Noam Pikelny, a Niles North alumnus, has been nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. His solo album, entitled Beat the Devil and Carry a Rail, is up for Best Bluegrass Album of the year.

After graduating North in 1999, Pikelny moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he currently resides, to focus on his solo music career. Pikelny also toured the world as the banjo player for the bluegrass band Punch Brothers.

While at North, Pikelny was an active member of the music program. He sang for choir and played guitar and banjo for the Vocal Jazz ensemble. “It is another nice recognition for a Niles North alum,” Daniel Gregerman, choral director and one of Pikelny’s former teachers, said.

Pikelny has also appeared on numerous TV shows, including The Late Show with David Letterman, where he performed a comedic version of the song, “Dueling Banjos.” In 2010, he received the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. Shortly after, he released the album that could potentially win him a Grammy this year. Beat the Devil and Carry a Rail debuted at number three on the U.S. bluegrass charts.

The 2013 Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. on CBS. Tune in and show a former Viking your support.