The 49th Annual Grammy Awards were more of a disappointment than anything else, but there were a few surprises. The Police only got one song, but how cool was that to hear them play together again, and then announce a world tour this year?
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to those artists whose careers influenced the music industry the most. This was the real high point of the show for me; to see some of my favorites honored for their life’s work.
“Keyboardist Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, bassists Donald “Duck” Dunn, Lewis Steinberg, and the wife of late drummer Al Jackson were all on hand to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award for their work as Booker T. & The MG’s. Jones described the feeling of being up on stage to receive the award as “the best day of my life,” while Dunn made a point of thanking the absent Jackson for his musicianship and credited him as “the backbone of the Stax Records sound.” Steinberg revealed that the original title to the MG’s first smash hit, “Green Onions,” was actually “Funky Onions.”Bob Wills’ daughter Caroline Wills accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on her father’s behalf, commenting that “Music was his life, and anything that made people dance was his interest.”
Ornette Coleman was in the unusual position of being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the same year that his most current album, Sound Grammar, is up for a GRAMMY in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group category. Bandmate Charlie Haden said that playing with Coleman was, “The most exciting and rewarding moment of my life.” When Coleman spoke, he grew deeply philosophical, musing about life, death and spirit before concluding that “Music is eternal.”
The Doors’ award was accepted by guitarist Robby Krieger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek’s brother Rick, and singer Jim Morrison’s sister Anne, though drummer John Densmore was present via a video “thank you” during which he played tabla and performed a short selection from Morrison’s poem, “American Prayer.” Krieger thanked his fellow bandmates for allowing him into the band, revealing that “I’d only been playing guitar for three months at the time, but I didn’t tell them that.”
Drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart represented the Grateful Dead, and Kreutzmann made a point of sending out a special thanks to his bandmates, both living and deceased. He’d been under the impression that the Dead were receiving a “Lifetime Pardon” rather than a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Joan Baez closed out the evening with a heartfelt thank you to her fans.”
Winners:
Pop Vocal Album: “Continuum,” and Male Pop Vocal Performance: “Waiting on the World to Change” John Mayer
Pop Instrumental Album: “Fingerprints,” Peter Frampton
Solo Rock Vocal Performance: “Someday Baby,” and Contemporary Folk Americana Album “Modern Times” Bob Dylan
Surround Sound Album: For Donald Fagen’s 2006 solo album
“Morph the Cat,” Darcy Proper, surround mastering.
Rock or Rap Gospel Album: “Turn Around,” Jonny Lang
New Age Album: “Amarantine,” Enya
Contemporary Jazz Album: “The Hidden Land,”
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Our Town (From Cars)” Randy Newman & James Taylor
The Dixie Chicks swept the Grammies with Album of the Year “Taking the Long Way,” Record of the Year “Not Ready to Make Nice,” and Song of the Year: Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Dan Wilson.
New Artist: Carrie Underwood
Female R&B Vocal Performance: “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige
Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “For Once in My Life”
Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder
Country Album: “Taking the Long Way,” Dixie Chicks
Rock Album: “Stadium Arcadium,” Red Hot Chili Peppers
R&B Album: “The Breakthrough,” Mary J. Blige
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Rick Rubin
Traditional Pop Vocal Album: “Duets: An American Classic,”
Tony Bennett
Pop Instrumental Performance: “Mornin’,”
George Benson & Al Jarreau
Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “God Bless the Child,”
George Benson & Al Jarreau featuring Jill Scott
Traditional Blues Album: “Risin’ With the Blues,” Ike Turner
Long Form Music Video: “Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run,” Bruce Springsteen
Traditional Folk Album: “We Shall Overcome — the Seeger Sessions,” Bruce Springsteen
Reggae Album: “Love Is My Religion,” Ziggy Marley
Source: www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/News
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