.

Best Grammy Moment Award, No Contest: Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs singing Chapman’s “Fast Car” together.

A quiet cab ride is a rarity these days, so as our early A.M. trek to the Grammy Awards started, we were grateful for the meditative ride to Midway Airport. It wasn’t until we turned onto Cicero that the driver punched a few buttons, causing the song “Sailing,” by Christopher Cross, to fill the car. It was a nice sendoff, even though we were flying, not sailing, to L.A. The official Grammy fun began on Sunday, January 26th, when our group met in the lobby of Los Angeles’s Hotel Figueroa – an attractively refurbished YWCA hotel built in 1926. Once gathered, we crossed the street to the Microsoft Theater, where the best show of the day – the Premiere Ceremony – began at 12:30. First stop? Posing in front of a Grammy backdrop.

We were there to cheer for Fanm D’Ayiti (“Women of Haiti,” nominated in the Best World Music Album category), conceived and performed by vocalist, composer, and Juilliard-trained flutist Nathalie Joachim, in collaboration with Chicago’s Spektral Quartet.

We also made a point of cheering at the mention of any Chicago nominee, such as Third Coast Percussion and the Notorious RBG’s son Jim Ginsburg of Cedille Records. Nathalie, a rising star, was chosen to be a presenter in the Classical category, giving us another opportunity to cheer for her, especially as she stepped onto the stage in a stunning red dress created for her by a New York-based designer with Haitian roots.

Not long after the Premiere Ceremony began, word came that Kobe Bryant had lost his life in a helicopter accident. And almost immediately, the area surrounding the theater – just steps away from the Lakers’ home court – filled with Lakers and Kobe fans, quietly holding a vigil for their lost star. Within hours, thousands had streamed into the area, most of them wearing black jackets over Lakers jerseys bearing the numbers 8 and 24.

As it turned out, Chicago was blanked. Third Coast Percussion was bested by Quartet Attacca, Jim Ginsburg was bested by Blanton Alspaugh, and the Joachim/Spektral collaboration was bested by Angélique Kidjo’s album Celia. (Earlier in the program, Kidjo had managed to bring the entire theater to its feet with an on-stage performance of her lively call-and-response song, “Afrika.”) Being good sports, we still cheered for everyone. And though we weren’t in the theater for the presentation of the “packaging award” Grammys, the world might not complain if the awards for Best Boxed or Special Limited-Edition Package and the Best Recording Package were combined into one – or none. That would free up some space to award a new and eminently more interesting category, such as Best Christmas Song.

During the short break between the Premiere Ceremony and the later, made-for-TV ceremony in the Staples Center, we wove through the hundreds of mourners, paying respect along the way, to grab a salad before heading into the security gates at Staples. Grammy survival tip: stay in a hotel close to the ceremonies, wear incredibly comfortable shoes, pack earplugs, plan for chilly weather, and have a salad waiting for you in your hotel fridge between the awards programs. You’re welcome.

Amid the sequins, creative tuxedos, flowing gowns, and colorful hairdos, something else was on display: a generational transition. It was seen in flashback programming such as the Aerosmith/Run-DMC pairing, juxtaposed over Lil Nas X; Brandi Carlile reviving the career of Tanya Tucker; and the amazing-they’re-still-alive Osbournes as filler between younger presenters. It’s unclear that anyone in the Staples Center understood why the sloppily executed “I Sing the Body Electric,” with dancers barely hitting their marks, was chosen as a tribute to 40-year Grammy Ceremony veteran Ken Erlich, though some probably took it as a sign that someone new might be stepping in as the telecast producer. One of the best throwbacks of the night occurred during the after-party, inside the L.A. Convention Center, when disco diva Gloria Gaynor – backed by a tight, nimble band – belted out an extended performance of “I Will Survive” as hundreds – or possibly thousands – sang along. (O.K., Boomers, you will survive.)

If a disconnect between the generations exists, it was seen in the faces of many who looked at each other and said, “What the …?” when Billie Eilish was called to the stage as the winner of the Best Pop Vocal Album. It continued when she was named Best New Artist. And again, for Song of the Year. And Album of the Year. And finally, when she was called from backstage to accept the night’s final award for Record of the Year. At that point, a man (her dad?) seated in the front row of the main floor, next to where Billie had been sitting, literally fell off of his chair and rolled on the floor.

As we scrolled through the headlines the next morning, this short piece, quoted from Billboard magazine, caught our eye: Billie Eilish “became just the second artist in Grammy history — and the first woman — to take home the Big Four awards: album, record and song of the year plus best new artist … The first artist to do this was Christopher Cross, 39 years ago.” Hmmmm, we thought. The album was entitled Christopher Cross. And the hit single? “Sailing.”