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Jim Steinman 1981

Jim Steinman 

Photo: Terry Lott/Sony Music Archive via Getty Images

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Remembering Jim Steinman: 10 Songs To Know remembering-jim-steinman-10-songs-know-list

Remembering Jim Steinman: 10 Songs To Know

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Exploding with raw emotion and outfitted with theatrical production, the music Jim Steinman concocted was in an effusive style all his own
Rob LeDonne
GRAMMYs
Apr 21, 2021 - 6:03 pm

If there’s ever been a rock ballad you can’t seem to get out of your head, chances are it was a Jim Steinman tune. Exploding with raw emotion and outfitted with theatrical production, the music the storied producer and writer concocted was in an effusive style all its own. News of Steinman’s death this week saddened the world, but the GRAMMY winner leaves behind an immense discography, including career-making hits for the likes of Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler and Celine Dion that will live on. Here are ten of Steinman’s most notable musical gems from a sparkling career full of them.

"Bat Out Of Hell"

One of Steinman’s most prolific collaborations in his illustrious run was with Micheal Lee Aday, better known as Meat Loaf. When the two met, Steinman was a fledgling writer of musicals and Loaf was a fledgling actor. The two came together to create their debut album, Bat Out of Hell, featuring a frenetic title track that Steinman hoped would be "the ultimate slash motorcycle crash song." Originally stemming from a rock-influenced musical version of Peter Pan, the project was routinely rejected thanks to its outlier style. "Everyone hated it," Steinman later said in an interview posted on his official website, noting he was turned down by at least 30 record companies. "I used to say at the time, there are people who just have a vague notion of someday starting a record company whose first act is simply to reject us," he joked. Turns out the joke was on them. Bat Out of Hell later became one of the best-selling albums of all time. 

"Paradise By The Dashboard Light"

An epic tale of teenage love, a karaoke classic, and a hallmark of classic rock radio all in one, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is another legendary Bat Out of Hell track that Steinman penned. The track is essentially a three-act musical in itself. At the heart of it, Meat Loaf infectiously and infamously begs his love interest: "Let me sleep on it." Steinman once said in an interview that he hoped people paid attention to the epic song’s third and final part: "You can’t get much bleaker than when [the lyrics say:] ‘I swore I’d love you until the end of time, I’ll keep that promise, I’ll keep that vow, and so now I’m praying until the end of time.'" He continued: "I just think that’s about as true and as bleak a thing you can say about the sexes and how they get together."

"I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)"

Meat Loaf and Steinman did the impossible on 1993’s Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, the follow-up to Bat Out of Hell, by creating a slew of tracks that were somehow both increasingly epic and more successful than the original. Case in point: the gargantuan, 12 minute-long "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)," a tongue-in-cheek ballad that turns romantic schmaltz on its head. The song went on to become Meat Loaf’s only Billboard No. 1 hit and later netted a GRAMMY for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo.

"It’s All Coming Back To Me Now"

"It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” was originally concocted for Steinman’s musical project Pandora’s Box and later intended for Meat Loaf who ended up recording it for 2006’s Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose. But it was Celine Dion who made the blisteringly emotional track off her Falling into You album famous. Dion's album won Album Of The Year at the 39th Annual GRAMMY Awards, earning Steinman a GRAMMY in 1996. The song's thundering lyrics inspired by Emily Brontë’s classic novel Wuthering Heights and over-the-top production, including the sound of clattering drums, is classic Steinman: boisterous and bubbling with passion. "I was trying to write a song about dead things coming to life," Steinman wrote about the song. "I was trying to write a song about being enslaved and obsessed by love, not just enchanted and happy with it. It was about the dark side of love and about the extraordinary ability to be resurrected by it once dead." 

"Total Eclipse Of The Heart"

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" is another rock ballad that packs a wallop thanks to both Steinman’s handiwork and a powerhouse female singer. Steinman wrote and produced the track for Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. One of the biggest hits of 1983, he later explained the track was a tribute to the 1922 silent horror classic Nosferatu. "I had a vision of this woman lying on the ground looking at the moon like a sacrifice." The hit became so massive that it earned Tyler a GRAMMY nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her efforts.

"Holding Out For a Hero"

A lighter Steinman classic sung by Tyler, "Holding Out For a Hero" was produced for 1984’s Footloose soundtrack. Steinman teamed up with the movie’s screenwriter Dean Pitchford to co-write the track featuring introductory synth drums and fast-paced piano, now synonymous with '80s-era culture. The song brought Tyler and Steinman another hit together. "I made two albums with Jim, despite my record company initially thinking he wouldn’t want to work with me," Tyler told Rolling Stone upon the announcement of his passing. "Thankfully they were wrong, and can say without any doubt that Jim was a true genius."

"Making Love Out Of Nothing at All"

Peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart in 1983 —only held back from No. 1 by the aforementioned Steinman hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart"—this Air Supply ballad is a heartfelt operatic rock track that serves as a rumination on passion.  "I know just how to whisper," the song goes. "And I know just how to cry. I know just where to find the answers. And I know just how to lie." The song Steinman wrote and produced, like many others, originally intended for Meat Loaf.  

"Left In The Dark"

A testament to Steinman’s range, the music-maker also counts Barbra Streisand as an artist he helped craft a hit for. In 1984, they released "Left in the Dark," which tells the story of a cheating lover. The song was originally written for what would be Steinman’s only solo album as an artist (1980’s Bad for Good), but Streisand recorded the track that also takes production elements from another of his songs: Billy Squier's "All Night Long."

"Hulk Hogan’s Theme"

Any fan of wrestling knows that the mighty Hulk was a towering legend. The powerful fighter has Steinman to thank for his wrestling ring theme song released commercially in 1985. Sung by Rick Derringer, the song is another impressive notch on Steinman’s incredible grip on '80s culture throughout music, film and sport.

"Read ‘Em And Weep"

Released by Barry Manilow in 1983 (and subsequently becoming his most recent Top 10 hit), "Read ‘Em and Weep" was written by Steinman and produced by both him and fellow music powerhouse Jimmy Iovine. However, the song wasn’t intended for Manilow originally, with Steinman penning the rock ballad for, you guessed it, Meat Loaf. "If I could only find the words I could write it all down," the song proclaims. It’s an ironic statement, considering that Steinman never seemed to be at a loss for the perfect lyric.

The Offspring Talk The Near End Of COVID-19, Why Birds Are "Badass" & New Album, 'Let The Bad Times Roll'

The Marías perform in a red room

The Marías

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Watch The Marías' Warm Performance Of "Un Millón" watch-marias-live-performance-un-millon-press-play-home

Press Play At Home: Watch The Marías Deliver A Soothing Performance Of "Un Millón"

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On the latest episode of the Press Play At Home performance series, watch alternative-pop band the Marías perfectly capture the warm feeling of love in their performance of "Un Millón"
Taj Mayfield
GRAMMYs
Sep 16, 2021 - 1:51 pm

True love can feel hypnotic. On the latest episode of the Press Play At Home performance series, alternative-pop band The Marías perfectly capture the mesmeric feeling of love with their warm performance of "Un Millón."

Serving as a love letter to lead singer María Zardoya's birthplace, Puerto Rico, "Un Millón" allows her to sweep the listener off their feet by pairing her commanding yet calm stage presence with her soothing delivery of the song's passionate lyrics.

Watch The Marías' Warm Performance Of "Un Millón"

As masterful as the song may sound, "Un Millón" almost didn't make it onto the Marías' recently released debut album, CINEMA, and serves as the alternative-pop band's introduction into reggaeton-inspired music.

"This is the first reggaeton-inspired track that we created," María tells GRAMMY.com. "I grew up listening to reggaeton, and we were curious to see what it would sound like if we tried making a reggaeton track."

Check out the Marías' powerful performance of "Un Millón" above and explore more episodes of Press Play At Home below.

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Navy

Watch Navy Perform The Radiant "Patra"

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Militarie Gun

Watch Militarie Gun Tear Into "Big Disappointment"

ECHLO looks to the distance while performing
ECHLO

Watch Echlo's Cinematic Performance Of "Puppeteer"

Justin Fancy look forward while singing
Justin Fancy

Watch Justin Fancy Perform New Song "Beauty Queen"

Chris Grey holds the mic with a red background
Chris Grey

Watch Chris Grey Fuse Genres, Perform "Seamless"

Flores looks at the camera while wearing a red leather jacket
Flores

Watch Flores' Stunning Performance of "Mayahuel"

Jose Carlos Luna(left) Germán Marchena(right)
Morreo

Watch Morreo's Groovy "Un Nuevo Amor" Performance

Helado Negro sings passionately
Helado Negro

Watch Helado Negro Perform "Outside The Outside"

Yoandri looks at the camera while holding the microphone
Yoandri

Watch Yoandri's Intimate "Gemini Amor" Performance

Luke Hemmings
Luke Hemmings

Watch Luke Hemmings Perform "Baby Blue"

The Marías perform in a red room
The Marías

Watch The Marías' Warm Performance Of "Un Millón"

payton sits in front of a microphone with a guitar and headphones
payton

payton Performs Acoustic Version Of "Drive Away"

Press Play At Home: Dead Poet Society
Jack Underkofler of Dead Poet Society

Watch Dead Poet Society’s Heartfelt Performance

Press Play At Home: Charlotte Day Wilson
Charlotte Day Wilson

Watch Charlotte Day Wilson's "I Can Only Whisper"

Press Play At Home: G. Love
G. Love

Watch G. Love Perform Homespun "She's The Rock"

closeup of jxdn singing
jxdn

jxdn & Travis Barker Perform "Angels & Demons"

Jake wesley rogers
Jake Wesley Rogers

Watch Jake Wesley Rogers Perform "Middle Of Love"

GRAMMYs
Sofia Valdes

Sofia Valdes Performs Soothing "Handful Of Water"

Press Play At Home: Jesswar
Jesswar

Watch Jesswar Perform Ominous Track "XXL"

Press Play At Home: Monsieur Periné
Monsieur Periné
Photo: Ernesto Linneman

Watch Monsieur Periné Perform "Mundo Paralelo"

Press Play At Home: Layton
Laycon

Watch Laycon Perform Earthy Track "All Over Me"

Artwork for Press Play At Home episode with dodie performing "Four Tequilas Down"
dodie

Watch Dodie Perform A Bleary "Four Tequilas Down"

Press Play At Home: Yola
Yola

Yola Performs A Rock-Solid "Stand For Myself"

Artwork for Press Play At Home episode with Theon Cross performing "Panda Village"
Theon Cross

Watch Tubist Theon Cross Perform "Panda Village"

Press Play At Home: Omah Lay
Omah Lay

Watch Omah Lay Sing Elevating Track "Can't Relate"

Press Play At Home: John Hiatt With The Jerry Douglas Band
John Hiatt With The Jerry Douglas Band

John Hiatt Performs "Long Black Electric Cadillac"

Press Play At Home: Jade Bird
Jade Bird

Jade Bird Performs "Different Kinds Of Light"

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Tune-Yards    

Tune-Yards Perform Art-Pop Track "nowhere, man"

Press Play At Home: Ashe
Ashe

Ashe Performs Intimate Version Of "Me Without You"

Press Play At Home: Techy
Techy Fatule

Press Play At Home: Techy Fatule

Press Play At Home: Maggie Rose
Maggie Rose

Press Play At Home: Maggie Rose

Press Play At Home: Robert Finley
Robert Finley

Press Play At Home: Robert Finley

Press Play At Home: SEVENTEEN
SEVENTEEN

Press Play At Home: SEVENTEEN

Press Play At Home: Julia Stone
Julia Stone

Press Play At Home: Julia Stone

Alaina Castillo
Alaina Castillo

Press Play At Home: Alaina Castillo

Press Play At Home: LP
LP

Press Play At Home: LP

Robert Glasper
Robert Glasper

Press Play At Home: Robert Glasper & Denzel Curry

Press Play At Home: Lydia Luce
Lydia Luce

Watch: Lydia Luce Performs "Tangled Love"

Francisca Valenzuela
Francisca Valenzuela

Press Play At Home: Francisca Valenzuela

Press Play At Home: Why Don’t We
Why Don’t We

Press Play At Home: Why Don’t We

Adam Melchor
Adam Melchor  

Press Play At Home: Adam Melchor

Ryland James
Ryland James    

Press Play At Home: Ryland James

Omar Apollo_PPAH
Omar Apollo

Omar Apollo Performs Emotional "Useless"

Noel Schajris_PPAH
Noel Schajris

Press Play At Home: Noel Schajris

Victor Internet
Victor Internet

Victor Internet Performs "HOLLOW"

GRAMMYs
I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME 

Press Play At Home: iDKHOW

The Pretty Reckless
The Pretty Reckless  

#TBT: The Pretty Reckless Play "House On A Hill"

Aaron Lee Tasjan
Aaron Lee Tasjan

Aaron Lee Tasjan Performs "Computer Of Love"

GRAMMYs
Victoria Anthony  

Press Play: Victoria Anthony "Breathe Underwater"

GRAMMYs
Jazzmeia Horn  

Press Play At Home: Jazzmeia Horn's “Where We Are”

GRAMMYs
G Herbo    

G Herbo ft. Chance The Rapper: "PTSD" | Press Play

GRAMMYs

Watch BTS Perform "Dynamite" Live | Press Play

GRAMMYs
Chika

Watch Chika Perform "Balencies" For Press Play

GRAMMYs
Haim

Haim Perform "Gasoline" For Press Play

GRAMMYs
Maddie & Tae

Maddie & Tae Perform "Die From A Broken Heart"

GRAMMYs
Brett Eldredge

Brett Eldredge Sings "Paris Illinois" | Press Play

GRAMMYs
Snoh Aalegra

Snoh Aalegra's "DYING 4 YOUR LOVE" | Press Play

GRAMMYs
Kenzie

Kenzie Says Relax With "Exhale" | Press Play

GRAMMYs
Gian Marco 

Gian Marco Travels To Peru With "Hoy" | Press Play

Jessie Woo
Jessie Woo

Jessie Woo Sings "Vacation" | Press Play At Home

GRAMMYs
Durand Bernarr

Durand Bernarr Unleashes "Melody" For Press Play

GRAMMYs
MAX

MAX Sings "Love Me Less" For Press Play At Home

GRAMMYs
JoJo

Press Play: JoJo Performs "Man"

John-Robert
John-Robert

John-Robert Sings "Adeline" | Press Play

GRAMMYs
Will Jay

Will Jay Performs "By Now" For Press Play

Listen: GRAMMY.com's Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 Playlist Featuring Amara La Negra, Helado Negro, Andrekza, Maluca, And Many More

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Rosehardt & Lauren Ruth Ward

Rosehardt & Lauren Ruth Ward

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Quarantine Diaries: Rosehardt & Lauren Ruth Ward quarantine-diaries-rosehardt-playing-his-new-piano-lauren-ruth-ward-dancing-emo-music

Quarantine Diaries: Rosehardt Is Playing His New Piano & Lauren Ruth Ward Is Dancing To Emo Music

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, GRAMMY.com reached out to musicians to see how they were spending their days off the road
GRAMMYs
Nov 19, 2020 - 1:08 pm

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, GRAMMY.com reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors. Today, we have a special bi-costal edition, with Brooklyn-based Rosehardt and Los Angeles-based Lauren Ruth Ward, two artists featured in Dr. Martens Presents: Music & Film Series, sharing their Quarantine Diaries.

Rosehardt & Lauren Ruth Ward

Rosehardt, Brooklyn

[8:45 a.m.] On occasion, I'll wake up and my hair will be shampoo commercial voluminous. I don't try and explain it, I just show gratitude by continuing to care for it like my mama taught me.

GRAMMYs

[9:30 a.m.] We made cold-seared salmon last night. Hella tasty. I put the leftovers into an omelet. Also hella tasty. Additionally, if one can have toast with jam with breakfast, and one can also have toast with peanut butter with breakfast, then logically one can have a PB&J with breakfast. Don't @ me.

GRAMMYs

[12 p.m.] Today was a very special day.

GRAMMYs

[12:05 p.m.] A very, very special day.

GRAMMYs

[12:45 p.m.] Not only did the American people make the right choice at the voting booths, but I became the proud owner of this gorgeous piano. It was given to me by the sweetest woman from Craigslist (!!!).

GRAMMYs

[1 p.m.] Seriously, if you want a piano and have room, peruse the free section on CL, you'd be surprised. I was so tremendously fortunate to not only find this piano in amazing shape, but I couldn't have asked for a better CL experience. Her only stipulation was that it went to someone who would put it to use and das me. Thank you, Julia from Craigslist.

GRAMMYs

[1:30 p.m.] This is my cat Ishmael. I don't usually let him in the studio but I was feeling gracious and he was meowing incessantly.

GRAMMYs

[4:45 p.m.] This is Alex, the mysterious piano tuner my roommate recommended who not only does a great job tuning, but always obliges when asked to play a little when he's finished. I really wish you could hear this photo.

GRAMMYs

[5 p.m.] I plunked around on the beauty for a minute and now it's loaf time. Ish loves loaf time. We all love loaf time.

GRAMMYs

Lauren Ruth Ward, Los Angeles

[8 a.m.] Wake up and caffeinate. We have an espresso machine with a milk steamer, the whole shebang.

[8:15 a.m.] Check in. Look at my calendar and make sure my schedule is realistic. My friend Emma and I call ourselves The Over-Committers Committee (lol). I drink my coffee on my porch, sometimes journal and send out confirmation texts to hair clients and anyone I have plans with.

GRAMMYs

[8:30 a.m.] I pull myself away from my phone—I have a timer on my social apps to keep me from mindlessly scrolling! Depending on the day, I will do Patreon duties, Pullstring Vintage work or merch fulfillment. All of these are truly exciting and inspiring.

On Patreon, I post behind-the-scenes videos, and photos on my private Instagram. I also chat with fans about their week and if they relate to what I've shared. This kind of connection with them has kept me sane. I also get to "see" two of my Patron tiers monthly on a Zoom hang. I also spend this time prepping monthly mail-out incentives.

Pullstring Vintage is my new baby! After a buying trip, I wash all the items. Some need extra love—bleaching, tie-dying, studding or button, hem or zipper repair. Then, I take photos of all garments with my friend Zoë. Prior to posting, I take measurement photos and create descriptions for each garment. I then post and repost and chat with my sweet vintage-loving supporters. On drop days, I stay tethered to my assistant, Ivy, who takes care of sales via DM. Mondays and Fridays are post office days. I put thank you letters and pressed flowers go into every package (I love this part). We then DM everyone their tracking number along with another thank you.

Merch fulfillment! I sell 14 different items on Bandcamp. They have slightly different packaging processes but everything gets autographed, thank you carded and, you guessed it, pressed flowers from my garden.

GRAMMYs

[12 p.m.] After tapping in and out of the above worlds, it's usually lunchtime. I'll have a little something and then exercise! I love walking a couple miles while listening to podcasts (Brené Brown) or audiobooks (currently spinning the autobiography of Malcolm X). Or, if I have less time, I'll turn the heat up in my living room and freestyle yoga with dance and ab work integrated. I always do this to screamo/pop rock bands' albums, something I listened to in high school. Yesterday was Decadence by Head Automatica—totally holds up. If I have even less time, I'll freestyle dance in my front yard for three to four songs—quick and life-changing.

On other days, this is prime haircut time. I prefer to cut in the hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

GRAMMYs

[3:30 p.m.] As I mentioned, on Mondays and Fridays I go to the post office (where I am helped by either Ernie, Adora or Stanley). Other days I'll have a golden light, front yard hang with a friend.

[5 p.m.] I kiss my dog for the seventieth time today.

GRAMMYs

[6 p.m.] Pandemic life: make dinner, sometimes simple, sometimes elaborate. I prep snacks and juice my Imperfect Foods produce for the week. Then I hang/watch TV/read/after-dinner walk with my partner. Sometimes we'll have a guest or two over for a drink and a porch hang. Living the dream!

GRAMMYs

Days where I have no clients and no pending orders, I either aimlessly craft or I write. Song messages come to me unplanned—this is my way of planning those unplanned creative spurts. I work on songs alone and sometimes with bandmates. The day will go as follows: coffee, podcast while I walk, then get together with either Eduardo for LRW band, Chris for Aging Actress or Andrew for Heaven Electric.

These days are few and usually clumped together. Because I released an album in March and because the music industry has slowed down immensely, I've been treating writing less militantly and been allowing myself to explore other passions.

GRAMMYs

De'Wayne Talks "Top Gun," Jimi Hendrix & Radiohead, Finding Himself In L.A.

Fleetwood Mac in 1975

Fleetwood Mac in 1975

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Which Fleetwood Mac Song Is Your Favorite? poll-dreams-chain-which-fleetwood-mac-song-your-favorite

Poll: From "Dreams" To "The Chain," Which Fleetwood Mac Song Is Your Favorite?

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"Dreams" experienced a charming viral moment on TikTok after a man posted a video skateboarding to the classic track, and now it's back on the charts, 43 years later
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 15, 2020 - 5:00 pm

In honor of Fleetwood Mac's ethereal '70s rock classic "Dreams," which recently returned to the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to a viral TikTok skateboard video from Nathan Apodaca, we want to know which of the legendary group's songs is your favorite!

Beyond their ubiquitous 1977 No. 1 hit "Dreams," there are so many other gems from the iconic GRAMMY-winning album Rumours, as well as across their entire catalog. There's the oft-covered sentimental ballad "Landslide" from their 1975 self-titled album, the jubilant, sparkling Tango in the Night cut "Everywhere" and Stevie Nicks' triumphant anthem for the people "Gypsy," from 1982's Mirage, among many others.

Vote below in our latest GRAMMY.com poll to let us know which you love most.

Polls

Which Fleetwood Mac Song Is Your Favorite?

Related: Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" Back On Charts Thanks To Viral Skateboard Video On TikTok

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Poll: What's Your Favorite Van Halen Song?

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Rufus Wainwright

Rufus Wainwright

Photo: Barbara FG (Cleared for any usage with credit)

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Rufus Wainwright & More On Their Favorite Venues sacred-spaces-rufus-wainwright-yungblud-keb-mo-and-others-reflect-independent-venues

Sacred Spaces: Rufus Wainwright, YUNGBLUD, Keb' Mo' And Others Reflect On The Independent Venues And Clubs That Changed Their Lives

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As the majority of the live concert industry across the world remains on pause, GRAMMY.com chatted with a handful of artists about their cherished concert memories at some of their favorite clubs and venues
David McPherson
GRAMMYs
Aug 3, 2020 - 6:00 am

Though it's been more than 50 years since Café Au Go Go closed, Blood, Sweat & Tears frontman David Clayton-Thomas still recalls the cultural significance of this famed NYC basement bar. Formerly located at 152 Bleecker St. and operating from 1964-1969, the Greenwich Village hotspot hosted everyone from Cream, with Eric Clapton, to Jimi Hendrix.

"It was the place to be in those days," Clayton-Thomas reflects. "That is where Blood, Sweat & Tears started. We became the house band for a couple of months while recording our first album at CBS Studios on 52nd Street. We would work the club at night and record during the day. It's hard to forget a club like that. It will always be a part of my wonderful memories of New York."   

It's not a stretch to say that the resulting Blood, Sweat & Tears self-titled 1968 album, which has sold 10 million copies worldwide and won the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year in 1970, would exist today without the band's experience at this small yet renowned club. 

Clayton-Thomas' story illustrates exactly how independent music venues are more than four walls. Within the confines of these cramped clubs is a shared cultural history and community: collective stories of unforgettable nights watching your favorite bands and artists perform. The spirits of these artists—some long gone—are forever etched in the wood and ingrained in the stain-filled dance floors.

Exterior of Café Au Go Go in NYC in 1965

Exterior of Café Au Go Go in NYC in 1965 | Photo: Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the live music ecosystem, already hit hard by rising real estate prices, gentrification and urban sprawl, entered crisis mode. Seminal clubs across North America, from L.A.'s historic Troubadour to Toronto's legendary Horseshoe Tavern, lie silent. 

Like concertgoers, club and venue owners, too, are eagerly awaiting the return of live music. In the interim, these entrepreneurs do what they can to keep their businesses afloat: Some launched GoFundMe fundraisers, while others turned to social media, patrons and local and federal government for financial support. The politicians are starting to hear these pleas. 

Earlier this month, the U.K. government announced a £1.57 billion (approximately $2 billion) aid package for the arts, culture and heritage industries. In the U.S., a pair of senators introduced a relief bill: the Save Our Stages Act. The Recording Academy is also endorsing a pair of solutions: the RESTART Act and the Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act.     

The sad reality: Without the leniency of landlords and the passing of stimulus acts by governments, many iconic clubs and independent venues will not survive the financial fallout caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Even with these lifelines, the outlook could be grim. According to a survey from the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) last month, which surveyed nearly 2,000 music professionals across the U.S., 90 percent of independent venue owners, promoters and bookers said they will have to close permanently within the next few months if they do not receive financial relief from the government. 

As the majority of the live concert industry across the world remains on pause, GRAMMY.com chatted with a handful of artists, including Rufus Wainwright, YUNGBLUD, Keb' Mo' and others, about their cherished concert memories at some of their favorite clubs and venues.

Rufus Wainwright

Venue(s): The Troubadour and Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif.; McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, Calif.; The Town Crier in Beacon, N.Y.; Ursa, owned by his sister Martha Wainwright, in Montreal, Quebec 

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus Wainwright performs in Austin, Texas | Photo: Barbara FG (Cleared for any usage with credit)

Self-isolating these days at his home in Los Angeles finds GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright spending time practicing more, especially the piano. "I've been able to dive into the technical forest," he tells GRAMMY.com. Before the pandemic hit, he was on tour and starting the promotion cycle for his newest album, Unfollow The Rules, which he released last month via BMG. He booked gigs at many clubs, including The Troubadour, to promote the record. Then he had to cancel them. 

"The Troubadour, for me, is especially poignant," Wainwright says. "I performed there a couple of times over the years, and I've seen many shows there. We were set to play there at the beginning of this tour. This album is very much influenced by the history of Laurel Canyon [in Los Angeles], songwriting and Hollywood, and we had this symbolic show booked at The Troubadour to emulate some of the grand history that occurred in that venue. Sadly, that opportunity got ripped away when the pandemic struck." 

Read: Beginnings And Endings With Rufus Wainwright

Other touchstone venues for Wainwright in the L.A. area include: The Coronet Theatre, now Largo At The Coronet, where he regularly performed early in his career and McCabe's Guitar Shop on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, where the artist played a series of shows before the pandemic hit. 

"I am familiar with the smaller-venue situation mainly because my parents started out playing in coffeehouses in the 1960s and '70s," Wainwright says. "Places like the Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs, [N.Y.], and The Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Mass., are all part of the really vital, socially important folk music movement my parents [Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle] were a part of in the 1960s. For a lot of artists, these venues are like a trampoline that can catch your fall when you aren't necessarily the flavor of the month. I grew up witnessing this dynamic, and I started out in smaller venues. To dominate that dynamic is really important and harder than you think. A lot of big artists cannot play a small venue … it's too scary and too intimate, but I love them!"  

YUNGBLUD

Venue(s): The Crowndale in Camden Town, London, England; The Lock Tavern in London, England; The Electric Ballroom in Camden Town, London, England

YUNGBLUD performs at the Electric Ballroom in 2019

YUNGBLUD performs at the Electric Ballroom in 2019 | Photo: Matthew Baker/Getty Images

Born in Doncaster, Yorkshire, British rocker YUNGBLUD left home at 16 and moved to London. "I ran away because the north of England is not a place for a kid in lipstick playing rock 'n' roll," he says. Once settled in the south, he discovered the live music mecca of Camden Town, north of England's capital. 

"These venues shaped what I am as an artist today," he says. "I remember walking into Camden Town for the first time and my mind exploded; it was everything I ever wanted. It was Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. I had a golden ticket to everything I read about: The Libertines, Amy Winehouse, etc. I used to skive off work to get coffees and go to Camden for hours, telling my dad I had been mugged! 

Read: Yungblud Talks Turning His Tour Postponement Into An Online Rock & Roll Variety Show

"Camden was really a big turning point in my career," he continues. "I've played every tiny venue in Camden, from The Crowndale for 10 people to a sold-out show at The Lock Tavern where Amy Winehouse played early in her career and who is a massive inspiration to me. She taught me being you is good enough. Later, I played the Electric Ballroom to 1,500 people. The Camden Assembly, formerly The Barfly, is where my guitar player [Adam Warrington] and I really connected and when we figured out we were going to play music together for the rest of our lives, bonding over our love of Joy Division, Blur, N.W.A, Foo Fighters and David Bowie.

"When I think about Camden, that spirit, and every show I've played in the clubs there, I remember why I'm here and what I'm doing it for … it's all about the passion!" 

Colin Linden

Venue: The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
City: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Opened: 1947

Colin Linden (R) with Robbie Robertson (L) performing at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in approximately 1989

Colin Linden (R) with Robbie Robertson (L) performing at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in approximately 1989 | Courtesy Photo: Colin Linden

These days, Canadian blues artist Colin Linden lives in Nashville, Tenn., but Toronto is where he cut his teeth. The GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and producer grew up fast, sitting in as an underage teen with local legends like Willie P. Bennett and David Wilcox at small clubs around town. Today, Linden figures this is the longest time he has gone without a gig in his 48-year career. "I feel a real need to connect with people," Linden says. 

Toronto's legendary Horseshoe Tavern is Linden's seminal venue. He still has a scar on his forehead from a time he played The Shoe in the mid-1980s and bounded off the stage a little too recklessly. And in the early 1990s, he played there frequently with a secret band, which included Bruce Cockburn, called Bambi And The Deer Hunters. 

"It is the place where I started playing as a kid and kept on playing over many years," Linden recalls. "It was an important venue long before I ever set foot in there. It's a place where I've had a lot of laughter and a lot of tears. When I think about the Horseshoe Tavern, I think about so many things. I remember sitting in the back alley in booker Peter Graham's car, playing him my demo and talking over my mistakes. I really wanted a gig there." 

The most memorable night for Linden at this venue happened on March 13, 1989, when he shared the stage with The Band members Rick Danko, Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson. "That was such an amazing night," Linden thinks back. "I remember Robbie getting offstage and asking me, 'How can you guys hear anything?' I realized he had not been on a stage in more than 10 years and forgot how loud it gets in a club!"

Keb' Mo'

Venue: Harvelle's
City: Santa Monica, CA
Opened: 1931

Harvelle's

Harvelle's | Photo: John M. Heller/Getty Images

Harvelle's, a popular West Coast blues club with a long history, is where Kevin Roosevelt Moore started playing in 1992 before he was known as Keb' Mo' and before he had a record deal. His first audition to play the historic venue failed. Later, he landed a gig at the club through a friend who needed a guitarist. After that, Moore played the venue regularly for years. One Tuesday, Moore was performing when television producer and composer Chuck Lorre was in the audience; an introduction led Moore to land the theme song for the popular CBS sitcom, "Mike & Molly."

"It's very important to maintain the local watering holes of our country," Moore, who this year took home a GRAMMY for Best Americana Album for his 2019 album, Oklahoma, explains. "For me, Harvelle's is the place where I figured out who I was. Harvelle's is where I became 'Keb' Mo'.' If not for Harvelle's, I, and many other artists I know, would not be where we are today. It's so important to make sure these local places that feed the community—socially, culturally, and artfully in a musical way—remain open. When you take away the starting point for musicians, you take away the connection. It's the local pubs and the local dives that make us who we are.

Watch: Keb' Mo' Reflects On The Journey To His 'TajMo' GRAMMY Nomination

"Even today, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, etc., all want to do a dive [bar] tour because the dives are what's happening," he continues. "It's about connecting to the people. It's raw, it's honest and it's genuine. The place you have to be most genuine of any place is in a dive, because when you play a fancy theater, everyone comes to see you and is expecting something. In a dive, no one gives a crap about you, so you have to go to them and figure out how to connect and reach them. In a way, playing a dive is way more difficult than playing a concert. Harvelle's and all the dives, coffee shops [and] restaurants of the world are very important to creating that connection and community within the music business." 

Sarah Jarosz

Venue: The Cactus Café 
City: Austin, Texas
Opened: 1979

Sarah Jarosz

Sarah Jarosz performs at The Cactus Café in approximately 2006 | Photo: Steve Oleson

At 29, New York City-based American Roots singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz has already won three GRAMMYs. (Her newest album, World On The Ground, released in June, features production from five-time GRAMMY winner John Leventhal.) Jarosz shares her love for The Cactus Café, one of the storied music clubs situated on the campus of the University Of Texas At Austin in her hometown. The venue has hosted a who's who of Texas songwriting legends and bands over the years, from Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark to The Chicks and Nickel Creek.

Read: Sarah Jarosz Graduates to GRAMMY Winner with 'Undercurrent'

"Since I'm not able to play shows on the road right now, I've naturally turned my thoughts to some of the first venues I began playing in," Jarosz says. "I have a particular fondness for The Cactus Café. That's the first club I remember my parents taking me to as a little kid, even when it was way past my bedtime. I remember the smell of the coffee brewing, the clinking of the glasses at the bar tucked into the back corner, the warmth of being surrounded by kindred spirits and music-lovers. 

"Venues like The Cactus are sacred spaces," she adds. "For the hour or two that you're inside them, the outside world disappears, and musicians and listeners alike find solace in the energy and the sounds."

Jane Bunnett

Venue: Jazz Showcase
City: Chicago, Ill.
Opened: 1947

Jane Bunnett performs at Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Ill.

Jane Bunnett performs at Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Ill. | Photo: Jim Funk

Jane Bunnett, 63, is a soprano saxophonist, bandleader and three-time GRAMMY nominee. The most recent ensemble the Toronto artist assembled is the all-female, GRAMMY-nominated Afro-Cuban jazz group, Jane Bunnett & Maqueque. 

She holds a special place in her heart for Chicago's Jazz Showcase, started by Joe Segal in 1947. Legends from John Coltrane to Miles Davis have played this historic club. Today, you'll still find the 94-year-old NEA Jazz Master Segal hanging around, but his son, Wayne, runs the day-to-day operations. 

The first time Bunnett tried to sit in and play at Jazz Showcase in the late 1980s, Joe refused to let her play. Flash ahead a decade. Bunnett was back in the Windy City for the Chicago Jazz Festival. After her set, musician Ira Sullivan introduced her to Joe, who didn't recall the incident. Amends were made. In the last five years, the club has become a regular anticipated stop for Bunnett & Maqueque; they were scheduled for another gig there this spring before the pandemic hit.

Read: 'Bitches Brew' At 50: Why Miles Davis' Masterpiece Remains Impactful

"I've got incredible memories of playing that room," Bunnett says. "Right behind the bandstand is a beautiful 10-by-12-foot photograph of Charlie Parker. I remember the first night I'm up on that stage, it was such a joyous moment. Joe sat right in front of my percussionist and just stared. I looked around the room at all the paraphernalia and history and just soaked it in. There I was with a bunch of young Cuban kids in their early 20s who didn't have a clue of who many of the artists pictured on the walls were."

Sierra Hull

Venue: The Station Inn
City: Nashville, Tenn.
Opened: 1974

Sierra Hull (R) performs with Justin Moses (L) at The Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn.

Sierra Hull (R) performs with Justin Moses (L) at The Station Inn in Nashville, Tenn. | Courtesy Photo: Sierra Hull

At 28, bluegrass/roots artist Sierra Hull has already released four full-length albums. Her most recent, 25 Trips, released in February on Rounder Records, is the follow-up to her GRAMMY-nominated 2016 album, Weighted Mind. 

"It's easy to take for granted that a venue like The Station Inn will always be there," she says. "It's a staple of the Nashville community and a musical home for so many of us. I've been deeply inspired by the concerts I've seen by both legends and peers there, and have played the stage myself countless times over the years. It's the type of venue that is perfectly small and intimate yet with a history that makes it feel larger than life. 

Read: Sierra Hull Takes Her Place In Bluegrass History, Talks Legacy & New Music At Wide Open Bluegrass

"It really breaks my heart to know that venues we all love are struggling and could potentially go under during this pandemic. I hope and pray they can survive this for the sake of our community and the need we all have to gather together in places with so much history and meaning."

Ondara

Venue: Cedar Cultural Center
City: Minneapolis, Minn.
Opened: 1989

Cedar Cultural Center

Cedar Cultural Center | Photo: Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Ondara, previously known as J.S. Ondara, grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, listening to a lot of rock music before moving to the U.S. in 2013. His debut album, Tales Of America, released in 2019, received a nomination for Best Americana Album at the 2020 GRAMMYs. In May, the singer-songwriter released his follow-up, Folk N' Roll, Vol 1: Tales Of Isolation, an 11-song collection written and recorded by Ondara, in less than a week, while in lockdown in Minneapolis. The compositions speak to our times and collective quarantined experience. A direct response to the global pandemic, the album serves as therapy for Ondara. 

Before moving from Africa to America, Ondara had never been to a concert. His first show was at the Cedar Cultural Center, a Twin Cities live music hot spot for the past 30 years. It changed his life. 

Read: Kenyan Singer/Songwriter J.S. Ondara On Telling His Own 'Tales Of America' With Debut LP

"I was new to America, and I had spent some time with music unsuccessfully," he recalls. "Nothing was working out, so I decided to go to school. Halfway through my second semester, a friend invited me to a show to see Seattle singer-songwriter Noah Gundersen. I had a completely spiritual experience at that concert. I dropped out of school the following day and went back to focusing on my music and making my debut record. It was life-changing. The novelty of [it] being my first concert, along with my internal turmoil of my desires to be a musician being stifled, all played a part in the experience. It left a lasting impression. I honestly can't wait until I can be in a room full of people again and sing right in their faces." 

4 Independent Record Stores Across The U.S. Weigh In On Their Struggle To Survive During COVID-19

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy and its Affiliates lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy and its Affiliates.