The Grammys Review by Heather Covington of Disilgold.com

 

by Heather Covington “The Literary HEAT”

Creator of www.disilgold.com

The heavily anticipated 52^nd Annual Grammys arrived with amazing success and quite possibly the best produced shows in its history.  A Best Dressed Survey  of Pre-Grammt arrivals was presented earlier and winners are now live on www.Disilgold.com.

 Some of the highlights included performances by Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Zach Brown band, Jamie Foxx, Elton John, Pynk, Taylor Swift,  usher, Smokey Robinson and more.

 One of my favorite performances was by the Zach Brown band that sang, America with blue-eyed soul before introducing Leon Russell that reminds me of a modern day Ray Charles, but from the Dixie era. This is the music folks love and listen to in their country cabin homes most kids don’t know about. Add a recession and this band is just killing airwaves with harmony.

Absolutely love this live band that plays violins, guitar, piano, drums and fiddle. Something like the Jonas Brothers, but more seasoned. Crazy  talent.

Just to reflect back on  the major highlights…the Grammys began with Lady Gaga and Elton John battle each other with a piano  duet of each other’s classic hits. The  amicable performance brings monumental applause.

Steven Colbair hosts the 52^nd Annual Grammy Awards who gives shout outs to Taylor Swift referring to her as a princess, but shouts out Jay Z with a “Wassup.” He cuts his commentary short and warns his daughter to stay away from Katy Perry.  He then  mentions any combination of artists is possible with humor from Neil Young with Placido Domingo and Beyonce with Sasha Fierce and Pink with Green Eyed Peas, but shuns the Grammys for Susan Boyle not being present.

 Then he says let’s stop congratulating one another and give each other awards. A moment of hesitation occurs when he can’t find the nominee card for Song of the Year, but all is resolved when he pulls out his IPOD pad. He completes his shaky intro the show by making a pop shot at Jay Z that he may be cooler than the rap artist. This time he provokes a smile from Jay Z.

Steven Colbert then announces the Song of the Year nominees like Lady Gaga for Poker Face, Maxwell for Pretty Ways, Beyonce’s Single Ladies  Put a Ring on It, Kings of Leon Use Somebody and Taylor Swift’s You Belong to Me. Folks hold their breath with anticipation, but the well deserved honor goes to Beyonce’  for Song of the Year.

The Dream accepts the award on her behalf as Beyonce gets ready to perform. Jennifer Lopez makes a stellar appearance in silver to introduce Green Day, but the performance of the evening was the remarkable Beyonce’ who took ownership of her success tonight and showed why she’s the best performer in the business. She sang and performed “if I Was a Boy” brilliantly which gave weight to her powerful voice that has been overshadowed for a while with more pop oriented songs.

The military entourage, pause to command ovation and respect from the audience very much reminiscent of the late Michael Jackson’s flair was dynamic.  All along people had been saying her career is over, but tonight proved differently and possibly a rebirth of a true universal star along the lines of great artists like Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Patti Labelle. Beyonce’ truly arrived as the magnificent star she is took back her greatness.

Seal introduced Pynk nominated for 2 Grammys who skipped the flying acrobats to showcase her vocals and looked ethereal in white with a face adorned in jewelry, a signature look all Pink’s own, but just before the song ended she shed her angelic posterior and took to the air strapped in the nude with a bizarre acrobat act almost risking her life again  100 feet in the air before being baptized in water that wet up everyone’s hair. And- that was not a body double.  Pynk is forging her greatness with  vocals and body acrobat artistry. Just amazing.

A tribute to Walter C. Miller long overdue with a Trustees Award was honored before Best New Artist honors to Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pick Ups and The Ting Tings and Zach Brown Band who is a major hit group nationwide. Some folks are saying Keri Hilson’s honor may have been zapped upon a release of her holding her middle finger up while possibly intoxicated at an event on New Year’s Eve of which she casually mentioned she cannot be held responsible for her actions under the influence.  Award officials see everything and sometimes they are starring at you right online on Twitter, Myspace and Facebook and artists don’t know it!

Black Eyed Peas gave a Hip Hop performance of the Decade with a medley of their current hits, I be and I Got a Feeling.  George Colbair, won a Best Comedy Award for his Christmas Album and asked his daughter if he was cool again. She should have gotten a Oscar for best supporting family member.  Use Somebody, Kings of Leon, Poker Face by Lady Gaga, Beyonce’ I am Sasha Fierce and Black Eyed Peas “Use Somebody.” Beyonce’s has never won Album of the Year although she had a two disc major cross over album. Kings of Leon won in this category.

George Clooney  who received a standing ovation for his work with Hope for Haiti fundraiser introduced the eclectic one and only Jamie Foxx who sang his Blame It  alcohol. I loved the opera medley before the break in to his song which brought smiles. A multi-talented artist I was unsure years ago of this former comedian artist from a show called In Living Color .

It was great to see Doug E. Fresh make a comeback who hard to believe showcased his first act during a fashion school  a produced in high school. Known to pull heavy hitters onto his projects, it was amazing to see Slash, Doug E. Fresh and T-Pain turn the Blame It parody of  a David Bowie classic, FAME, to life for today’s generation.

If I am not mistaken, Jamie Foxx stole the show and you just got to love that foolish soul and I mean this with sincerity! He’s got a song on his album called Rain Man, which happens to be one of the PERSOULNALITIES in my relationship handbook for women warning them about men like the ones in Jamie Foxx’s song. Oh, we know he’s just acting and not the characters in his songs.

Bon Jovi was voted to sing his classic, Living on the Prairie, something like a cult hit. The Hip Hop Duo Award was another heavily anticipated category, but the award went to Jay Z, Rihanna and Kanye West, Run this Town.

Mary J. Blige and Bochelli sang Bridge Over Troubled Waters. This combination of course debuted on Oprah and was magnificent to see the Queen of Hip of Soul and King of Opera couple up on this classic.  to support Haitian relief. Millions of people visited www.itunes.com/target to contribute  donations and receive the song. Mary J. Blige looked oceanic with trendsetting style reminiscent of Nancy Wilson who sported that same look way back.  I just enjoye seeing the child pulled out of the rubble after 7 days and raising his hands up to the sky , history’s greatest rescue moments.

The most sentimental moment of the Grammys was a post humus tribute to Michael Jackson’s Earth Song by Usher, Smokey Robinson, Keri Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Celine Dion.  The audience put on their 3-D glasses to view Michael Jackson’s video in 3-D. I miss Michael. He was something like a Jesus on Earth.  His children Prince and Paris Jackson accepted his award as Legend Lifetime Award with nobility.

LL Cool J was the  Best Dressed Man of the Evening  as he honored David Honey Boy Edwards  (Still living) and who received a Lifetime Achievement Award. He then introduced Maxwell who sang Pretty Wings with oozing  appeal and undoubtedly the Marvin Gaye of this era.

My greatest joy was meeting Roberta Flack on the set of my first tv show, Literary Living years ago. I grew up playing her album, Killing Me Softly. I got a chance to talk to her about the late Donnie Hathaway and her reflections on the group, The Fugees singing her  version of the song with a Hip Hop edge. A gracious soul, she simply said she loved Lauryn Hill. The show continued with a Haitain Relief performances by more stars.  She came out for s surprise appearance to sing her classic, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.  The voice was as great as ever. I really like the Maxwell and Roberta Flack duet.  Without a doubt these two got the biggest  ovation. Respect.

Tribute was paud to Willie Mitchell , Dam Butera, Hank Crawford, Dan Seals, Shelby Singleton, Larry Knetchel, Gary Beckett and my biy Teddy Pendegrass and even Adam Goldstein, Vic Chestnut, Tom Wilkes, George Russell,  Ellie Grenwich, Les Paul and so many others.

Hip Hop got a major uplift as Quentin Tarantino introduced Drake (Drizzy), Lil Wayne (Weezy), and Eminem who gave an outstanding performance proving Hip Hop is here to stay.

John Legend and Carlos Santana paid homage to each other  before introducing Album of the Year nominees, I am Sasha Fierce by Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, The Fame by Lady Gaga, Fearless by Taylor Swift and Dave Matthews Band. Taylor Swift earned this honor which she will be taking back to Nashville. Her reign sort of ended Miley Cyrus reign as teen pop icon.  Kanye West can feel relieved that he didn’t sabotage her career after all and maybe return as the greatest entertainer who was rather quiet on this evening, music’s biggest evening.

Award shows hold a major significance in modern day pop culture for we get to see the unified goodness of celebrities and everyday people alike; Whether these folks won an award or not, they are all winners for influencing a nation of music listeners. Music and if I may add, BOOKS make the world go round.  Even though I am the founder of the YOUnity Guild of America Literary Legend and Multi-Industry Awards I am always cognizant of music artists who are writers as well.  See new red carpet pics on www.Disilgold.com .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share on Facebook

Comments are not allowed on this site as courtesy to advertisers. However, you may try to join us on www.Twitter.com/Disilgold or www.Twitter.com/LiteraryDish and await when comment features are on and the only time the editor is able to approve. For advertising on this site email Disilgold@aol.com.