After careful consideration and days of deliberations with CBS, venue operators, music directors, talent coordinators and security specialists, the 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards telecast has been canceled.
According to an official press release, Michael Greene, president/CEO of the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy, announced on Friday that it has been has impossible to reschedule a live, international show as important as the Latin Grammys.
“We all are emotionally devastated by recent events, as is everyone, and we’re disappointed that we will not be able to give this year’s deserving nominees their chance to show the world what we already know about them — that they are world-class musical artists,” said Greene.
“We currently are determining the best way to award the winners their Latin Grammys and will be making an announcement regarding this very soon,” he added.
The Latin Grammy Awards, which would take place in Los Angeles on Sept. 11, was canceled as buildings around the area were being closed or evacuated as a precaution, Reuters reported.
A spokesman for the academy, Bernard Alonso, said Greene decided to call off the awards show “in light of the events that have been transpiring,” referring to the flights that crashed early that morning.
Organizers of the Latin Grammy Awards had already planned to do away with the standard red carpet arrivals of the stars on Sept. 11; however, many people involved in the show, including the nominees, were relieved to hear that the broadcast had been canceled.
“We can’t think about music right now. The only feeling we can have now is about the families involved by this tragedy and our security,” Andres Recio, personal manager for Colombian rocker nominee Juanes told Reuters.
The Latin Grammys have been surrounded by political controversy for weeks, having changed their location from Miami to Los Angeles amidst fears that anti-Castro protestors might create disturbances during the event.
Artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Thalia, guitarist Carlos Santana and Latin jazz musician Arturo Sandoval were expected to attend the ceremony.
