A little appreciation, recognition -- finally

Warren Zevon probably would have appreciated the irony. It seems that sentimentality surrounding his death from lung cancer on Sept. 7 boosted him to major recognition in the Grammy Awards world -- and in the case of one of his five nominations, he’s going mano a mano against another deceased icon.

Zevon, who in a 30-year-plus career had never before received a single Grammy nomination, joins George Harrison, whose “Brainwashed” album was released in November 2002, one year after his death, as two of the five male pop vocalist nominees for the 2004 Grammy Awards. “That was the thing I noticed too,” says Jordan Zevon, the singer-songwriter’s son. “He’d also like that it puts him in the class where he’ll get named off with Justin Timberlake.” (The other nominees are Michael McDonald and Sting.)

Zevon, who died at 56, was nothing if not a steely-eyed cynic with a heart, and the album captures him facing death with the same combination of bravado and sentiment with which he lived his life. “He would appreciate many ironies about this,” says Danny Goldberg, chairman and chief executive of Artemis Records, which released Zevon’s album “The Wind” in late August. “But mostly he would appreciate being recognized. This is a guy who admired not only Stravinsky but also Sammy Davis Jr.”

Zevon is also up for best song (“Keep Me in Your Heart” with co-writer Jorge Calderon), rock duo or group (“Disorder in the House” duet with Bruce Springsteen), rock song (“Disorder”) and contemporary folk album.

Harrison too has hardly been a Grammy regular over the years, at least outside the Beatles. He won just one Grammy Award himself, a 1972 best album trophy for the benefit album “The Concert for Bangladesh.”

A sentimental surge also helped June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash, who passed away in May and September, respectively. They are nominated together for country collaboration with vocals for “Temptation,” a track from June Carter Cash’s “Wildwood Flower” album, which also earned her nominations for country vocal and traditional folk album. Johnny Cash is nominated for the “Hurt” video, his moving version of Trent Reznor’s song about mortality. “The family is most appreciative that Johnny and June got nominated,” says longtime Cash manager Lou Robin. “It’s terrific they were nominated together. It’s a fitting farewell.”