Cash Grammys on the block

The Johnny and June Carter Cash estate auction got under way Tuesday in New York with intense buyer interest, but in Southern California the proceedings were being watched with some anxiety by the leadership of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. They had seven good reasons: the number of Grammy trophies being put of the block.

Neil Portnow, president of NARAS, confirmed Tuesday that the academy approached the Cash heirs and Sotheby’s auction house in hopes of dissuading the sale of the awards.

He said the academy’s policy is that Grammy winners have the right to possess the statuettes but not “to sell or otherwise dispose of or exploit them.” No legal action was pursued, however.

Privately, other academy officials said the auction presented a sticky problem because there is great respect and affection for the Cash clan in music circles but watching a cluster of Grammys go on the market is troubling.