Those of us tuning into Sunday night’s Grammy telecast–which I will be liveblogging once again! coverage starts at 7:30 p.m. ET!–are not only going to be subjected to a Sgt. Pepper tribute, they’re going to have to sit through Yet Another Kid Rock Performance At A Major Awards Show, Because The Four Other Ones That We’ve Sat Through In Recent Years Just Weren’t Enough. And the music business wonders why it’s in trouble! Also on the docket: The long-rumored Tina Turner/Beyonce showdown, a Cher sighting, Prince not performing but presenting (wha?), and an appearance by Jason Bateman, who I am hoping uses his time at the pulpit to confirm those Arrested Development movie rumors that have been floating around. Sure, Bateman’s appearance isn’t as exciting as the Rihanna/Time collaboration, but it’s definitely in my top five things I’m looking forward to on Sunday night. Yay, music business! Full release after the jump.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Feb. 7, 2008) — Six-time GRAMMY® winner Tina Turner will join current two-time nominee Beyoncé for a special performance; and jazz pianist Eldar, rap-rocker Kid Rock, jazz saxophonist Dave Koz and jazz/pop singer Keely Smith also will perform on the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast, it was announced today by The Recording Academy®. Current four-time nominee Akon, actor Jason Bateman, 14-time GRAMMY winner Tony Bennett, GRAMMY winner Cher, GRAMMY winner and current two-time nominee Nelly Furtado, two-time Academy Award® winner Tom Hanks, 27-time GRAMMY winner and 50th GRAMMY Celebration Ambassador Quincy Jones, actor Joe Mantegna, six-time GRAMMY winner Prince, nine-time GRAMMY winner Ringo Starr, GRAMMY winner Dave Stewart and 25-time GRAMMY winner Stevie Wonder are the latest presenters added to Music’s Biggest Night®. Previously announced performers include Beyoncé; Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban; Feist; Fergie and John Legend; John Fogerty with Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard; Foo Fighters (with special guest conductor John Paul Jones); Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang (conducted by famed maestro John Mauceri); Alicia Keys; Brad Paisley; Carrie Underwood; 2008 MusiCares® Person of the Year Aretha Franklin, the Clark Sisters, Israel And New Breed, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7; the casts of “The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil” and Across The Universe; and Rihanna with a reunited the Time. Previously announced presenters include Chris Brown, Natalie Cole, Miley Cyrus, Juanes, Solange Knowles, Cyndi Lauper, George Lopez, Lyle Lovett, Ludacris and Bonnie Raitt.
The music industry’s premier event will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio via Westwood One worldwide and XM Satellite Radio, and covered online at GRAMMY.com. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will continue to be announced in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the GRAMMY Awards.
Akon, Nelly Furtado, Dave Koz and Taylor Swift are all nominees this year. Akon is nominated for four awards: Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (“The Sweet Escape” with Gwen Stefani), Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (“Bartender” with T-Pain), Best Contemporary R&B Album (Konvicted) and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (“I Wanna Love You” with Snoop Dogg). GRAMMY winner Nelly Furtado is up for two awards: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (“Say It Right”) and Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (“Give It To Me” with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake). Dave Koz has two nods for Best Pop Instrumental Performance (“Over The Rainbow”) and Best Pop Instrumental Album (At The Movies). And Taylor Swift is nominated for Best New Artist.
The 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions in association with AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Walter C. Miller is producer/director, Tisha Fein is the coordinating producer, David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers and Tzvi Small is supervising producer. Musical directors for the telecast and pre-telecast are Rickey Minor and Larry Batiste, respectively.
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. In its 50th year, The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
How can you have Joe Mantegna but no Lone Rangers?
@Camp Tiger Claw: I heard that Pip went back to cleaning pools full-time after they got out of prison, so that pretty much finished them.
Sure, Bateman’s appearance isn’t as exciting as the Rihanna/Time collaboration
Speak for yourself.
@Jon Can Dance: Well who can blame him? The water is all clear and cool and you spin around in it like an egg.
Oh neat, the cast of Across the Universe gets a second chance to be ignored and/or reviled!
Because we haven’t heard enought about how awesome Sgt. Pepper’s is. Hey Grammy folks, here’s your chance to snub Pepper a second time. Why don’t you take it?
Ringo has 9 Grammy’s? There is something seriously not OK about that.
@revmatty: Keep in mind that this could be a figment of my imagination, but I thought I read somewhere that Ringo had more Top 5 hits (UK or US?) than any of the other Beatles solo. I doubt it’s true, but for some reason that stat has stuck with me.
Lennon had 6 Top 5′s in the US, McCartney has 15 (if you include his duets with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, as well as his Wings stuff), Harrison had 5, and Ringo has 7 so far. So I guess that’s true if you take out the Wings tracks. Chart experts, what say you?
@MrStarhead: Yeah, seriously. This is worthy of an investigative report!