Valley musician, former ‘Voice’ contestant Blaine Long could be up for Grammy

PHOENIX — After his big break on national television on NBC’s “The Voice,” a Valley musician could soon be up for a Grammy Award.

Modern American folk singer Blaine Long was cut from Blake Shelton’s team after just three weeks, but he refused to let that cut his dream of being a professional musician short.

After leaving the show, he returned to his home in Chandler where he learned his latest album, “Can’t Change the Sun,” was submitted for a Grammy in the country music category.

“I found about the Grammy submission when we had a little meeting after I came back from ‘The Voice,’” Long said. “That was a nice surprise.”

Long’s label, Bright Angel Records, and former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods submitted Long’s record for consideration.

Long’s wife, Joni, said the Grammys received more than 2,000 submissions this year. Those entries are passed on to different people, who decide which genre the artist should fall under.

He may be nominated in the country category, but Long said his music is more along the lines of folk or Americana.

“The quirky singer/songwriter is what I called it,” he said.

Genres aside, Long’s music is getting pretty popular. Jay and Debbie Giarrizzo heard Long’s music for the first time when they walked into a local restaurant where Long happened to be performing.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Jay said after learning about Long’s Grammy submission. “I was just telling my wife he sounds like a professional.”

Grammy nominees are expected to be announced next week.