Diana Ross to be honored at 2012 Grammy Awards

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

Okay, I love Melba even more than I already did! I think I'm finna go dust off a cd of hers and dance around the kitchen to "Uh Oh [[Falling In Love)"!

The Grammy Committee really should acknowledge her in a big way, but only with CLASSY artists. These devils of today [[Gaga, Beyonce, etc.) are not fit to sew the sequins onto Miss Ross's gown. Only classy ladies and gentlemen need apply!

[skooldem1]

A fan on another site contacted the Grammy organization and they reiterated that she will be honored the night before, and there will only be a mention on the Grammy telecast. There will be no salute.

[ejluther]

There will be no salute.

That's a real shame and a huge missed opportunity...

[skooldem1]

That's what they say. Just passing the info on, but one really never knows.

[skooldem1]

In recent years, haven't they been doing a grammy type concert on TV as well? Has that happened yet? If not, maybe she could perform on that.

[reese]

In recent years, haven't they been doing a grammy type concert on TV as well? Has that happened yet? If not, maybe she could perform on that.

You might be thinking of the Grammy nominations special. That aired a month or so ago.

[skooldem1]

That's what I was thinking about.

[StuBass1]

That's a real shame and a huge missed opportunity...

That's just the way they do the Lifetime Achievement Awards, and while there have been a few exceptions...everyone would like to see their favorite artists in the spotlight...but the main Grammy show format is set well before the special awards are even announced. They were going to do a segment when The Funk Brothers received their LTA featuring the guys...but a well known Motown artist who was asked to be a part of the segment hung The Funks out to dry by refusing to participate and NARAS cancelled the segment.

[marv2]

That's just the way they do the Lifetime Achievement Awards, and while there have been a few exceptions...everyone would like to see their favorite artists in the spotlight...but the main Grammy show format is set well before the special awards are even announced. They were going to do a segment when The Funk Brothers received their LTA featuring the guys...but a well known Motown artist who was asked to be a part of the segment hung The Funks out to dry by refusing to participate and NARAS cancelled the segment.

Now who could that well known Motown artist have been? I know about the THREE [[3) that turned down the writer and producer of "Standing In the Shadows of Motown" to participate in the documentary......

[StuBass1]

Now who could that well known Motown artist have been? I know about the THREE [[3) that turned down the writer and producer of "Standing In the Shadows of Motown" to participate in the documentary......

I can tell you this much Marv...it was going to be two artists performing with The Funks. Michael McDonald, who was in the midst of doing his own Motown style recording was one artist who graciously agreed to participate. As for the other one...You'll just have to keep on Wondering. A big personal disappointment in that individual.

[marv2]

I can tell you this much Marv...it was going to be two artists performing with The Funks. Michael McDonald, who was in the midst of doing his own Motown style recording was one artist who graciously agreed to participate. As for the other one...You'll just have to keep on Wondering. A big personal disappointment in that individual.

Stu, I have VERY good idea as to who that other artist was. The producer of documentary gave names of those who turned him down flat and those that would not even respond to his invitation to participate in the documentary.

[ejluther]

You'll just have to keep on Wondering

I might be superstitious, but I'm taking this as a clue... ;-)

[marv2]

I might be superstitious, but I'm taking this as a clue... ;-)

and you'd be on the wright road too........

[thaperson]

The show cannot be planned that far in advance. They did that "get well" tribute to Aretha last year. Artists also cancel at the last minute and replacements have to be found within days of the telecast.

They've done full blown tributes to Sly Stone and Tina Turner in recent years, so a tribute to Diana really could have been done. I understand the hitmaker aspect, but the Grammys have always been about honoring all of music, not just the top forty. I hope they at least let her hand out the top prize of the evening, while she gets a much deserved standing ovation.

[StuBass1]

I might be superstitious, but I'm taking this as a clue... ;-)

The answer could be right at your fingertips, but this artist got a bit uptight and apparently left through a backdoor when a Funk Brother and a legendary recently deceased producer showed up at his office to lobby for his participation as told to me by the Funk Brother in question. I will say that Funk Brothers management at that time probably could have dealt with the situation much more professionally and gotten some folks involved who could have greatly helped...

As for the Grammy telecast...they do start planning the next years show quite early on. In the case of The Funks situation...NARAS was planning a Funk Brothers tribute well before the voting for the Lifetime Achievement Award was concluded based on the SITSOM documentary and "Funk" had already been decided as the theme for the telecast that year by coincidence. When the Funks thing fell through...they quickly put together a tribute to Luther Vandeross who was ailing at the time to fill the slot. Unless a segment were to fall through which is unlikely, its doubtful that Diana Ross would be honored in any way other than any of the other LAA reciepients would...and any changes would likely have to fall within the theme of the show which was long ago decided. I'm sure that Ms Ross would like to receive one of those participants elaborate gift packages though.

[thaperson]

Well, like another poster stated, it is a real shame and a missed opportunity for the show.

Especially considering the fact that she has never won one.

They could have done a Supremes segment and had three singers come out and pay tribute to the group, then perhaps have someone else come out and join them as they sing a Diana song. Maybe they could have enticed Mary Wilson or Cindy Birdsong to join in as surprise guests. Then cap it off by Diana giving a great speech.

I guarantee you it would have been far more enjoyable than listening to Katy Perry or Justin Bieber perform for the umpteenth time.

[marv2]

The answer could be right at your fingertips, but this artist got a bit uptight and apparently left through a backdoor when a Funk Brother and a legendary recently deceased producer showed up at his office to lobby for his participation as told to me by the Funk Brother in question. I will say that Funk Brothers management at that time probably could have dealt with the situation much more professionally and gotten some folks involved who could have greatly helped...

As for the Grammy telecast...they do start planning the next years show quite early on. In the case of The Funks situation...NARAS was planning a Funk Brothers tribute well before the voting for the Lifetime Achievement Award was concluded based on the SITSOM documentary and "Funk" had already been decided as the theme for the telecast that year by coincidence. When the Funks thing fell through...they quickly put together a tribute to Luther Vandeross who was ailing at the time to fill the slot. Unless a segment were to fall through which is unlikely, its doubtful that Diana Ross would be honored in any way other than any of the other LAA reciepients would...and any changes would likely have to fall within the theme of the show which was long ago decided. I'm sure that Ms Ross would like to receive one of those participants elaborate gift packages though.

This thread and conversation has a bit of irony to it being that she was one of "special people" the writer and producer of the documentary "Standing In the Shadows of Motown" contacted to participate in the film. She flat out told him..........NO! End of discussion.

[marv2]

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2002...-allan-slutsky

OR

http://tinyurl.com/7sfgpre

Out Of Motown's 'Shadows'
BY DAVID HINCKLEY DAILY NEWS FEATURE WRITER
Thursday, November 14, 2002
In a cramped basement studio in Detroit on an otherwise unremembered day in 1965, guitar player Robert White and bass player James Jamerson plucked the opening notes of the Temptations' "My Girl."

Thirty-seven years later, that intro remains one of the most recognizable passages in pop-music history. But it was business as usual for White and Jamerson, who, as part of Motown Records' house band, the Funk Brothers, earned their living doing this sort of thing. All those Temptations records, that's the Funk Brothers' music. Supremes, too. Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells. All of them.

Singers never had a more comfortable musical bed.


But few music fans even knew about the Funk Brothers, 13 mostly jazz-trained musicians who worked at Motown from the late '50s until it moved to Los Angeles in the early '70s.

Among the people bothered by this hole in history was Allan Slutsky, a Philadelphia musician who wrote a 1989 book about Jamerson, who died in 1983.

Then, in 1992, Slutsky was sitting in a restaurant with White when "My Girl" started playing.

White started to tell the waitress who he was, then stopped. Slutsky asked him why, and he said, "Aw, no one would believe an old fool like me did that, anyhow."

Right then, I knew I had to get the story on film," says Slutsky. When White died in 1994, "I felt I'd let him down."

Eight years and $3 million later, Slutsky and director Paul Justman finally finished "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," opening tomorrow with good buzz from film festivals like Toronto.

"It's not a documentary," says Slutsky. "It's a story about these guys finally getting their due."

"Back then, it was just a gig," says Joe Hunter, who played keyboards on early Motown sides like "Heat Wave" and still is active in Detroit jazz clubs. "We didn't realize how big it was. I'm still not sure, because we never did get the exact sales figures.

"But it feels good for people to finally realize who we are."

The Funk Brothers had counterparts at other labels and studios back then: the Stax band, Hal Blaine's Wrecking Crew.

"Some of the musicianship on early rock 'n' roll records is incredible," says WCBS-FM deejay and singer Bobby Jay. "A lot of it was done by ex-big-band players taking studio work."

But drummer Uriel Jones says the Funk Brothers were unique.

"We would sometimes throw in, say, a Stax lick," he says. "But the others couldn't do what we did, because we had two units - two drummers, two keyboards and so on."

Slutsky says the project had a few frustrations.

"We asked Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder to help, and they wouldn't give us the time of day," he says. "But [Motown founder] Berry Gordy was great. He let us use 30 songs for about a tenth of what they normally cost. And everyone gave us more than we paid for. Because of who these guys are, this wasn't just a movie."

"Standing in the Shadows" inevitably has a sobering subtext: the passage of time. The Brothers move and speak more slowly now, and the death of keyboard player Johnny Griffith last weekend means seven of the 13 Funk Brothers have passed away.

"But what they left us will never die," says Slutsky. "That's what this film is about."




"Right then, I knew I had to get the story on film," says Slutsky. When White died in 1994, "I felt I'd let him down."

Eight years and $3 million later, Slutsky and director Paul Justman finally finished "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," opening tomorrow with good buzz from film festivals like Toronto.

"It's not a documentary," says Slutsky. "It's a story about these guys finally getting their due."

"Back then, it was just a gig," says Joe Hunter, who played keyboards on early Motown sides like "Heat Wave" and still is active in Detroit jazz clubs. "We didn't realize how big it was. I'm still not sure, because we never did get the exact sales figures.

"But it feels good for people to finally realize who we are."

The Funk Brothers had counterparts at other labels and studios back then: the Stax band, Hal Blaine's Wrecking Crew.

"Some of the musicianship on early rock 'n' roll records is incredible," says WCBS-FM deejay and singer Bobby Jay. "A lot of it was done by ex-big-band players taking studio work."

But drummer Uriel Jones says the Funk Brothers were unique.

"We would sometimes throw in, say, a Stax lick," he says. "But the others couldn't do what we did, because we had two units - two drummers, two keyboards and so on."

Slutsky says the project had a few frustrations.

"We asked Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder to help, and they wouldn't give us the time of day," he says. "But [Motown founder] Berry Gordy was great. He let us use 30 songs for about a tenth of what they normally cost. And everyone gave us more than we paid for. Because of who these guys are, this wasn't just a movie."

"Standing in the Shadows" inevitably has a sobering subtext: the passage of time. The Brothers move and speak more slowly now, and the death of keyboard player Johnny Griffith last weekend means seven of the 13 Funk Brothers have passed away.

"But what they left us will never die," says Slutsky. "That's what this film is about."

[StuBass1]

OK...now that truths be told, I can understand an artist not wanting to participate in a time consuming and unsold film project where they would be featured among several other artists and principals, but for someone like the person mentioned here, to decline the opportunity to be spotlighted on a prestigious nationally broadcast television event to honor the very people who essentially were your mentors and teachers early in your career based on a lame excuse of a "prior commitment" [[which nobody to this date has ever been able to verify as to this mystery commitment and the fact that days later he participated in a show at the Hollywood House Of Blues) reeks of ungratefullness to some guys who could have really used the boost of national exposure at that time as they were all deceased or getting on in age.

[marv2]

OK...now that truths be told, I can understand an artist not wanting to participate in a time consuming and unsold film project where they would be featured among several other artists and principals, but for someone like the person mentioned here, to decline the opportunity to be spotlighted on a prestigious nationally broadcast television event to honor the very people who essentially were your mentors and teachers early in your career based on a lame excuse of a "prior commitment" [[which nobody to this date has ever been able to verify as to this mystery commitment and the fact that days later he participated in a show at the Hollywood House Of Blues) reeks of ungratefullness to some guys who could have really used the boost of national exposure at that time as they were all deceased or getting on in age.

I know exactly what you mean. I would have told the Representatives of NARAS that if this person and others turned down essentially the Funk Brothers themselves, that chances were slim that they would go on television to honor them. Other Motown luminaries did participate in honoring them at the East and West Coast premiers of the film. Mary Wilson performed with the Funk Bros at both events attended by Rick James, Teena Marie and others.

[jobeterob]

But sadly, if there was any televising of anything regarding this award, it would most likely have Katy Perry involved than anyone from Motown or even Aretha Franklin.

[skooldem1]

Ok. I'm throwing this out there. It's a story from AFP. I tried to cross reference it, using Google and the Grammy website, but didn't come up with anything to verify it.
I'm thinking if it's not on the Grammy website- then its not fact. But where did this come from? You decide.

Paul McCartney, Coldplay to star at Grammys
[[AFP) – 3 hours ago
LOS ANGELES — Paul McCartney will join Coldplay and Rihanna among the artists playing at next month's Grammys, organizers for the music industry's annual awards show said Thursday.

The former Beatle will take the stage along with the Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12.

Iconic US band The Beach Boys announced last month that they expect to appear at the Grammys, ahead of a 50th anniversary reunion tour, although they were not included in the line-up so far put out by Grammy organizers.

McCartney, 69, already has 14 Grammy awards from his long career, and is nominated at this year's show for Best Historical Album for "Band On The Run."

British megaband Coldplay and chart-topping diva Rihanna will be playing together for the first time at the 54th edition of the awards fete, which will be hosted by rapper LL Cool J.

The Grammys show traditionally features performances by iconic artists. Last year's show starred Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, Barbra Streisand and Bob Dylan.

The Grammys will also pay special tribute this year to late Apple founder Steve Jobs, Brazil's Antonio Carlos Jobim -- of "Girl from Ipanema" fame -- and US singer Diana Ross.Lifetime Achievement Awards will be given to the Allman Brothers Band, country crooner Glen Campbell, Jobim, country star George Jones, soul stars the Memphis Horns, Ross and rap trailblazer Gil Scott-Heron, who died last year.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...6f4ab88143.251