South Boston Artist Adds Grammy Award Winner To His Resume

BOSTON (CBS) - South Boston graphic designer and creative director, Fritz Klaetke is a Grammy winner.

Klaetke designed the boxed set for the Smithsonian Folkways disc, "Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Collection." His design was nominated for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, up against four big-name nominees including the re-release of The Rolling Stones "Some Girls" and "Ram", the Paul McCartney Archive Collection.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: 2013 Grammy Awards

In creating the design for "Woody at 100", Klaetke pored over Guthrie's letters, photos and drawings. It was a little like working as a treasure hunter.

His finished product is a 12-inch boxed set with a 150-page book and three CDs. Some of the recordings had never been heard before the CDs' release last July, on what would have been Guthrie's 100th birthday.

Guthrie considered himself an underdog. Before leaving for the Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles, Klaetke told WBZ-TV's Lisa Hughes that he felt like an underdog too. "It's my first time going to the Grammys. I don't' think that happens to a lot of people from Boston."

Lisa Hughes interviews Klaetke before the Grammys.

Klaetke was hoping to bring the "bling" back to Boston, and he did!

Klatetke's date for the Grammys was his partner – in work and in life – Susan Battista. As soon as the invitation arrived in the mail, she was looking for the perfect gown. She found it at the SOWA Market; a vintage floral gown with metallic accents. Asked if she had a good luck charm for the awards ceremony, Battista said, "I'm going to be pulling all the strength from people cheering us on in Boston."

Now Boston is cheering for Grammy winner Fritz Klaetke.