In his hometown of Ridgway, Colorado, John Billings is known as "The Grammy Man".In such a small town , population 700, sitting at 7000 feet, snug in the majestic Sneffels Range of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, it is hard to be anonymous. Sporting a mustache, soul patch and ponytail, John is a modest and unassuming man, in spite of all the glitz and glamour that surrounds the music industry, for which he crafts the most iconic award.
John Billings was born in Santa Monica, California in 1946 and grew up in Van Nuys.He was a typically, rascally boy, attempting to ride a neighbor's bull, and harvesting lemons when his former home turf was farmland.He had a penchant for model making, spending his paper route earnings to acquire kits for cars and planes.It was that love of fine detail that led him to making jewelry, dental school to learn more of mold making , and inevitably to becoming the apprentice of Bob Graves, the original maker of the Grammy award.
Bob Graves was a master mold maker, working for a number of businesses that produced lamp bases and various trophies, and gained the original Grammy Award job in 1958.John grew up two doors down from Bob and would stop in and watch in fascination at the intricacies of the whole process---the inside out and backwards nature of it.
In 1976 John was hired as Bob's apprentice for a meager weekly pay, and learned the art and craft of what is undeniably a dying art.Seven years later and many tricks left to learn, John's mentor died, after a long battle with kidney failure due to diabetes.John bought the business from Bob's widow and has carried on that legacy of hand-crafted Grammy Awards since then.2011 is John's 35th year.
In 1991 the new and well known Grammy Award was unveiled. The earlier version was a small and fragile trophy.It might have been a touch and go scenario for John, as the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences was soliciting new design ideas from many other companies.However John's artistic eye and impeccable mold making skill saved his business and presented the music world with the breath-takingly beautiful award that is known today.
John had a wish to pass the legacy of his craft forward to his two sons, and though each of them spent time working for him, they eventually moved on to other endeavors.
John has assembled a small crew of two,Jim Spear, a childhood friend, and Patrick Moore, who shows great interest in learning, to carry on the craft, the art, the business along with John.
Every year, the number of Grammys produced---a year long endeavor---has increased and improvements are made.Still, each trophy has at least 15 man hours in each one.Casting the molten Grammium in the bronze molds, grinding, polishing, painting, plating, and assembly, not to mention the packing and a 2000 mile round trip to hand deliver the precious cargo.
After the Grammy Awards ceremony in February, for which John provides what he calls "the stunt Grammys"--blanks for the telecast---the Academy sends a list of the winners, for which engraved plates must be made to affix to the winners' actual award.John's wife, Robin Meiklejohn has taken on the task of engraving for the last five years, segueing from an old system to this year's laser engraving system, with support and great assistance from John, as her inclination is to farming, gardening and cooking---writing a local food column in the paper.
John's philosophy is that he is not a factory.He puts his heart and soul into what he crafts.To be able to honor people that grace our lives is fulfilling.It comes from his heart.To be able to live in a community and a place that he loves and carry on his own tradition is a blessing.
In addition to the Grammy Awards, John makes the "John Wooden Award" for the NCAA Player of the Year in collegiate basketball, the "Annie Award" honoring the best in the world of animation, the "Convoy Duck" hood ornament, popular around the world by truckers and officianados of the cult classic movie "Convoy", starring Chris Cristofferson, and various other special request awards.
When John takes a rare break from his schedule, he loves to go down to the river to flyfish.
Billings Artworks in The News
Grand Junction Sentinal
Epilog Laser
Indiana State Museum
Find Us At
Billings Artworks
P.O. Box 2026
609 Clinton Street
Ridgway, CO 81432
Phone 970-626-3860
Fax 970-626-3862
grammydude_billingsartworks.com
I have found that the best way to clean and shine a Grammy or Annie Award is to use a soft cotton cloth with some warm water and liquid dish soap. Then dry with a cotton hand towel. Be careful not to get the felt bottom wet, as it could get ugly. NEVER use any type of metal cleaner. The Grammy and Annies are plated in 24K gold and metal cleaners are abrasive and over use will actually wipe the gold away. I would be weary of trying to clean the older ones, as they are quite fragile and putting too much pressure on the tone arm could snap it. If you want, you could use the same method on the "bell", but be careful. If any of them ever need repair, I'd be more than happy to help.
Convoy Duck Hood Ornament add $12.50 shpg
$169.95
Billings Artworks T shirt Black $5.00 shpg
100% Cotton Billings Artworks logo on front Ridgway, Colorado Home of the Grammy on back add $5.00 shipping
$19.99
Fine hand-made awards
