Starting from:

Carrie Underwood's Broadway-ish (ala Les Miserables) setup of "Before He Cheats", to Alicia Keys' R&B grammy and speech, to Rihanna's performance. Then Tom Hanks introducing The Band and the Beatles.

If you're like me who grew up in the 60's and 70's, tonight's Grammys is indeed special. the Beatles are honored. How can anyone ignore the grammys? Cirque du Soleil exhibition on the tunes of the Beatles. Then it turns into a touching tribute by a choir. It's just half past 8, more to come.

Kanye West's "Hey Mama" tribute is so warm and so touching.

Fergie is so good, wow, my jaw dropped as she belted into John Legend's piano music. They presented the best compilation but a notable performance indeed.

Hang on, Beyonce, Aretha, Alicia, and Foo Fighters are coming up, into the next hour. Hope someone is capping these. Amy Winehouse is the Best New Artist. Amy is in London and will perform via satellite.

CHER introduced BEYONCE and Beyonce sang a tribute to the many artists before this one and only---

Yes, TINA TURNER with "What's Love Gotta Do With it" and Better Be Good To Me. Wow! PROUD MARY with Beyonce. This is very good! I'm just having a swell time. Hope you are too.

More great performances:

Keely Smith (age 75) and Kid Rock performance with Dave Koz.

Aretha Franklin (age 65) with Bebe Winans performance.

R&B: Alicia Keys' performance of "No One" with John Mayer.

Classics: Lang-lang and Herbie Hancock's (age 67)  performance of "Rhapsody in Blue. (piano duet)

Amy Winehouse performance of Rehab from London.

Opera: Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban's performance of "The Prayer". (male duet)

I thought I was already blown enough until Bonnie Raitt came on and introduced----

Rock Revival -- John Fogerty (age 62) with Jerry Lee Lewis (age 72) and  little Richard (age 75) Performances of Great Balls of Fire and Good Golly Miss Molly.

Congratulations to all winners, including Carrie Underwood, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna, and others, and the Album of the Year awardee: Herbie Hancock for "River- The Joni Letters"

Amy Winehouse is the winner of 5 grammy awards: Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (Rehab), Best Pop Vocal Album (Back to Black), Song of the Year (Rehab), and Record of the Year (Rehab)

Kanye West won 4 grammys.  Bruce Springsteen and Karen Clark-Sheard won 3 grammys each.

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Short Review: This year's grammys show is rather smooth, polished, professional, and on the subdued side with a number of yesteryears presenters and performances. It kind of felt like a tribute to great music. I thought it was brilliant in the way that Herbie Hancock and Lang-Lang performed Rhapsody in Blue on the piano, and in the way that Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban performed a male duet with The Prayer. It catered more to the classically trained person. Alicia Keys' performance on both the piano and stage was wonderful. Of course the Cirque du Soleil performance to the tunes of the Beatles added action and finesse to the show. Great musican presenters and performers were in the staples center last night. The Foo Fighters rocked the house and British Amy Winehouse gathered 5 grammy awards (via satellite).  What can I say, I had a blast last night with Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Keely Smith, John Fogerty, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. From a folk like me, that was wonderful to see, although they sounded kind of worn, their presence and music knowledge were elegant and marvelously intact. Sorry, but there were not much presenters of possible future legends except for Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. From where I'm sitting right now, I have to think it twice if there's really a performance that's unforgettable. Yes, it has to be Alicia Keys, Herbie Hancock and Lang-lang (because I love to see virtuosos)Then I could add Fergie and John Legend easily.  Maybe, if a couple of my nominees probably performed, maybe they could have added luster, but they didn't. Nobody went crazy and nobody kissed someone unusually. It was a rather tamed night from my or a youthful person's standpoint. Nonetheless, it was still brilliant in the stricktest essence of the word.

I was floored by most of the performances last night--though it was probably the longest Grammy Awards in history--beat out only by the Oscars that are still going from last year...

Some critics didn't like the nods to the past--but I loved most of them. That Sinatra duet with Alicia Keys was probably the beginning of Warner Music getting the Sinatra brand re-marketed (through the deal made last November with the Sinatra family to spiff up his Reprise media). But the clip they used appeared to be taken from his old TV series in the late 50's.

Being a pianist--seeing all those performing nods to the piano held my attention. If there aren't a dozen performers now who sit at the piano and sing--there must be a hundred. But that's fine with me, because most of those are the best artists around today. That Herbie Hancock/Lang Lang performance on Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" was a real highlight, of course, for those just wanting to hear the piano. A lot of people criticized it (well, yeah, they cut out more than half of the work for time reasons)--but it was an amazing tribute to George Gershwin (dead 70 years now) who managed to consolidate a musical sound that represents all races.

More bullet point impressions :

--The Beyonce/Tina Turner duet was better than I thought it would be. Tina finally has normal-looking hair!

 --Kanye West was impressive--though I was freaked out by his glow-in-the-dark sunglasses during "Stronger." His tribute to his mom was expectedly palpable in emotion. I almost applauded when he told the music to can it while he honored his mother...

--Cher is back for her farewell to the farewell to the farewell to the welcome back to the farewell tour. But it was great to see her again--even if she didn't sing.

--Whoever decided to pair Keely Smith and Kid Rock together should get a raise. However, probably only a quarter of the audience remembered who Keely Smith was...and she still sounds amazingly good.

--Jerry Lee Lewis refused to sing along to Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly" during the finale. JLL is looking elderly--and we'll assume that's why he wasn't singing along.

--How come the camera didn't traditionally pan to Tony Bennett in the front row to gauge how bad or good the show was?

--Amy Winehouse was impressive (I thought she was lip-synching on "I'm No Good")--though sadly appeared to still be under the influence. I was happy to see her win a bunch of Grammys, however, because she is a major talent who happens to be the Billie Holiday of today.

--Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban had a better blend vocally than I ever thought they would on "The Prayer." I guess I won't suggest the idea Kat should have been there to duet with Andrea...but honeymoons can sometimes take quick detours.

--I have a lot more respect for the Grammys for having the balls to give Herbie Hancock the Best Album award. It was a big year for Jazz finally creeping into the mainstream--and I wrote an article about that aspect last week...with my predictions for what Amy Winehouse was going to do. Fortunately, my predictions didn't become entirely true...

www.associatedcontent.com/article/556167/2008_grammy_award_nominations_a_to.html

For those interested in Grammy history--you might want to know that the first one 50 years ago in 1959 shunned Rock n' Roll and just about every other genre other than the Pop sound of the time (that we consider to be standards today). NARAS was reportedly created specifically in 1957 as a counterattack against Rock n' Roll that many older members of the Academy thought was a threat to the quality of the music industry.

Of course, that all changed later when The Beatles won Best Album of the Year for "Sgt. Pepper" exactly forty years ago (that the Grammys obviously recognized last night)...

Hi Greg, thanks for that quick and excellent comment, and thanks also for the grammy history. I knew you watched it too. I missed the Alicia Keys duet with Frank Sinatra. I got tied with trying to setup the dvr to record as fast as I could and I forgot to look up, I only heard it. But it was beautiful. I must agree to some extent that Carrie's performance was kind of "not her" in a sense and the whole staging was overwrought perhaps. I guess you could sense that someone is trying to work a country song to blend with pop-rock-broadway theme. I forgot to mention the rest of the presenters.

PRINCE was there. He looked good and just the usual best dresser that he is. CINDY LAUPER and MILEY CYRUS presented the first (of 5) Winehouse award of the evening for Best New Artist.

STEVIE WONDER introduced Alicia Keys with her performance of "No One". TAYLOR SWIFT went on the stage to present an award with a handsome fellow (I didn't get the name).

RINGO STARR and JOHN STEWART presented the Country Album award to one American Vince Gill. TONY BENNETT (81) and NATALIE COLE were presenters too. I think they   returned the favor with the presentation of an award to one British Amy Winehouse. Is it the other way around? Fair is fair! Natalie is really tall and Tony looked good and strong. QUINCY JONES presented the album of the year to Herbie Hancock. I might have missed a name or two again but I already mentioned several presenters earlier.

There was a time in the 90's when I really enjoyed the Grammys. Twenty years ago, Bonnie Raitt was a younger performer and/or recipient along with Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Prince, etc. Now they are either not in the grammys, not here with us, or luckily they are presenters. New artists come and we would rely on their kind of music what we will have to watch and enjoy. But it's sweet when a tribute is done, like this one.

Feb. 10th, 2008 was a grammy night to sort of honor those who have graced the music industry before and they came to be presenters and/or  honorees. I am touched with the theme that the organizers of grammy came up with. From a 15 year old Miley Cyrus up to the 81 year old Tony Bennett, the 50th Grammys looked and sounded brilliant, indeed. I have to acknowledge the ever beautiful presence of Beyonce on stage in this event. She looked younger, fresher, and really down to earth, and, she and Tina Turner went for it!!

The Grammys are bringing back the jazz era, so, it seems. With the recognition of a veteran jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, the re-introduction of the prodigious Alicia Keys with her vocal and piano talent with John Mayer,  Fergie and John Legend on the piano. Wow. I was really enjoying it. Keely Smith's and Kid Rock's duet was heart-warming. I've never seen Kid Rock this TAMED! ! And, whoa, here comes a smooth jazz saxophonist, KOZ, blending with KEELY and KID. What's with the K anyway? I wanted to hear more. I wished they sang it twice! It was a real treat for me.

So, all in all, even if Daughtry didn't get his award or didn't get to perform, I'm sure his time will turn up soon. There were many celebs in the audience that evening, I reckon. A lot of potential presenters around, but not enough time, or not enough awards? This is why presenters have to be in two's. Maybe next year, presenters will be in three's or in four's. I'd love that, though. That will give new (and old) artists a chance for a great public appearance, on national TV! With the pregnancies and baby-sittings of several stars, unfortunately, they could not be in the grammys(?) Christina? Britney? Madonna? JLo? i guess some have dodged it because they were not winners? or they were on tour? Whatever.

ACEPTANCE SPEECHES---   Herbie's acceptance speech was hilarious because he was  looking for his notes and Quincy Jones had to hand it to him, while someone else had to hold the grammy for Herbie while he read his speech. He was overjoyed and overcome with excitation. At age 67, nothing is sweeter than receiving a grammy award for something you labored for. Herbie is cool!

Alicia Keys: She thanked God, foremost, then grandmother, mother, and Clive, in that order. A well disciplined and talented young lady. She is the promise of this generation. She would continue this tradition in the setup that she grew up in.

Vince Gill: He made a joke that he was never given an award by a Beatle before. Then he acknowledged a bunch of names that worked so hard on the album. Halfway through the minute, I heard him say "God Bless" but I don't know if he missed (or not) thanking his wife, Amy Grant, at all. Did he? But they kissed already before he even went to the stage, so he already thanked her personally. That thank you is more meaningful, I think. You only give thanks to people "aloud" when you can't get near to tell them right at that moment. So, Vince Gill's acceptance speech WON me. The (Quit) music didn't even come upon him. So, he didn't have to ask for more time. He finished while looking sincere and sounding succinct. Such a gentleman! He earned and deserved his award too!. 

Your Cher comment is HILARIOUS!!!!!!! Yes, farewell to the farewells of a comeback when she doesn't have to sing anyway. in the words of Cowell, "Loved It!" I love Cher. I grew up with her music as well.

Your Keely-Kid comment is so true. Whoever thought of making Keely sing with Kid Rock is brilliant. She is 75 but there is still a good trace of that beautiful singer's voice, and she's so cool with being on stage with Kid Rock. As I mentioned earlier, I've never seen Kid Rock this behaved/tamed. You could tell he was in awe of this old lady. He asked her twice "What do you want to do?" And Keely twice responded, "Whatever you want". I guess that was a cue for the background music to start. They were blended well in their song (what is it anyway, I can't remember now). At the end of the song, Kid Rock shouted "Keely Smith!". Then Keely shouted "Dave Koz!". Beautiful.........beautiful. That's what you call aging graciously and fabulously.

Keely Smith, I think it was mentioned on the B/W video clip, is the first Grammy recipient in the Best Duo Category. The video clip showed Keely as a young singer singing with a guy. Who's that guy, Greg? i love Keely Smith.

That was the famous big band leader Louis Prima. He was married to Keely Smith back in the 1950's--and they were both HUGE in Las Vegas during the 1950's and early 60's during the time when Vegas had to have everything stay there. Of course, that was around the time when Sinatra and his Rat Pack dominated the Strip. Sinatra was pretty close to both of them (even recording some rare duets with Keely Smith) based on what I've read.

Well, that was all long before my time--though I've heard plenty of recordings and seen videos of Prima and Keely's Vegas act. I've never really loved their sometimes frenetic versions of various standards, but it was a typical Vegasy style. The song they were best known for singing together was "That Old Black Magic." That was the song they were singing in the old Grammy clip--and they apparently won the first Grammy for Best Duo or Group Performance.

Incidentally, if you're not overly familiar with Louis Prima's career (he was from New Orleans and had a pretty wild life and singing style)--you'd recognize his voice in Disney's "The Jungle Book." He did the voice of the aptly named King Louis...and had the big swing hit of "I Wanna Be Like You" with Phil Harris (playing Baloo).

Here's his official website so you can learn more about his interesting life (and multiple marriages after Keely Smith): louisprima.com

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More on the Grammys:

Did you hear about how Aretha Franklin criticized Beyonce today for supposedly thinking she was better than Tina Turner? I didn't detect anything from Beyonce on the show that gave off the impression she thought she was towering over Tina. But it appears diva battles are still very real and can happen between the old-timers and the recent newbies.

Oh, and Cher's comeback to the comeback farewell should be happening in Vegas soon. She's going to be doing a show at Caesar's Palace that apparently will blow your senses to smithereens. And here we thought Celine's show already did that.

By the way: I liked the avant-garde qualities of Cirque du Soleil during the Beatles tribute. However, I think the "Sgt. Pepper" tribute at the end of "AI" last year was my personal favorite Beatles tribute so far. That one just clicked.

On last piece of Grammy history before we wrap this year up: I bet you didn't know the show wasn't broadcast on TV until 1971 (when Andy Williams--who showed up Sunday night--hosted for the first seven years). It really wasn't until the 80's when the show started getting audiences on the level with the Oscars. It started in Los Angeles in 1959, too, despite most people thinking it fits better with NYC.

Darn, I knew I missed more presenters! Nelly Furtado with ANDY WILLIAMS (and another girl). Thanks a lot, Greg, for the additions and enlightenments fo the grammys. You are very much into it, I reckon. Wow, Aretha had a little attitude against Beyonce? Beyonce's cool, to me. No signs to confirm such allegations at all. And Cher, wow, I might have to see this, for one last time. In her 60's she's going Vegas. This is a must see performance. She's got many followers, I believe, from the 60's and 70's and most of them could be Vegas-going folks by now. Good for her!

Happy Valentine's, Greg. Enjoy your time.

Nice article. I hope you're getting paid for these...

That's an intriguing comment about Amy Winehouse - do you mean she's like Billie Holliday artistically, or in that she's a tragic figure? I haven't followed her musical or tabloid career other than knowing she's like a 1960s throwback with a lot of baggage. I also stumbled on a clip of Winehouse singing "Tenderly" on a Dutch talk show; it's nice that a pop singer would be willing to sing a standard on the fly on national television, even though that's not what she bases her career on.

I remember Herbie Hancock from the '80s, with his pop crossover hit "Rockit" winning the first ever MTV Video of the Year, and then in school jazz band, playing his composition "Maiden Voyage" (by then already a jazz standard for 2 decades). Pretty amazing that a jazz artist in his 60s could win Best Album Grammy in 2008, although I suspect the name recognition earned from that pop crossover must have helped.

Unfortunately, I feel asleep through a lot of it - I believe I had too much fun the night before.  I think this year's pool of nominations wasn't really that strong.  Last year's competition for best album was tough - John Mayer, Justin Timberlake and the Dixie Chicks (I forget who else), but it was probably one of the stiffest competitions in that category, and I was beyond thrilled that my girls - Natalie, Martie and Emily aka the DIXIE CHICKS won it.

But, boy the times they are a changing we've sure come a long way from songs like "The Girl From Impanema" in  to "Rehab" in the Record of the Year category.    Sometimes I wish I was born earlier because I would have loved to been a young adult in the late 50s early 60s - life was so much more innocent, and I loved the dances from back in the day. 

Thanks for the comment on the article. Yeah, I do get paid up front for those (plus bonuses via the classic blogging method)--and it makes up most of my writing career at the moment--despite spreading my wings elsewhere.

My reference to Winehouse and Holiday being similar comes in the notion that they're both great artists who can't (and couldn't) stay clean from drugs and alcohol. So, in that respect, my answer is "all of the above." We can have some hope that Winehouse will sober up now that she has five Grammys to place on her mantle (hopefully not decorated with empty vodka bottles) and keep carving her unique style before alcohol ruins her chops. If winning all that many Grammys in one night doesn't make you straighten up--then nothing will.

I guess in the comparison to Holiday--you could say that BH's troubled life made her singing and interpretive abilities more compelling. It's hard to promote the idea that a troubled life complements a more interesting sense of artistry. You can still hurt in life, though, and bring high art.

And as far as Herbie Hancock winning--it could have been just a nod to the past because it was the 50th anniversary of the Grammys. On the other hand, jazz has gained a lot more respect in the mainstream. Even mainstream bands use jazz chord progressions now (clandestinely)--so a lot of pop and rock musicians secretly understand the usefulness of jazz musical structure...even if they don't want to admit to listening to it.

Check out Amy Winehouse minus the boufant hairdo singing Dinah Washington.  The girl's definitely got it, I love her - Now, if Amy could just learn how to put the pipe down she could become very prosperous.  Find that higher power Amy, you can do it!!!