Grammys 2014: Kacey Musgraves wins award for best country album

The biggest breakout success of 2013, Kacey Musgraves’ “Same Trailer Different Park,” was singled out for the country album Grammy Award in a field otherwise dominated by contemporary country’s heaviest hitters: Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift.

But there was scarcely a better reviewed collection during the year: It scored an 88 (out of a possible 100) on Metacritic.com’s aggregate review website, eliciting superlatives from critics around the country for snappy lyrics and cliché-free perspectives on a multitude of life situations, delivered with confident vocals and wrapped in traditional country arrangements.

“Each track evokes an emotion, a giggle, a tear or a memory,” Country Weekly wrote in its review, “but always a hunger for what’s next.” Musgraves emerged from East Texas, released three albums herself before taking her shot on the “Nashville Star” reality music competition, where she came in seventh during the 2007 season.

FULL COVERAGE: Grammy Awards 2014

Many in Nashville, however, noticed her solid songwriting, including another Texan, Miranda Lambert, and Martina McBride, both of whom recorded her songs before Musgraves scored a recording contract and released her major-label debut. Her first Grammy Award signals a promising future.

The Grammys are determined by about 13,000 voting members. The eligibility period for nominated recordings was Oct. 1, 2012, to Sept. 30, 2013. The 56th awards are being held at Staples Center and telecast on CBS. They are broadcast live except for viewers on the West Coast. The latest headlines and any breaking news will be posted here on Pop & Hiss.

ALSO:PHOTOS: Grammys 2014 top nominees and winners

TIMELINE: Grammy winners through the years

COMPLETE LIST: Grammys 2014 nominees and winners

Follow Randy Lewis on Twitter: @RandyLewis2