- Celebs turn out for Pre-Grammy Gala - Usher, Adam Lambert, Herbie Hancock and Barry Manilow may never record together. But they can rock out under the same roof, no problem. They were among dozens of music, film and TV stars joining 1,200 guests dining, schmoozing and soaking up private performances at the Pre-Grammy Gala Saturday night in the Beverly Hilton. Producer David Foster pronounced the bash "more anticipated than the Grammys themselves." Sony executive Clive Davis, host of the annual Grammy Eve bash since 1976, introduced industry heavyweights, joking that in light of ongoing downsizing and volatility, "I had to do the placards in pencil." Producers Quincy Jones, RedOne and Dr. Luke attended, along with Hollywood's Jane Fonda, Warren Beatty and Jeff Katzenberg. The music contingent boasted Neil Young, Jeff Beck, BeBe and CeCe Winans, P. Diddy, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, John Mayer, the Foo Fighters, Martina McBride, Faith Evans, Ray LaMontagne, Kristen Chenoweth, British folk-rock band Mumford & Sons ("Sigh No More"), Janelle Monae ("Cold War" and "Tightrope"), Jennifer Hudson ("Where You At?" and "Natural Woman"), R. Kelly ("The Star-Spangled Banner" and a medley of hits), Mary J. Blige ("A Free Man in Paris"), Katy Perry, Glee's Matthew Morrison ("Over the Rainbow"), Cee Lo, Whitney Houston ("Walk On By" and "I Say a Little Prayer"), Dionne Warwick ("That's What Friends Are For"), and Cher (who presented the Icon Award to entertainment mogul David Geffen). (USA Today, 2/13/2011)
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/grammys/2011-02-13-pregrammyparty_N.htm
- Recording Academy Salute To Industry Icons - At the Recording Academy’s 2011 Grammy Salute To Industry Icons honoring Geffen Records founder and DreamWorks SKG co-founder David Geffen, the latter was the recipient of the President's Merit Award for his significant contributions to the music industry and the impact his efforts have had on music and the business of music. The event was held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on February 12, as the final prelude to the Grammy Awards. Hollywood celebrities came in droves, including Penny Marshall, Cher, Toni Braxton, Brandy, Leona Lewis, Monica, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Jeff Beck, Dionne Warwick, John Mayer, Swizz Beats, Usher, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Ryan Tedder of One-Republic, Jane Fonda, Barry Manilow, India Arie, Kristin Chenowith, Faith Evans, Adam Lambert, David Grohl of the Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Martina McBride, Raphael Saadiq, Ray Lamontagne, Jennifer Hudson, David Crosby, Katy Perry, Gayle King, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, Will.I.Am and Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, Leona Lewis, Warren Beatty and Herbie Hancock. Clive Davis began his career at Columbia Records where he was appointed president in 1967 and signed such legendary rock artists as Janis Joplin, Santana, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Chicago, Loggins & Messina, and Earth, Wind & Fire. In 1974, Davis went on to co-found Arista Records and signed Barry Manilow, Patti Smith and Whitney Houston and developed the careers of The Grateful Dead, Eurythmics, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin and Carly Simon among the diverse roster under his leadership. The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). (Examiner, 2/13/2011)
http://www.examiner.com/rock-music-in-national/recording-academy-salute-to-industry-icons-shows-its-wild-side
- Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick Head Clive Davis’s A Plus List Party - Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick showed Clive Davis’ A-list party crowd how superstars make history last night. In front of a double A list crowd in the Beverly Hilton grand ballroom, the two cousins (their mothers are sisters) brought down the house with "That’s What Friends Are For" in a tribute to Warwick’s 50 years in showbiz. It was the culmination of a [magical] night that included performances by Jennifer Hudson as well as Mumford & Son, Mary J. Blige, R Kelly, Janelle Monae, Cee Lo Green, and "Glee" star Matthew Morrison. And the room was jammed with celebrities, from Cher (who came to honor David Geffen as an Industry Icon), to Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda, Quincy Jones, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher, Jon Voight, Neil Young, David Crosby, Usher, Monica, Brandy, Jackie Collins, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, Randy Jackson, socialite Barbara Davis, Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly, David Foster, Leona Lewis, Toni Braxton, Verdine White (of Earth Wind and Fire), Jane Lynch, Suzanne de Passe, Penny Marshall, Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg, Tracy Ullman, Gayle King, Ari Emanuel, Barry Manilow, Dave Grohl, Martina McBride, Bill Maher, Sharon Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Nick Lachey, songwriters Diane Warren and Desmond Child, Narada Michael Walden, Sam Moore, George Schlatter, Kathy Griffin, Nick Jonas, Les Moonves, Julie Chen, Nick Jonas and Miley Cyrus. Also, so many legends of the record biz - Mo Ostin, Lou Adler, Doug Morris, Berry Gordy, Marty Bandier, Evan Lamberg, Michael Lippman, Larry Jackson, Barry Weiss, LA Reid, Arnold Stiefel, Guy Oseary, Elliot Roberts, Richard Palmese, Tom Corson, Randy Phillips, Joel Katz, and so on... (Showbiz 411, 2/13/2011)
http://www.showbiz411.com/2011/02/13/whitney-houston-dionne-warwick-head-clive-daviss-a-plus-list-party
- Grammy Awards Pre-Party - In introducing Clive Davis, producer David Foster remarked how the legendary music executive’s pre-Grammy gala, held Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, was a more coveted ticket than the Grammy Awards themselves. "Sorry Neil," Foster cracked, looking in the direction of Recording Academy President Neil Portnow, who simply shrugged. After all, Foster was right. More than 900 people are invited to the annual sit-down dinner, which has been held since 1976, but just as many clamor for a seat every year. Of course, the Clive Davis party is all about star power and there were plenty of those in attendance as well including Whitney Houston, Cher, Barry Manilow, Warren Beatty, Prince, Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Usher. Representing the rock contingent: all five members of the Foo Fighters, who were planning to play another of their string of secret shows late on Saturday night, until singer Dave Grohl thought better of it, and the Grammy-nominated band Mumford & Sons, who’ll be joined by Bob Dylan at the Awards on Sunday and were the first to take the stage at Clive’s. Among the highlights: Jennifer Hudson’s take on Aretha Franklin’s "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman," Glee’s Matthew Morrison’s impressive turn at the mandolin for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and a rousing rendition of Cee-Lo’s "F--- You" (the uncensored version). Some, like Brandy, Monica, Hudson and Keri Hilson, all assigned tables in the front, barely sat the entire night. Whitney Houston took the stage to pay tribute to her cousin Dionne Warwick with the songs "Walk On By," "Say a Little Prayer," and “That’s What Friends Are For" (a duet with Warwick herself who celebrates 50 years in the business). But perhaps the biggest showstopper of the night was R. Kelly’s performance, kicking off his nearly 20-minute medley with "The Star Spangled Banner." (The Hollywood Reporter, 2/13/2011)
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/grammy-awards-pre-party-r-99075
- Barbra Streisand Honored at MusiCares Gala - Barry Manilow, Lea Michele, Faith Hill and Seal were among the stars performing the legendary singer's hits at Friday's ceremony. "I’m stuck with the leftovers," Barbra Streisand cracked as she took the stage at the MusiCares Person of the Year gala dinner, an annual Grammy tradition that brings together more than a dozen marquee names in music in tribute to one of their own. She’s referring to her library of songs, many of which had already been sung on Friday night at the Los Angeles Convention Center by the likes of longtime friends Barry Manilow ("Memory") and Tony Bennett ("Smile"), fans, like Glee’s Lea Michele ("My Man") and Leona Lewis ("Somewhere"), collaborators, like Diana Krall, who produced Streisand’s 2009 album Love is the Answer, and the unlikely but awesome trio of Jeff Beck, BeBe Winans and LeAnn Rimes, who traded verses on a rousing "Come Rain or Come Shine" ... Said Manilow, after noting that neither he nor Streisand ever really understood the lyrics to the Cats theme song: "I think Barbra Streisand should be given an award like this every year!" After a round of thank yous, Streisand eloquently quoted Hans Christian Anderson in referring to times during her professional life when things weren’t going so well. "When words fail, music speaks," said Steisand, before launching into her medley of "leftovers," which included "The Way We Were" and "I Finally Found Someone." (The Hollywood Reporter, 2/12/2011)
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/barbra-streisand-honored-at-musicares-98936
- Grammy weekend begins with Streisand tribute - Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett and a trio of "Glee" stars led Barbra Streisand on a musical journey through her nearly 50-year career. They joined Faith Hill, Barry Manilow and Seal in launching Grammy weekend by honoring the Oscar-winning singer and actress as MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday night. Streisand was singled out for her musical achievements and philanthropic work. "I said yes because it's such a wonderful organization that takes care of their own — the people who actually create the music," she told the audience. Wonder played piano and harmonica on "People," accompanied by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. "I want you to know when I was 12 years old, I said, 'I wish she could be my girlfriend because she sounds so good,'" Wonder told more than 2,000 guests. Bennett did "Smile," a song he and Streisand dueted on in his 2006 TV special.
With Herbie Hancock at the piano, 17-year-old Canadian Nikki Yanofsky sang a jazzy take of "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" from Streisand's 1970 movie of the same name. Diana Krall played piano on "Down with Love" from 1963, while Lea Michele of "Glee" belted out "My Man" from 1965. Matthew Morrison, Michele's castmate on the hit Fox show, and Kristin Chenoweth dueted on "One Less Bell to Answer/A House is Not a Home." Darren Criss of "Glee" opened the show with "What Kind of Fool" before he and his a capella backups blew kisses to Streisand, who was seated in the audience next to her husband James Brolin. With Jeff Beck on guitar, BeBe Winans and LeAnn Rimes performed a bluesy version of "Come Rain or Come Shine."
Hill did "Send in the Clowns" and Manilow sang "Memory," a hit for both him and Streisand. "Neither one of us know what the heck the lyric means," he said of the song from the Broadway musical "Cats." Later, Streisand said, "I think it's about a vampire." It was a rare public performance for Streisand, who was introduced by Prince as "very simply the one and only." She hasn't toured since 2007 in Europe. Backed by an orchestra, she sang "The Way We Were," "Evergreen," "Happy Days Are Here Again," "I Finally Found Someone," "Windmills of Your Mind" and another song from a new album she is currently recording.
Streisand poured herself a cup of tea between songs and gripped the mic stand with her left hand. "I love music for what it does to the soul, how it elevates the moment, the emotions," she said. "I love music for what it's given me. It gave me a job when I couldn't get a job as an actress. I love how music binds us together. It also reflects the times we live in." Friday's dinner and auction produced the highest grossing evening in the tribute's 21-year history, Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said. (The Associated Press, 2/12/2011)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/
ALeqM5jm1npwbTSonHzbjiZYCid4df-CuQ?
docId=0d4730c086bb446da50770c5d5bc4111
- Streisand honored for music and charity work - An all-star cast of performers honored singer Barbra Streisand on Friday for her decades-long music career and philanthropy, in the MusiCares Foundation's annual Person of the Year ceremony. The event tied to the Grammy Awards brought together a diverse array of singers, from music legend Stevie Wonder to Lea Michele of the youth-oriented television show "Glee." Streisand sang "The Way We Were," one of several renditions of her classic numbers that she performed for an audience of 2,500 people at the Los Angeles Convention Center. MusiCares is an organization created by the Recording Academy to provide a safety net for musicians who fall into financial trouble. It gave away $2.5 million last year. Stevie Wonder performed Streisand's signature song "People," as he played piano and gave a harmonica solo. The 84-year-old jazz legend Tony Bennett sang "Smile," a number written by Charlie Chaplin. Other performers included crooner Barry Manilow and country star Faith Hill. (Reuters, 2/12/2011)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/12/us-grammys-barbrastreisand-idUSTRE71B20Z20110212?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews
- Friday night is Barbra's night - Ms. Streisand will be honored as MusiCares Person of the Year with a reception and tribute performance at the L.A. Convention Center. Tony Bennett, Jeff Beck, LeAnn Rimes, Seal, BeBe Winans, Stevie Wonder, Diana Krall, Barry Manilow and for good measure, the cast of "Glee" will all be there to honor the 68-year-old Streisand. The event is open to big-time MusiCares donors and it will be simulcast on the Grammy livestream. Streisand will also perform on the awards show Sunday. (LAist, 2/9/2011)
http://www.laist.com/2011/02/09/
ladies_and_gentlemen_its_grammys_we.php
- MusiCares to honor Barbra Streisand Friday - She's recording a new album and getting ready to star in a remake of the musical "Gypsy," but Barbra Streisand isn't too busy to be honored this week by MusiCares, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences foundation that aids musicians in crisis. "I love musicians," she explains. “I love people who create music, play music, sing music—whatever. It is a very unified profession. We admire each other's work." Tony Bennett, Jeff Beck, LeAnn Rimes, Seal, BeBe Winans, Stevie Wonder, Diana Krull, Barry Manilow and the cast of "Glee" are among the performers who will be offering their interpretations of Streisand's classic recordings at the benefit Friday evening at the L.A. Convention Center, two nights before the Grammy Awards. The annual MusiCares person of the year event honors an artist for his or her "creative accomplishments and philanthropy." An eight-time Grammy winner who is nominated again this year for best traditional pop vocal album for "Love Is the Answer," Streisand, 68, will be performing at the conclusion of the tribute. (All About Jazz, 2/8/2011)
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=75535
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