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John Legend performs at MusiCares: Music On A Mission

John Legend performs at MusiCares: Music On A Mission

Photo: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images The Recording Academy

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How Music On A Mission Honored The Music Community musicares-music-mission-2021-grammy-week-john-legend-her-bts-lady-gaga

How MusiCares' Music On A Mission Honored The Resilience Of The Music Community

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Featuring performances from HAIM, H.E.R., BTS, Jhené Aiko, John Legend and more, MusiCares' inaugural Music on a Mission event celebrated the wider music community and helped raise funds for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Lily Moayeri
MusiCares
Mar 17, 2021 - 5:50 pm

The MusiCares Person Of The Year ceremony is one of the most anticipated events at GRAMMY Week every year. MusiCares' annual celebration recognizes the artistic achievement and philanthropic work through the Person Of The Year Award. This year, the nonprofit reimagined its marquee event—which would have celebrated its 30th anniversary—to celebrate the music community as a whole. The inaugural Music on a Mission event, hosted by MC Lyte, on March 12 opened its virtual doors to the public and featured special performances by 2021 GRAMMY nominees to raise money for music professionals impacted by COVID-19.

The event also included a mix of special appearances by previous Person Of The Year recipients and words from a cross-section of musicians and music industry workers. Before the show began, DJ D-Nice provided the sounds that fueled excitement for the meaningful night with his well-selected jams, including remixes of Sister Sledge's "Lost in Music" and Stevie Wonder's "Another Star." 

The energy ramped up even more as the event segued into a flashback of MusiCares' 2012 Person Of The Year event honoring Sir Paul McCartney. The audience went back to the moment Cirque du Soleil transported their "The Beatles LOVE" Las Vegas experience to Los Angeles with their acrobatics to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." Following that introduction, McCartney performed a rousing rendition of "Magical Mystery Tour" from that year's event, pulling David Crosby, Steven Van Zandt, and Don Was out of their seats.

MusiCares executive director Laura Segura and Vice President of Amazon Music and board chair Steve Boom gave a short welcome after the epic throwback performance. "With the simple act of purchasing a ticket and enjoying tonight's performances, you've made a difference in the lives of people in need," Boom said.

The celebration then continued with exclusive performances. Jhené Aiko delivered a live acoustic rendition of "LOVE" from her album, Chilombo. Backed by a guitarist and percussionist, she faded the song out by playing her healing sound bowls. John Legend also performed live. The GRAMMY-winning singer lit up the virtual stage from home with a version of "U Move, I Move," featuring Aiko, from his 2020 album Bigger Love on his grand piano. 

Styled and glammed, H.E.R. brought the GRAMMY show vibe with a full band, including strings and brass. She sang "Fight For You," from the Judas and the Black Messiah film. The performance was in sharp contrast to HAIM who were introduced by Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr. The group's raw rendition of "The Steps" felt like an eavesdrop during a rehearsal in their parents' basement. 

South Korean global pop superstars BTS provided their own captivating show. The group shared a performance of their smash "Dynamite" from an empty theatre. The band members sang from various spots in the seated venue and came together on stage. Spotlights and camera angles provided a stunning visual of their stripped-back, electrifying performance, with the group sitting in a horseshoe arrangement at the center of the stage with a blue-haired Jungkook on drums.

But the night wasn't all performances. Also interspersed throughout were messages from Ringo Starr, Shakira, Elton John, Mick Fleetwood, Jesse & Joy, Ledisi, Macklemore and Bonnie Raitt, all thanking MusiCares for their work and encouraging viewers to donate to the organization's efforts. As Shakira put it, "Putting on a show takes a village," and the people who actually put on the shows in real life have been "disproportionately affected by the shutdown of shows."

The night also opened the vault to past Person Of The Year tribute performances, a tradition of the celebration previously only seen by those in attendance. Included in the virtual concert were the Jonas Brothers doing their version of Aerosmith's "Crazy" from the 2020 MusiCares Person Of The Year celebration honoring the band. A performance from Bruce Springsteen, the 2015 MusiCares Person Of The Year honoree, of "Born to Run," with his E Street Band, too, had its moment at the event. The program also featured an unforgettable performance from 2017 MusiCares Person Of The Year recipient Tom Petty performing "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" with Stevie Nicks; the performance was one of his last five shows.

Several other magical moments from past Person Of The Year celebrations were made public during Music on a Mission. At one point of the night, Lionel Richie, 2016 MusiCares Person Of The Year honoree, shared that MusiCares helped him realize it was time to give back. He introduced another flashback, this one to Usher's dynamic performance of the Commodores' "Lady (You Bring Me Up)," which had Richie grooving during that year's event. Carole King, 2014 MusiCares Person Of The Year recipient, introduced a luminous Lady Gaga who performed her version of King's "You've Got A Friend."

But Music on a Mission's most moving moments were those where musicians and music workers shared their stories of how MusiCares has helped them. Those included singer/songwriter Brittni Jessie who spoke of the mental and emotional support she received from MusiCares in the last year. "It's an incredible thing to know that we do struggle as artists, and it's good to know we have someone in our corner that understands what being a touring musician is like," she said.

Hubert Payne, the recording and touring drummer for Little Big Town, is the sole provider for his family, which includes five children under 8. During the event, he mentioned that MusiCares has been a bridge for him multiple times, including when he suffered from a knee injury a few years back. The organization was "truly a hand up, for me and a lot of my friends," he said. "Understand you're not the only one. No one's going to judge you and make you feel less than. The support will really help you reach the next step."

VIP event manager Alyssa Garcia is a behind-the-scene music worker whose life was pulled out from under her in the early part of 2020. She emphasized how easy it was to reach out to MusiCares and how the organization eagerly helped. "Reaching out will make you feel better," Garcia said.

MusiCares continues to provide support and assistance to all music workers. The organization's unusually heavy workload persists due to the ongoing pandemic. As the musicians in Music on a Mission stated, all financial support from its efforts goes directly to those in the wider music community who are affected. 

Music on a Mission is available on-demand until Friday, March 19. Buy a ticket here. All proceeds from Music on a Mission will be distributed to music people in need.

5 Key Quotes From GRAMMY In The Schools Fest 2021

HAIM pose on the 2015 GRAMMYs' red carpet

HAIM at 57th GRAMMY Awards

Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic/Getty Images

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Listen To MusiCares' Music On A Mission Playlist listen-musicares-music-mission-playlist-featuring-haim-her-more-performers-grammy

Listen: MusiCares' Music On A Mission Playlist Featuring HAIM, H.E.R. & More Performers From The GRAMMY Week Event

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The playlist features artists performing at the Music On A Mission GRAMMY Week 2021 event including Jhené Aiko, H.E.R., HAIM, BTS, and John Legend
Hannah Kulis
MusiCares
Mar 8, 2021 - 3:47 pm

MusiCares is gearing up for their star-studded virtual GRAMMY Week fundraiser, Music On A Mission, with a stellar playlist of artists featured in the event, including Jhené Aiko, H.E.R., HAIM, BTS, John Legend, Shakira and more.

A tribute to the humans behind the music, many of whom have been out of work and struggling during the pandemic, Music On A Mission will feature performances from BTS, HAIM, H.E.R., Jhené Aiko and John Legend, as well as legendary archival performances from the MusiCares' vaults by Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty, and Usher.

There will also be special appearances by Carole King, Jesse & Joy, Jonas Brothers, Ledisi, Lionel Richie, Macklemore, Mick Fleetwood, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Shakira and a special pre-show DJ set performed by DJ D-Nice.

Music On A Mission will take place on Fri., March 12 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET. Tickets are on sale now to the public at support.musicares.org, with all proceeds going to music people in need.

Get pumped for this first-of-its-kind event with the playlist below (available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music).

5 Reasons To Virtually Attend MusiCares' Music On A Mission Featuring Lionel Richie, Jhené Aiko, BTS, Shakira & More

MusiCares' Music on a Mission GRAMMY Week Event 2021.
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MusiCares Announces Music On A Mission Event musicares-music-mission-announcement-haim-her-jhene-aiko-john-legend

MusiCares Announces Music On A Mission Virtual Event: New Performances From HAIM, H.E.R., Jhené Aiko And John Legend Confirmed

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Taking place Friday, March 12, 2021, MusiCares' Music On A Mission, a first-of-its-kind virtual fundraiser and official GRAMMY Week event, will honor the resilience of the music community, which has been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
MusiCares
Feb 18, 2021 - 5:56 am

MusiCares, the leading music industry charity, announced today it will host Music on a Mission, a virtual fundraiser to honor the resilience of the music community, which has been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will take place on Friday, March 12, 2021, two nights before the 63rd GRAMMY Awards telecast and will feature new performances from HAIM, H.E.R., Jhené Aiko, and John Legend as well as legendary performances from the MusiCares' vaults featuring Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty, and Usher. The event will also have special appearances by Carole King, Jesse & Joy, Jonas Brothers, Ledisi, Lionel Richie, Macklemore, Mick Fleetwood, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Shakira and a special pre-show DJ set performed by DJ D-Nice. Tickets are available to the public for $25 and are on sale now on MusiCares.org. All proceeds will be distributed to music people in need.

"Music on a Mission is a chance to recognize the challenges music people have faced this past year and honor their resiliency," Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares, said. "After surveying the music industry, it is clear the pandemic has taken a financial and mental toll. As the leading foundation dedicated to the health and welfare of music people, it is our responsibility to support music people through this pandemic and beyond. We're thrilled to pay tribute to the people who have kept the music playing."

Since the start of the pandemic, MusiCares has distributed more than $22 million to help more than 25,000 music people across the industry, including songwriters, musicians, engineers, producers, bus drivers, crew, guitar techs, label employees, makeup artists and more. In addition to COVID-19 relief, MusiCares provides a support system of health and human services across a spectrum of needs including physical and mental health, addiction recovery, preventative clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies and disaster relief. According to recent survey data collected by MusiCares, 62 percent of music people surveyed feel moderately high to very high levels of financial stress daily and 26 percent of respondents report moderate to severe levels of depression.

Music on a Mission will take the place of the 2021 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute ceremony. This event is made possible by generous sponsors, including Amazon Music, the Recording Academy, Universal Music Group, Vivid Seats, Warner Music Group, Facebook, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing, ASCAP, Concord, Gibson Gives, Live Nation, Master & Dynamic, PEOPLE and SoundCloud. "We are extremely thankful for our sponsors joining us to help celebrate the people behind the music, who work tirelessly to bring the joy of music to us every day," Segura said.

Purchase tickets to Music on a Mission.

MusiCares Shares "Wellness In Music" Study Results

Tom Petty at the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year gala

Tom Petty

Photo: Michael Kovac/WireImage.com

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Who Are The Person Of The Year Recipients? who-are-all-musicares-person-year-recipients

Who Are All The MusiCares Person Of The Year Recipients?

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Take a look at the entire roster of 28 MusiCares Person of the Year honorees and learn about their philanthropic activities
Renée Fabian
MusiCares
Dec 22, 2017 - 9:22 am

Since its inception in 1989, MusiCares has provided a safety net for music people in times of need, including resources and services covering a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies.

In order to support these life-saving programs, MusiCares created their signature gala, Person of the Year, in 1991 when they honored David Crosby in New York prior to the 33rd GRAMMY Awards.

Hosted each year during GRAMMY Week, the Person of the Year gala has continued to grow in size and prominence, while the theme has remained constant: to honor an artist who has not only made lasting contributions to the music world but who has also demonstrated extraordinary humanitarian and philanthropic efforts.

It's also doubled as an important reminder of the critical work that MusiCares undertakes year-round, oftentimes with the honorees themselves providing compelling testimonials.

"I'm proud to be here tonight for MusiCares. I think a lot of this organization. They've helped many people," Bob Dylan said during his Person of the Year acceptance speech in 2015. "I'd like to personally thank them for what they did for a friend of mine, Billy Lee Riley. … MusiCares paid for my friend's doctor bills, mortgage and gave him spending money. They were able to at least make his life comfortable, tolerable to the end. That is something that can't be repaid. Any organization that would do that would have to have my blessing."

You already know their music accomplishments, so let's take a focused look at the generous giving that helped gain these 28 esteemed artists the honor of MusiCares Person of the Year.

Fleetwood Mac, 2018

The first band to receive the honor, Fleetwood Mac — Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks — have supported numerous causes both together and individually. Organizations supported include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, U.K. music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins, the Red Cross, Starkey Hearing Foundation, and the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

GRAMMYs

Tom Petty, 2017

Watch: Tom Petty's 2017 MusiCares speech

Leaving his mark on the world of giving, the late Petty supported a variety of causes throughout the years. This included Los Angeles-based program for the homeless Midnight Mission, for which Petty played numerous benefit concerts. He was honored with the organization's Golden Heart Award in 2011. He also supported Safety Harbor Kids, which helps orphan, foster and homeless children, environmental organization Rock the Earth, and the Special Olympics.

Lionel Richie, 2016

Lionel Richie In Conversation With Pharrell Williams

Richie's philanthropic contributions span anti-poverty and anti-human trafficking initiatives, fighting famine, and support for HIV/AIDS research and women's issues. Most notably, he co-wrote "We Are The World" with Michael Jackson in 1985, the proceeds of which went to famine relief through USA For Africa. Other organizations he has championed include the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, Unicef, and the Art of Elysium.

Bob Dylan, 2015

Dylan has quietly donated to causes such as Amnesty International, City of Hope, End Hunger Network, and K9 Connection across his career. He performed during George Harrison's Album Of The Year-winning The Concert For Bangladesh in 1971 to benefit relief efforts for East Pakistan refugees. In 2009 he donated all the royalties from his best-selling Christmas album, Christmas In The Heart, to Feeding America.

Carole King, 2014

Carole King: MusiCares Person Of The Year Interview

King tirelessly works to give back. She raised more than $1.5 million with fellow Person of the Year honoree James Taylor for environmental causes during their 2010 Troubadour Reunion tour. In 2016 she lent her voice to a reimagining of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "What the World Needs Now Is Love" to benefit victims of the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting. She's also been an ardent supporter of MusiCares and the GRAMMY Museum.

Bruce Springsteen, 2013

The all-American singer/songwriter has taken on a variety of causes across his career. This includes the Thrill Hill Foundation, which he founded in 1987 to provide grants for AIDS and medical research, food services, and youth programs. He has worked with Stand Up for Heroes, which provides support to veterans, and regularly contributes to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Paul McCartney, 2012

The former Beatles member has supported more than 40 charities in his career, spanning issues such as disaster relief, animal rights, hunger, and more. McCartney had a hand in organizing the Concert for New York City in 2001, which raised more than $36 million through the Robin Hood Foundation for families of victims who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In 2012 he headlined the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief, another benefit concert hosted by the Robin Hood Foundation.

Barbra Streisand, 2011

Founded in 1986, The Streisand Foundation has provided grants to a number of organizations over the years, awarding more than $25 million to more than 800 groups. More recently, Union of Concerned Scientists, Brennan Center for Justice, Planned Parenthood, and Mother Jones, among others, received noteworthy grants from the legendary singer's foundation.

Neil Young, 2010

Young has a long history of giving back, including co-founding Farm Aid and participating in the organization's annual concert series to raise funds for family farms in the U.S. Since 1986, he and his ex-wife, Pegi, organized and hosted the all-acoustic Bridge School Benefit Concert, which supports the Bridge School he helped found to support children through augmentative and alternative means of communication.

Neil Diamond, 2009

With a career's worth of charity efforts spanning three decades, Diamond's initiatives have included donating proceeds from tour program books at concerts to various charities, giving royalties from his 1969 hit "Sweet Caroline" to organizations benefitting the victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, raising $1.7 million to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Ike on Oak Island, Texas, in 2008, and performing at the 2010 Stand Up To Cancer telecast.

Aretha Franklin, 2008

Franklin contributes regularly to the United Negro College Fund and was the first woman to receive their Award of Excellence in 2007. She has also contributed to Easter Seal, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Feeding America, Sting's Rainforest Foundation, and to food banks in her local Detroit area.

Don Henley, 2007

Eagles band member Henley is a co-founder of the Recording Artists' Coalition, now part of the Recording Academy's Advocacy office. To honor the literature and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, Henley also founded the Walden Woods Project in 1990, and established the Caddo Lake Institute in 1993 to fund and promote the vast wetland areas of East Texas.

James Taylor, 2006

Taylor performed at No Nukes, the anti-nuclear power benefit concert in 1979. He has donated proceeds from his ticket sales to causes such as the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, which works toward land conservation and environmental advocacy. In 2017 Taylor donated used guitar strings to be recycled into jewelry benefitting Tuberville, a non-profit that helps build stronger communities through potatoes, and headlined a Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis benefit.

Brian Wilson, 2005

Wilson's philanthropic efforts have focused on the Carl Wilson Foundation to help fund cancer research, founded in 1999 on behalf of his late brother Carl, who was also a member of the Beach Boys. He also partnered with the Campaign to Change Direction in 2015, which promotes mental health awareness. He performed at Live Aid in 1985 and the 20th-anniversary companion, Live 8, making him one of the few artists to perform at both benefit concerts.

Sting, 2004

Over the years, Sting has been a passionate supporter of Amnesty International, which advocates for human rights worldwide. In 1989 he and wife Trudie Styler started the Rainforest Foundation International to promote global awareness of the need to conserve tropical rain forests and to support forests' indigenous peoples.

Bono, 2003

U2's Bono is a co-founder of the global campaign and advocacy organization ONE, which takes action to end extreme poverty by lobbying world leaders. For example, in 2003 he helped lobby for overseas aid to Africa, which resulted in a promise from former President George W. Bush to increase aid by an extra $5 billion a year for poor countries.

Billy Joel, 2002

In 1978 Joel founded Charity Begins At Home with the mission to fund nonprofit agencies in need in the Tri-State area. In 2007 more than $400,000 was distributed to 80 nonprofit agencies that provide care for those afflicted by child abuse, autism, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson's disease, emotional disabilities, and cancer. He has given to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Rainforest Foundation and provided funding for an arts scholarship for students in need in Long Island, as well as advocacy to preserve his current hometown of Oyster Bay, N.Y.

Paul Simon, 2001

In 1987 Simon, along with pediatrician/child advocate Irwin Redlener, founded the Children's Health Fund, which provides comprehensive health care to medically underserved children in the United States by developing and supporting innovative primary care medical programs. Simon has also raised funds for worthy causes such as amFAR, Autism Speaks and the Nature Conservancy.

Elton John, 2000

John established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 to support innovative HIV prevention programs, eliminate discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS, provide care and support services for people living with the disease, and to eradicate HIV/AIDS completely. The U.S. and U.K. branches of the organization have jointly raised more than $385 million for projects in 55 countries around the world.

Stevie Wonder, 1999

Wonder was one of the strong proponents behind making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday, which former President Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1983. In 1985 Wonder participated in the recording of "We Are The World" to raise funds to end hunger through USA For Africa. Wonder has also earned recognition for his work with the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the Children's Diabetes Foundation and Junior Blind of America. He provides toys for children and families in need with his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert.

Luciano Pavarotti, 1998

In 1992 Pavarotti created Pavarotti & Friends, a series of charity concerts that brought together a diverse group of artists to benefit medical, vocational and education initiatives in Bosnia, Cambodia, Kosovo, Guatemala, Liberia, and Tibet, and for Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, Angola, Zambia, and Iraq. The concert ran almost yearly through 2003, and included performers such as Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, and B.B. King, among others.

Phil Collins, 1997

Collins supported Live Aid in 1985 for Ethiopian famine relief by playing both in the U.S. and abroad. He founded the Little Dreams Foundation in 2000 with his now ex-wife Orianne to support young talents in both the arts and sports. He is also an advocate for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Quincy Jones, 1996

Jones was one of the architects, along with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, behind USA For Africa's We Are The World benefit concert and album in 1985, which has raised more than $63 million for Ethiopian famine relief. Through the Quincy Jones Foundation, the GRAMMY winner raises awareness and resources for global initiatives that support conflict resolution, malaria eradication, clean water, and efforts to restore the Gulf Coast.

Tony Bennett, 1995

In 2001 Bennett established the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, a New York public high school offering an extensive arts curriculum. He and his wife, Susan Benedetto, expanded on this initiative by founding Exploring the Arts in 1999, which works to provide an arts education to students in New York and Los Angeles. The United Nations presented Bennett with its Humanitarian Award in 2007.

Gloria Estefan, 1994

Estefan established the Gloria Estefan Foundation in 1997, which promotes health, education and cultural development. The foundation has made donations to the American Red Cross, Save The Children and UNICEF, among others. Each year the foundation also donates to no-kill shelters throughout the U.S. Estefan was feted as the 2008 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, making her the first artist to receive both Person of the Year honors.

Natalie Cole, 1993

After beating addiction early in her career, Cole learned in 2009 she would need a kidney transplant as a result of an addiction-related complication. Following her kidney transplant, Cole became a spokesperson for the University Kidney Research Organization. The late GRAMMY winner also supported charity events benefitting multiple sclerosis and teamed with Aloe Blacc in 2015 to sing at the annual Songs of Hope charity benefit with proceeds benefitting the independent cancer research institution City of Hope.

Bonnie Raitt, 1992

Social activism has always been part of Raitt's career. She co-founded Musicians United for Safe Energy and performed at the No Nukes benefit concert in 1979. She's also a founding member of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation, which works to advocate for early generation R&B artists. Recently, she partnered with the Guacamole Fund to donate a portion of her tour proceeds to benefit local organizations that work toward safe and sustainable energy, environmental protection, and peace.

David Crosby, 1991

The inaugural Person of the Year honoree, Crosby was chosen for his philanthropic efforts for Farm Aid. He performed at the annual Farm Aid in 1990 and 2000 in support of the organization's mission of raising awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep families on their land.

2018 MusiCares Person Of The Year: Fleetwood Mac

Clive Davis (R) and John Legend (L)

Clive Davis (R) and John Legend (L)

 

Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

 
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2021 Pre-GRAMMY Virtual Gala Recap 2021-pre-grammy-virtual-gala-clive-davis-pandemic

2021 Pre-GRAMMY Virtual Gala: How The Annual Clive Davis Extravaganza Adapted To The Pandemic

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With its high-profile guests shushing their pets and grappling with technology, this year's virtual Pre-GRAMMY Gala created a sense of intimate beauty and captured the shared feeling of community online
Morgan Enos
MusiCares
Feb 2, 2021 - 10:03 am

Picture this pantheon: Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, John Legend, Rod Stewart, Jamie Foxx and Barry Gibb, all gathered to pay homage to music's finest executive, Clive Davis. Dynamo performances from the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, and more punctuate the gala, while everyone from Dionne Warwick to Martha Stewart watches from the sidelines.

Er, one second—that's "iPhone Dionne Warwick" and "Martha's iPhone XS Max T-Mobile." Wait, is that a Pomeranian-themed calendar behind Warwick? Did Martha Stewart just drop said iPhone in her purse without deactivating the camera first? Holy cats—does she have a marble ceiling?

Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, it goes without saying that assembling a multitude of celebrities for a Beverly Hills bash remains impossible. So, this year, Clive Davis' annual, high-profile Pre-GRAMMY Gala went virtual.

Clive Davis and Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys (L) and Clive Davis (R) | Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

The 2021 Pre-GRAMMY Virtual Gala took place Saturday (Jan. 30), the night before the Academy initially planned to throw the 63rd GRAMMY Awards. They have rescheduled the ceremony to Sunday, March 14, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual Gala, benefitting MusiCares, was the first of two events. The second will occur Saturday, March 13, the night before this year's GRAMMY show, and will benefit the GRAMMY Museum.

Clive Davis' annual Pre-GRAMMY bash is one of the starriest nights of the year, an opportunity to rub elbows with music industry giants and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alike. But 2021 was no ordinary year, and this was no average gala. Swapping bespoke suits and elaborate dresses for pajamas and leisure suits, the famous guests gave viewers a personal, sometimes awkward, look into their homes and lives. Where it lost the spectacle of someone like Travis Scott bringing a crowd to its knees, this year's virtual event created a sense of intimate beauty and captured the shared feeling of community online.

Taking full advantage of the virtual experience, Davis structured the Virtual Gala around archival footage of what he believes to be the most outstanding performances of all time. (The night featured clips of Frank Sinatra, Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston and others.)

Throughout, Davis acted as a tour guide through past live and televised performances from rock, folk and soul artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. A baby-faced Bob Dylan strums his signature song, "Blowin' in the Wind." The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, brings Barack and Michelle Obama to near-tears at the Kennedy Center in 2015 with "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." (The tune's co-writer, Carole King, can hardly contain herself in the crowd.)

"This performance speaks to why I want to do this event tonight," Davis said of the Franklin performance. "Even through your computer screen, if you don't have goosebumps, you should check carefully for a pulse."

Davis later calls Houston's 1994 set, a medley of "I Loves You Porgy," "I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "I Have Nothing," "the greatest television performance for any artist."

And while Davis' annual Pre-GRAMMY Gala is typically a place where artists shine, the virtual audience was the main attraction this year. Anyone with an internet connection can watch old rock 'n' roll footage; it's a different, surreal experience to watch Joni Mitchell, George Benson and Herbie Hancock as they watch it. Ditto Carl Bernstein, who helped break the Watergate scandal, and "CNN Tonight" anchor Don Lemon.

If there's one silver lining of the Zoom era, it's that we can be a fly in the wall in celebrities' homes. As such, the Gala's format delivered the lion's share of its fun. Martha Stewart picked at the charcuterie in her kitchen, where her enviable pan collection hung from the ceiling. One of the most magnificent harmonic thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries, Hancock smiled in front of a series of laser-beam screensavers. "Will you shut up?" Rod Stewart chided his yapping dog with a smile during his interview. "I'm talking to Clive Davis!"

Clive Davis and Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen (L) and Clive Davis (R) | Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

Despite the fact we're still housebound, the online Gala’s tenor was one of brighter days ahead. "Perhaps the most uplifting and optimistic song you've ever written is 'Land of Hope and Dreams,'" Davis told Springsteen at one point, citing his late-'90s cut released on Wrecking Ball (2012).

"Are you despondent about the nation's future and the American promise? Or are you as hopeful as you were when you wrote about those 'big wheels rolling through fields where sunlight streams'?" he asked.

"The American dream itself is [an] aspiration," Springsteen replied from the Colts Neck, New Jersey, studio where he and the E Street Band recently slugged out their 2020 album, Letter to You. "The distance between American reality and the American Dream, we are always trying to close, whether you're an artist or a politician … I remain hopeful even in the midst of the great difficulties we are going through at this moment that the nation can reunite and find its better angels and move forward, you know? I have to believe that."
 

Clive Davis and Barry Gibb

Barry Gibb (L) and Clive Davis (R) | Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

For celebrities and everyday folks alike, the past year has taken a toll on all of us. As such, an extra glint of humility shone through these interviews.

"I've never taken anything for granted, and you've never taken anything for granted," Davis told Barry Gibb. (The latter is having a banner 2020 and 2021 with the HBO doc on the Bee Gees, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, and his duets album with Americana artists, Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1.) "To see this album debut at the top of the charts is thrilling for me as a fan, and it's got to be thrilling for you as the architect."

"It's shocking; there's no question about that," Gibb replied. "It's the first No. 1 in 40 years, and that's something extremely special that I can't put into words … It was all like a dream, and the whole thing came like a vision, including the title."

As expected for a whopping five-hour event, some of the celebs tapped out early, leaving their bewildered pets blinking at the camera. Joni Mitchell, however, was a trooper, observing the telecast stoically while her creamsicle-colored cat pranced around for attention.

Seeing Mitchell happy, healthy and hilarious is bittersweet. In 2015, she suffered an aneurysm; in 2020, she still struggled to walk because of it. Yet at the end of the night, there she was, pajama-clad, munching popcorn and cracking jokes. Throughout the broadcast, Mitchell regally sipped white wine with both hands. (Here's to your next 77 years, Joni.)

While this year's Pre-GRAMMY Gala may have missed the usual hobnobbing and rapport, that bug revealed itself to be a feature. Of course, as always, the point was the music, but housebound legends and their assemblage of furry friends stole the show for once. With vaccines rolling out worldwide, music will be back to business as usual in no time."

And just like every year, this year's (virtual) Pre-GRAMMY Gala was unique and unrepeatable—and it hit different as a result.

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