Naomi Judd is sick and tired of all the criticism directed at Taylor Swift. Taking a strong stance in response to poor reviews of the 20-year-old Taylor's performance with Stevie Nicks on the Grammy Awards broadcast, Naomi has written an open letter -- with no doubt an arched brow of maternal disapproval -- to the editor of Nashville's Tennessean newspaper.

"Remember the puzzles, 'What's wrong with this picture?' You search for faults, ignoring the overall larger picture," Naomi begins her letter. "Multi-talented, she not only sings well enough to strike a chord with a huge audience, Taylor single-handedly introduced country music to a much-welcomed younger demographic and generated international interest. She writes, dances, acts and is a dazzling performer."

The hits just keep on coming for Taylor Swift ... and not the kind they play on the radio! This latest hit comes from a fellow artist and while it isn't directed at Taylor herself, it stems from her already much-maligned Grammy Awards performance last Sunday night.

Kelly Clarkson, the first-season winner of 'American Idol' has a few choice words for Big Machine Records' Scott Borchetta who defended Taylor's Grammy performance in a statement to the Associated Press, and called her "the voice of a generation." Kelly took exception to part of Scott's statement in which he said, "This is not 'American Idol.' This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note. This is about a true artist and writer and communicator."

He may have been a big star more than 25 years before she was even born, but Bill Anderson is still a big fan of recent Grammy winner Taylor Swift.

"I've never seen anything like it, because I don't think there's ever been anything like it," he tells Nashville's Tennessean newspaper.

The Country Music Hall of Fame member says he's impressed, but not surprised, by the young superstar's success. Longtime friends with Taylor's father, Scott Swift, Bill was aware of Taylor's talents long before the rest of the world.

Steve Wariner took home a Best Country Instrumental Performance Grammy for 'Producer's Medley,' from his Chet Atkins tribute album, and the award couldn't be more fitting, since Chet was so instrumental in the evolution of Steve's career. Steve tells The Boot he was thrilled just to be acknowledged by the Grammys for his project.

"It sounds so goofy saying it -- it's cliché, but just to be nominated was awesome -- particularly with it being the Chet project -- but also because it's our first nomination on our own little label. It's extra special because of that. The part that's really awesome for me always is turning the machines on and putting it on tape, and that's what Chet loved more than anything is the creating, that's the fun part."

Fresh off her recent four-Grammy-win, Taylor Swift's name has been everywhere the last few days. Unfortunately for the young star, that may not be such a good thing.

Performing 'Rhiannon' and 'You Belong With Me' with rock legend Stevie Nicks during the Grammy ceremony, fans and critics alike wasted no time in sharing their opinions about Taylor's performance. In spite of taking home the trophy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, the overwhelming consensus on this particular night was that the famous singer wasn't singing her best.

"Swift gave a strikingly bad vocal performance at Staples Center on Sunday," the LA Times wrote (quote via Nashville's Tennessean), "sounding tinny and rhythmically flat-footed as she shared the microphone with the distinctive Stevie Nicks."

The Washington Post agreed: "A night in the charmed life of Taylor Swift: Give an incredibly wretched vocal performance, go on to win the biggest Grammy of 2010 anyway."

Randy Travis won his first Grammy in 21 years on Sunday, for his collaboration with Carrie Underwood on his 1988 self-penned hit, 'I Told You So.'

Unfortunately, the legendary singer was unable to attend the ceremony due to a snow storm that hit his hometown of Santa Fe, New Mexico. But he took to his website to express his gratitude to Carrie for the win.

"This is the first time that I was not able to be on hand to accept a Grammy," says the singer. "If it wasn't for the weather I would have thanked all the people who voted for us. a BIG thank you to Carrie for asking me to be part of this recording. She is an amazing talent and I am honored to win this with her."

Lady Antebellum have just released their sophomore album, 'Need You Now,' and the trio remain amazed at the response the title track is still getting.

The five-week chart-topper was definitely a topic of intense discussion between the recent Grammy winners and executives at their record label. "The response from the get-go was so big," Charles Kelley tells The Boot. "I remember even having some conversations with the label and people were [saying], 'Oh no, hope they don't get offended by the 'I'm a little drunk and I need you now' [line]. And I [said], 'But that's honest! We're talking about country radio, right? What happened to the old Waylon [Jennings] songs and stuff and people said what [they felt]?' It's storytelling."

Carrie Underwood shared the Grammy stage with a cross-genre mix of other music superstars on Sunday, in a tribute to the late Michael Jackson. Singing with the country songbird were pop queen Celine Dion, R&B heartthrob Usher, Motown legend Smoky Robinson and R&B singer/actress Jennifer Hudson. One hip-hop star was particularly moved by the performance, and is hoping to snag Carrie for another genre-bending collaboration.

"Next person I want to work with -- and I won't work with anyone else until I get her -- is Carrie Underwood," T-Pain adamantly told The Boombox backstage at the Grammys. "Everyone else can suck it until I get to Carrie!"

While Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks fans were no doubt excited to see the somewhat unlikely pair performing together at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, many were likely also wondering, "who's that banjo player standing up there with them?"

Singer-songwriter Butch Walker is a Georgia-born musician who, in addition to fronting several alternative rock bands, has written and produced songs for Pink, Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy and Bowling for Soup, among many others. In 2007, his life took a tragic turn when he lost everything he owned in the Malibu wildfires, including the masters of all of the songs he'd ever recorded.

Say what you will about four-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift and her success on both country and pop radio ... Keith Urban simply says she's good for business!

It's Taylor, Keith insists, who is making sure "country is alive and well" on the pop charts. And while many people criticize the singer-songwriter for her genre-bending music, Keith isn't one of them. "It's cyclical, ever since the beginning of country music," Keith tells the Belfast Telegraph. "Glen Campbell was a pop artist and had crossover hits. In the '80s, there was 'Achy Breaky Heart' [Billy Ray Cyrus]. There's always been something in country that has grabbed a hold of pop music and aligned itself with it."

The air was thick with emotion when Carrie Underwood, Usher, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson took the stage to pay tribute to Michael Jackson, and sing along with Michael on his recording of 'Earth Song' during the Grammy Awards Sunday night. Michael's longtime friend and 'We Are The World' collaborator, Lionel Richie, introduced the singers, after which Michael's voice filled the room, to say that he hated pollution and destruction of the earth ...

"That stuff really bothers me ... that's why I write these kinda songs, to give some kind of awareness and awakening and hope to people. I love the planet. I love trees. When the colors are changing in the leaves, I love it ... "

The Grammy Award for Album of the Year -- the night's biggest award -- goes to ... Taylor Swift! The 20-year-old country sensation trumped Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas and the Dave Matthews Band for the honor, which she takes home for her sophomore album, 'Fearless.'

"Thank you so much," Taylor exclaimed, upon becoming the youngest artist ever to win Album of the Year. "I just hope that you know how much this means to me and to Nathan [Chapman], my producer, and all these musicians you see on this stage, that we get to take this back to Nashville. Our families are freaking out in their living rooms! My dad and my little brother are freaking out in the living room. This is for my dad, who always told me I could do anything I wanted ... And my mom -- you're my best friend."

We've all heard the saying, "It's an honor just to be nominated." But when it comes to the Grammy Awards, perhaps an even bigger honor is being asked to perform. Lady Antebellum was blessed with a coveted performance slot on the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, singing their country/pop crossover hit, 'Need You Now.'

Country music was uncharacteristically well represented at Sunday's Grammys, as Best New Artist winners the Zac Brown Band also sang, accompanied by the legendary Leon Russell, in a medley of 'American the Beautiful' and 'Chicken Fried,' followed by a rockin' guitar jam. Carrie Underwood joined a cross-genre group in a touching tribute to Michael Jackson. Taylor Swift was joined by one of her musical heroes, Stevie Nicks, on 'You Belong With Me.' And Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles joined Bon Jovi for their duet, 'Who Says You Can't Go Home,' along with the Bon Jovi classic, 'Living on a Prayer.'

The Zac Brown Band has won the Grammy's prestigious Best New Artist award. The Georgia natives beat out British pop duo the Ting Tings, synth-dance group MGMT, R&B singer/songwriter Keri Hilson and indie rockers the Silversun Pickups for the honor.

"There's so many people we want to thank. It's just such an honor to be on stage," a visibly moved Zac said upon accepting the award. "We're so honored and blessed to be here, and we look forward to playing for y'all this evening."

The Zac Brown Band is the first country group to take home Best New Artist since Carrie Underwood back in 2006. LeAnn Rimes is the only other contemporary country artist to win the honor, which historically tends to go to pop artists.

Taylor Swift, already the winner of two Grammy awards tonight -- for Best Female Vocal Country Performance and Best Country Song, has taken home the trophy for Best Country Album for 'Fearless.'

"This is my fist time walking up these stairs to accept a Grammy on national TV," the singer gushed. "I want to thank my record label for letting me write every song on my album. I just keep thinking back to when you're in second grade and you sing at your talent show for the first time and people joke around that 'Maybe we'll see you at the Grammys some day.' I just feel like I'm standing here accepting an impossible dream right now."