Which Oklahomans won big at the Grammys and who was snubbed?

The Recording Academy handed out awards across the 91 genre-spanning categories Sunday at the 65th Grammy Awards. Among the contenders with Oklahoma ties, one first-time nominee went home victorious, others had to settle for the honor of being nominated, and one local chocolatier scored another sweet victory at the Grammys.

Edmond's Kitt Wakeley wins first Grammy for his 'Adoption Story' 

Oklahoma orchestral rock composer Kitt Wakeley's chart-topping achievements already put him high on the list of unlikeliest recent musical success stories.

Now, the Edmond songwriter, arranger and musician is a Grammy winner for his poignant and personal new project: His new orchestral album "An Adoption Story." Wakeley won the Grammy for Best Classical Compendium, alongside his co-producers on the project, Starr Parodi and Jeff Fair.

"Winning a Grammy is the highest honor of my music career and today I have the privilege of receiving the gold statuette. I’ll embrace this moment with the utmost humility and cherish the moment with my family, friends and peers for the rest of my career," Wakeley said in a statement.

Once an aspiring teenage rocker, the Holdenville native gave up on his musical dreams, and for the next 15 years, he kept it all business. Wakeley ultimately became one of the founders and partners of Valir Health, a comprehensive health care organization with a special focus on rehabilitation.

At the urging of his wife, Melissa, he rediscovered his passion for music, eventually combining his love for movie scores, rock 'n' roll and electronic dance music into his signature sound.

His 2021 album, "Symphony of Sinners and Saints Volume 1," recorded at London's famed Abbey Road Studios, had him collaborating with guitar legend Joe Satriani and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as topping Billboard's Classical Albums and Classical Crossover Albums charts.   

Wakeley returned to Abbey Road to record his new orchestral album, "An Adoption Story," which features Satriani, the London Symphony Orchestra, University of Central Oklahoma cello professor Tess Remy-Schumacher and more.

The September release chronicles through music Wakeley's childhood experiences in the foster care system, particularly his separation from his half-sister, Tasha Henderson; his adoption into a loving family; his reunion with Tasha decades later; and the decision he made with his wife three years ago to adopt a trio of siblings — Chris, now 9; KJ, 7; and Ta'Nia, 6 — to keep them from being separated.   

More:Meet the Edmond man who just won a Grammy for an album based on his own 'Adoption Story'

"You're always composing, so whatever season you're in, whatever might be taking place, it's naturally going to impact and influence what you write in that day. I write a lot of music, and I think it's pretty relevant to say that music that was based on the raw emotion ... of what all was going on, those are the songs that rose to the top," Wakeley told The Oklahoman.

With that moving music, the Oklahoma composer, husband and father is now also a Grammy winner.

“I’m so honored that this album and the Grammy process has cast such positive light on foster care and adoptive families. I’m blessed to have worked with such an amazing team of musicians and music creatives that were able to elevate my music into something that captured the passion and spirit behind the music," he said.

Surprisingly, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton aren't a winning pair

For her 2021 triple album "Revived Remixed Revisited," Oklahoma native and emerging restaurateur Reba McEntire, who hails from Chockie, teamed with fellow Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton to re-record one of her classic hits.  

The icons created a show-stopping cover of "Does He Love You," a 1993 hit for Reba and Linda Davis that won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Collaboration. Their superstar do-over of Reba's 1990s chart-topper was nominated for the Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

But up-and-coming stars Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde won the Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their collaboration "Never Wanted to Be That Girl."

More:Reba's Place echoes the charm, hospitality of the country star it's named for

Hitmaker Zach Bryan remains a Grammy nominee

Rising country music superstar Zach Bryan, who counts Oologah as his hometown, garnered his first Grammy nod this year for Best Country Solo Performance for his vivid ballad "Something in the Orange." 

But the prolific singer-songwriter, who literally released more than 40 original songs in 2022, lost out to another industrious country crooner and scribe: Recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee Willie Nelson won Best Country Solo Performance for "Live Forever."

Luke Dick and Miranda Lambert again team up for a Grammy nod

Oklahoma singer-songwriter Luke Dick, who was born in Oklahoma City and grew up in Cogar, has become a favorite writing partner of former Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert.

In 2022, Dick was nominated for his first golden gramophone with Lambert and Natalie Hemby for Best Country Song as the co-writers of Lambert's uplifting smash "Bluebird." This time, Dick and Lambert were nominated alongside Jon Randall and Mikey Reaves for Best Country Album as the producers of Lambert's acclaimed new collection "Palomino." 

But Nelson, who is set to turn 90 in April, also won Best Country Album for "A Beautiful Time."

(The still-prolific icon is due to release another new album, "I Don't Know A Thing About Love," on March 3, so don't count him out for the 2024 Grammys.)

Pentatonix's 'Evergreen' isn't quite golden at this year's Grammys

Pentatonix, the a cappella quintet featuring former University of Oklahoma student Kirstin Maldonado, has become a holiday staple with frequent releases of new batches of tuneful carols.  

The popular vocal group — which already has three Grammys to its name, including one for its Christmas-y arrangement of "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" — was competing this year for another golden gramophone for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for their 2021 yuletide collection "Evergreen." 

But Canadian crooner Michael Buble took home the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album with his collection "Higher."

Carrie Underwood was one of this year's notable Grammy snubs

After Carrie Underwood delivered a haunting performance on the 2022 Grammys telecast with her "Ghost Story," the Checotah native was conspicuously absent from this year's show.

Apparently, The Recording Academy didn't take a shine to her latest album, "Denim & Rhinestones." Although her 2022 album marked her 10th consecutive career Top 10 debut on Billboard's all-genre Top 200 — with the lead-off single “Ghost Story" also emerging as Underwood’s 30th Top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart — she was left off the list of 2023 Grammy nominees.

Since winning "American Idol" in 2005, Underwood has been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards. She has taken home eight of them, starting with her double victory in 2007 for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Jesus, Take the Wheel" to her 2022 win for Best Roots Gospel Album for "My Savior."  

Since she also is frequently tapped to perform on awards shows, her absence from "Music Biggest Night" this year was noticeable.

Local doctor-turned-chocolatier scores another sweet Grammy victory

Tabatha Carr, founder and proprietor of OKC's Good Girl Chocolate, again earned the sweet honor of having one of her treats included in the official Grammy Gift Bag.

Carr, who received a grant from Beyonce’s BeyGOOD Foundation to help seed her business, specializes in plant-based chocolates and offers many vegan, keto and dairy-free options.

After Good Girl Chocolate's previous inclusion in both the Grammy and Oscars gift bags, Carr said on Facebook her company would be offering a Candied Walnut Brownie in the Grammy swag collection for this year's presenters and performers.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Grammys honored and snubbed Okies like Reba, Kitt Wakeley, Good Girl Chocolate