Entertainment blogging from The Oklahoman's Brandy McDonnell

Oklahoma music stars react online to Whitney Houston’s death

As the sad news of Whitney Houston’s death Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif., spread over the Internet, several musical talents with Oklahoma ties paid tribute to the former superstar on Twitter and Facebook:

Greyson Chance, Edmond-based singer/songwriter/pianist (on Twitter @GreysonChance):

RIP Whitney Houston. So devastating..she was a true performer. #Legend

Reba McEntire, superstar singer/actress who hails from Chockie (on Twitter @Reba):

Rest in peace, Whitney. (on Saturday)

I do think the Grammys tonight will be a wonderful way to celebrate Whitney’s career while paying tribute to her. (on Sunday before presenting at the Grammys)

Drummer Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon, who have Oklahoma City and Talihina ties (on Twitter @doctorfollowill):

RIP Whitney Houston. So sad.

Drummer Zac Hanson of Tulsa-based trio Hanson (on Twitter at @hansonmusic)

So sad to hear that #whitneyhouston has passed away. What a great voice. Sad day for music. -Z

Charlie Wilson, Tulsa-born R&B star (on Facebook):

Whitney Houston’s voice touched so many generations and lived in the hearts of her fans like a true legend. Her music will continue to live with us for countless generations and she will be truly missed by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing such a beautiful women. You left us too soon.

Country singer Bryan White, who was born in Lawton and raised in Oklahoma City (on Facebook):

Completely moved and deeply saddened at the loss of one of the most iconic voices in modern music. Whitney, you will be sorely missed and never forgotten. Blessings on your family …

Matt Stansberry, Edmond-based singer-songwriter (on Facebook):

So sad to hear about Whitney Houston. I was in LA staying at the same hotel and saw her just yesterday afternoon. So very very sad. I know they will honor her tonight at Clive Davis’s party and Sunday at the Grammys. We lost a legend.

-BAM

---

Thompson Square’s “Glass” video to premiere Tuesday, Valentine’s Day

Stoney Creek Records duo Thompson Square, which includes Miami, OK, native Keifer Thompson, burst onto the country music scene one year ago last week with its self-titled debut album, which has so far garnered a plethora of accolades, including 2011’s No. 1 Most Played Country Song, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” the follow-up Top 10 hit, “I Got You,” three 2011 American Country Awards and two 2012 Grammy nominations.

Now, the husband/wife duo of Keifer and Shawna Thompson return to country radio with its new single, “Glass,” a powerful, romantic ballad that The Washington Post hailed as a “poignant meditation on human vulnerability.”

On Tuesday, which is Valentine’s Day, CMT will exclusively world premiere the music video for, “Glass,” as part of a behind-the-scenes network special, “CMT Premieres: Thompson Square – Glass” at 8 a.m., with a re-air following at 9:45 a.m. Check out the video preview above.

The video also will air across CMT’s multiple properties including CMT.com, CMT Pure, CMT Mobile and the CMT Insider App.

Directed by Roman White in classic black and white cinematography, the artfully emotional video is a fitting tribute to couples everywhere this Valentine’s Day, from one of country music’s most celebrated new couples. The single, “Glass,” is available now on iTunes.

“CMT Premieres: Thompson Square – Glass” air dates/ times:

Tues. Feb. 14

8 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.

Wed. Feb. 15

7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Thurs. Feb. 16

12:30 p.m. (immediately following CMT Top 20 Countdown)

Country music’s breakout act of 2011, Thompson Square pounded the pavement for 15 years in the music industry before landing a record deal with Benny Brown’s small independent label Stoney Creek Records (sister label to indie Broken Bow Records and home to Jason Aldean).

In only 12 months, Thompson Square has seen the release of its first album debut at No. 3 on the Billboard Country Sales Chart and its Platinum-plus selling single, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” reach No. 1 on both the Billboard and Mediabase Country radio charts, conquer the Billboard Heat Seekers Chart, spend 5 weeks at No. 1 on the Country Digital Soundscan Chart and remain the No. 1 Country Ringtone for 12 weeks straight.

Thompson Square ended 2011 as the “New Country Artist of the Year” (Mediabase) as well as Billboard’s #1 New Country Artist of 2011, in terms of sales. The duo also ranked as Billboard’s No. 6 New Artist of 2011 (sales – all genres).

“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” was the “Most Played Song of the Year” at Country Radio (Mediabase 2011), was named iTunes’ “Country Single of 2011” and earned 2012 Grammy nominations for both Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/ Group Performance of the Year.

In December, Thompson Square returned home for the holidays as the second-most awarded act at Fox’s second annualAmerican Country Awards, winning the fan-voted trophies for Single of the Year by a Group; Single of the Year by a New Artist; Music Video of the Year by a New Artist (“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”).

In 2011, Thompson Square was named one of USA Today’s “Six Pack of Success” stories, was heralded as USA Weekend’s “Who’s Hot in Hollywood,” peaked at No. 3 on MTV’s Music Meter (all genres) and landed on Entertainment Weekly’s “Hot List.”

In their short time on the scene, Thompson Square has performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Conan,” “Fox & Friends,” NBC’s “The Better Show” and Fox’s Summer Concert Series, as well as been featured in USA Weekend, Entertainment Weekly, People Country, the Associated Press, MSN Wonderwall, Country Weekly, Southwest Spirit Magazine, USA Today, The Washington Post and Billboard.

Additionally, the 2011 American Music Award nominee for New Artist of the Year is also the only duo to reach No. 1 on CMT’s Top 50 Artist Chart in 2011. Last year also found Thompson Square nominated for multiple Country Music Association and CMT Awards as well as playing to more than 1 million fans, many as part of Jason Aldean’s “My Kind of Party Tour.”

Currently nominated for, “Vocal Duo of the Year,” at the 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards, Thompson Square will criss-cross the U.S. in 2012 as part of Lady Antebellum’s “Own The Night World Tour.” The tour will play April 7 at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

For more information, go to www.thompsonsquare.com or www.lloydnoblecenter.com.

-BAM

---

Jack White to play Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa on March 15; tickets on sale Friday

Former White Stripes guitarist/singer Jack White will play March 15 at historic Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, the venue announced today.

Tickets will go on sale at noon Friday. Prices are set at $38 and $49. There will be a limit of four tickets per person.

For more information, go to www.cainsballroom.com.

White founded The Stripes in Detroit in 1997 with his then-wife, drummer Meg White, and in February 2011, the influential duo announced they had decided to part ways. Jack White has formed several other music projects over the years, including The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs. He also produced Loretta Lynn’s 2004 album “Van Lear Rose” and Oklahoma native Wanda Jackson’s 2011 album “The Party Ain’t Over.”

He recently announced that he will release his debut solo album “Blunderbuss” in April on own label, Third Man Records. “Love Interrruption,” the first single, has already been released:

-BAM

---

Video: St. Vincent to appear on “Gossip Girl” tonight

Tulsa-born singer/songwriter/guitarist St. Vincent will appear on tonight’s Valentine’s Day-theme episode of the teen drama series “Gossip Girl.” The show airs at 7 p.m. on the CW.

St. Vincent will perform her song “Cruel,” from her 2011 album “Strange Mercy.”

Check out this clip of the performance. On Facebook, St. Vincent says “They don’t show when I smash my guitar on the bar, but pretty sure they will tonight….” Please let this not be sarcasm.

If you want to see St. Vincent play in person, she will perform in concert May 15 at Cain’s Ballroom. For more information, go to www.cainsballroom.com.

-BAM

---

What to do in Oklahoma on Feb. 13, 2012: Hear Lost Lander at The Conservatory

Today’s featured event:

Hear Lost Lander, Kelafonia and Young Reader at 8 tonight at The Conservatory, 8911 N Western. For more information, go to www.conservatoryokc.com.

For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.

-BAM

---

UPDATED: 2012 Grammys: Most Oklahoma nominees have to settle for the honor of being nominated

UPDATED 10:48 p.m. Monday: Here are a couple more Grammy accomplishments by Oklahoma music stars, courtesy Oklahoma Rock Newsblog. 

British singer-songwriter Adele won six awards – sweeping the record, album and song of the year categories – while rockers the Foo Fighters earned five prizes when the Grammy Awards were handed out tonight in Los Angeles. To read my live blog, click here.

Best known as the frontman for pop band OneRepublic, Tulsa native Ryan Tedder shares in Adele’s album of the year win as one of the producers of “21.” (In addition, Tedder co-wrote “Rumour Has It” and another “21″ track, “Turning the Tables,” with Adele.)

Tedder also was nominated for non-classical producer of the year for his work on several records, including Beyonce’s “I Was Here,” Jennifer Hudson’s “I Remember Me” and Adele’s “Rumour Has It.” But Paul Epworth, who also worked with Adele along with Foster the People, won the producer prize.

Some Oklahomans were in the spotlight during the Grammy Awards: Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton performed with The Band Perry and Glen Campbell in a tribute to Campbell, who is retiring from touring to cope with his Alzheimer’s disease. Checotah native Carrie Underwood performed with legendary crooner Tony Bennett before they presented the new artist award to Bon Iver. Reba McEntire, who hails from Chockie, and Shelton’s wife Miranda Lambert, a Texas native who now calls Tishomingo home, were presenters.

Underwood is among the various artists who collaborated with Bennett on his “Duets II” album, which won the best traditional pop vocal album.

Oklahoma City native The World Famous Tony Williams and Tulsa native Charlie Wilson, helped rapper Kanye West win three Grammys. Vocals by Williams and Wilson were featured on West’s “All of the Lights,” which won best rap song and best rap/sung collaboration.

Also, the album containing “All of the Lights,” titled “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” won best rap album. Williams’ vocals were featured on the album tracks “Dark Fantasy,” “Gorgeous,” “Runaway,” “Hell of a Life” and “Lost in the World,” according to Oklahoma Rock Newsblog.

For the most part, though, the 2012 Grammy nominees with Oklahoma ties had to settle for being nominated tonight:

- Muskogee native Ester Dean shared in an album of the year nomination as one of several producers on Rihanna’s “Loud,” but the prize went to Adele and her collaborators for “21.”

- Shelton was nominated for country album of the year for “Red River Blue,” but trio Lady Antebellum won a surprise victory in the category with “Own the Night.”

- Shelton was nominated for “Honey Bee” and Underwood for “Mama’s Song” in the best country solo performance, but singer-songwriter Taylor Swift won for “Mean.”

- Vince Gill earned his 41st Grammy nomination in the best country song category with “Threaten Me with Heaven,” which the Norman-born, Oklahoma City-bred star penned with his wife Amy Grant, Dillon O’Brian and the late Will Owsley. Also, Jim Collins and David Lee Murphy were nominated for writing Thompson Square’s “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not” and Dave Barnes was nominated for penning Shelton’s “God Gave Me You.” But Taylor Swift won the country song category, again with “Mean.”

- Country duo Thompson Square, which includes Miami, OK, native Keifer Thompson, received its first Grammy nod for best country duo/group performance for its breakthrough hit “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not.” But The Civil Wars scored the Grammy for “Barton Hollow.”

- Four-time Grammy winners Kings of Leon, who have ties to Oklahoma City and Talihina, were nominated for best rock album for their fifth studio effort, “Come Around Sundown.” The Grammy went to the Foo Fighters’ “Wasting Light.”

- Stephen C. Mitchell’s rock documentary “Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon,” which opened 2011’s deadCenter Film Festival, contended for best long-form music video. The prize was awarded to James Moll, the video’s director, and James Moll and Nigel Sinclair, producers, for “Foo Fighters: Back and Forth.”

- Tulsa native Charlie Wilson, former frontman of the Gap Band, was nominated for best R&B performance for his hit “You Are,” from his 2010 solo album “Just Charlie.” The award went to Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Is This Love.” In addition, Wilson, his wife Mahin Wilson and their fellow songwriters Dennis Bettis, Carl M. Days Jr. and Wirlie Morris shared a nomination for best R&B song for “You Are.” But “Fool For You,” written by Cee Lo Green, Melanie Hallim and Jack Splash, became the winning song.

- Christian worship group Gungor, which is fronted by former Tulsan Michael Gungor, earned a nod in the new best contemporary Christian music album category. Chris Tomlin won for “And If Our God Is For Us….”

Some Oklahoma talents did help others win Grammys tonight:

- The 40th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of Derek and the Dominos’ beloved 1970 album “Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs” earned the best surround sound album Grammy. The late Carl Radle, a Tulsa native, was the band’s bassist.

- Oklahoma City kindie rock duo Sugar Free Allstars is among the various artists featured on “All About Bullies … Big and Small,” named best children’s album. The Allstars collaborated with fellow kindie rocker Secret Agent 23 Skidoo on the compilation track “Cooperate.”

-BAM

---

Live blog: 2012 Grammy Awards

7 p.m.: The 54th Annual Grammy Awards is getting off to an old-school star, with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and a symphony orchestra performing The Boss’ new anthem “We Take Care of Our Own.” The performance has everyone in the star-studded crowd on their feet. As billed, it’s a very uplifting anthem on the outside but with lots of pointed social commentary on the inside, so it’s hard not to join the chorus comparing it to “Born in the U.S.A.” Mostly I’m just happy to see that Springsteen still rocks at age 62. And I hope I’m as beautiful and cool as his wife and bandmate Patti Scialfa is when I finally grow up.

7:05: The Grammys have gone back to a host this year, and LL Cool J proves from outset that he was the right man for the job: “There’s no way around this: We’ve had a death in our family. So for me, the only thing that feels right is to open with a prayer for our fallen sister Whitney Houston.” Every head in the crowd is bowed as he thanks God for letting Whitney make music for the world and asking for peace for her mother and daughter.

Although he forgot to remove his admittedly cool hat, I applaud Cool J for his excellent delivery of the prayer, which is leading into a video of Whitney performing “I Will Always Love You” on the Grammys back in the early 1990s. Jennifer Hudson is going to perform the song tonight in honor of her. “Whitney we will always love you, and later tonight, we will remember you the best way we know how, with a song.” He’s encouraging everyone to remember the joy Whitney brought to the world and relish the joy of tonight’s awards.

7:09: Cool J welcomes back Adele, who will give her first live public performance since her vocal cord surgery, and hypes all the big performances coming up tonight. The slate ranges from Oklahoma country star Blake Shelton to Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles, so it’s a wide range.

7:11: Bruno Mars may be a relative newcomer to the music scene, but he’s delivering another throwback performance, from his pompadour and gold jacket and bow tie to the old-school R&B sound of “Runaway Baby.” It’s a fun performance, with a big-time nod to the late James Brown, and it gets another standing O from the crowd.

7:15: Next up, Chris Brown is going to perform. Presumably, he hasn’t beaten up any girlfriends before the show this year, so I guess this is still on. It will be interesting to see if the crowd is as unenthused about this comeback performance as I am.

7:20: Before Chris Brown comes back, Alicia Keys at keyboards and Bonnie Raitt on guitar are paying tribute to Whitney Houston and now are going to perform in honor of the late Etta James, who died last month. They are singing “A Sunday Kind of Love,” and they are making it clear that they don’t need flashing lights, carefully choreographed dance moves or color-coordinated outfits to make a Grammy moment. It’s a beautiful but heartbreaking performance. Just don’t stop, ladies. The crowd is on its feet again.

7:24: Now the lovely ladies are presenting the award for best solo pop performance and my money is on Adele:

Someone Like You

Adele

Track from: 21

[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

 

Yoü And I

Lady Gaga

Track from: Born This Way

[Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live]

 

Grenade

Bruno Mars

Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans

[Elektra]

 

Firework

Katy Perry

[Capitol]

 

F***in’ Perfect

Pink

[Jive Records]

7:26: Winner: Adele. She’s getting a standing O as she immediately gets choked up. She says “Someone Like You” changed her life even before anyone else heard it. “Seeing as it’s a vocal performance, I ought to thank my doctors I guess for bringing my voice back,” proceeding to do just that. Love her. She’s already won a trophy or two in the pre-telecast ceremony, too, so I’m betting she will need a wheelbarrow by the end of the night.

7:27: Chris Brown is singing “Turn Up the Music” while running and dancing all over a stack of brightly colored LED cubes as masked doctors in capes chase him. The crowd applauds and a few stand up but he’s the first non-standing O moment of the night.

7:30: Am I the only one just tickled that Lady Gaga has been seated next to country stars and Tishomingo residents Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton? It’s a good thing she’s past her meat-dress phase or Blake would be hunting up a fork and sitting in her lap!

7:35: Fergie and Marc Anthony are up to present, and can someone please toss a robe over Fergie? First, who brought back the transparent lace trend; was the world not tacky enough already? And do you really want to show the world your black underwear under your peekaboo red dress at the Grammy Awards? Way to keep it classy Fergie. Anyway, they’re gonna present best rap performance:

Otis

Jay-Z & Kanye West

Track from: Watch The Throne

[Roc-A-Fella Records/Def Jam]

 

Look At Me Now

Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes

Track from: F.A.M.E.

[Jive Records]

 

The Show Goes On

Lupe Fiasco

Track from: Lasers

[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

 

Moment 4 Life

Nicki Minaj & Drake

Track from: Pink Friday

[Cash Money/Universal Motown]

 

Black And Yellow

Wiz Khalifa

Track from: Rolling Papers

[Rostrum/Atlantic]

7:37: Winner: “Otis.” Jay-Z is presumably still on daddy leave with his new baby girl – who as expected from any child of Beyonce is freakin’ adorable – but I’m wondering where Kanye is this fine evening. With him gone, the sense of impending disaster just isn’t as acute.

7:38: Oklahoma-born and bred superstar Reba arrives to praise the Grammys for bringing together musical artists from different musical genres like no other show. She’s introducing hot country star Jason Aldean and her pop-star pal Kelly Clarkson performing their smash duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” I’ve heard them sing this power ballad on a couple of different awards shows, and they’ve nailed it every time. But I wish we could’ve had more Reba on the show tonight.

7:46: Jack Black – in a red Western-style shirt – is talking about how he’s outside the Grammys because he is holding onto his indie cred. Dude, you made “Gulliver’s Travelers” into a comedy for 20th Century Fox, so no matter what you do with Tenacious D, you can never get that indie cred of which you speak back.

Anyway, just introduce the band, especially since it’s the Foo Fighters, who have already snagged four Grammys tonight. They’re performing “Walk,” they’re keeping rock relevant, and for that we thank them. Who knew that Dave Grohl would just keeping getting more awesome with each passing year? Incredible.

7:56: This is one of  the more intriguing cross-cultural matchups of tonight’s Grammys in my opinion: Rihanna with Coldplay. She’s getting it started in dance-party fashion as she coos “We Found Love,” and if she’s not thinking “suck it, Chris Brown, I don’t need you,” I’m thinking it for her. She’s got athletic backup dancers and real-life torch bearers and abs that you could crack concrete with, plus she’s now proving that she is just as good a dancer as her ex. I’m just wondering when we’re going to get to the Coldplay part of the performance.

8: The stage goes dark and Coldplay’s Chris Martin appears strumming an acoustic guitar and crooning “Princess of China,” which I think is a particularly pretty song. Rihanna returns to turn it into a duet, and even though the two parts of the much-hyped mash-up don’t really go together, she and Chris sound just lovely together. And now Coldplay is taking center stage in this medley to play their Grammy-nominated anthem “Paradise” against a backdrop of LED graffiti. Overall, I can’t really fault the quality of the performance, but I wish more had been done to actually integrate their divergent styles to make this something really special.

8:11: Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz of the Super Bowl-winning New York Giants and “NCIS” star Pauley Perrette, who is nearly as tall as they, are going to present the award for best rock performance. But first, Pauley compels Victor to give the crowd a bit of his salsa-style touchdown dance. Here’s an award that the Foo Fighters better win:

Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

Coldplay

[Capitol Records/ EMI/ Parlophone]

 

Down By The Water

The Decemberists

Track from: The King Is Dead

[Capitol]

 

Walk

Foo Fighters

Track from: Wasting Light

[RCA Records/ Roswell Records]

 

The Cave

Mumford & Sons

Track from: Sigh No More

[Glassnote Records]

 

Lotus Flower

Radiohead

Track from: The King Of Limbs

[XL/ TBD Recordings]

8:14: Winners: Foo Fighters. “This is a great honor because this record was a special record for our band,” Dave says. “We made this record in my garage with some microphones and a tape machine.” Gotta love that. “To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is the most important thing,” he says, extolling the virtues of learning your craft and declaring that music is not about sounding perfect, it’s about what goes on in your head and your heart. Preach it!

 

8:16: Dave refuses to be played off the stage, delaying the irony of having Ryan Seacrest follow the rocker’s earnest speech about keeping it real. This is the man who brought us the Kardashians, after all. Anyway, Seacrest is in the house to introduce a big moment: The 50th anniversary reunion of the Beach Boys. But not before Maroon 5 and Adam Levine’s falsetto takes on “Surfer Girl.” And now we’ve got Foster the People chiming in with “Wouldn’t Be Nice.” Wouldn’t it be nice if we’re finally going to get a Beach Boys reunion if the Beach Boys actually played it?

8:21: Finally, we’ve got the actual Beach Boys – well, the ones available to carry on – playing “Good Vibrations,” and the crowd is on its feet already. For all the drama and troubles this band has experienced over the decades, they still sound pretty darn good, even on those famous high notes. And unlike many reunited bands, I don’t see a bunch of 30-something ringers sharing the stage with a few graybeards. Now, they’re getting Maroon 5 and Foster the People involved on the last verse of their feel-good hit. And it’s not a train wreck, so that’s a good vibration for ya.

8:28: Are we actually having another snow-pocalypse here in Oklahoma, or is just the KWTV weather anchors loving the sound of their own voices and the look of their own weather maps? It’s so hard to tell sometimes …

8:30: The Trustee Awards this year go to the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs; musician, bandleader, composer, and arranger Dave Bartholomew; and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder, who worked with jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk. They were just honored in a brief clip. The awards go to people who make significant contributions to music in a non-performing capacity.

8:31: Stevie Wonder gets a standing O just for showing up. He gives his love to Whitney and plays a bit of the Beatles’ “Love Me Do” on the harmonica, which gets people clapping along. I’d love to hear more of Stevie, but he’s introducing Paul McCartney, who will be performing with Joe Walsh and Diana Krall. Sir Paul is wearing a white dinner jacket and crooning his new romantic standard “My Valentine.” It’s lovely, especially with Walsh on guitar, but I’m just not sure I was ready for the cute Beatle to sing standards. I know he’s never gonna be able sing “When I’m 64″ without it being ironic again; still, I don’t know that I’m ready for him to not rock it up. But I can’t argue with the standing O since he sounded really good crooning.

8:36: The ever-cool Common and Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson salute Lifetime Achievement winner and R&B forefather the late Gil Scott-Heron before presenting best R&B album:

F.A.M.E.

Chris Brown

[Jive Records]

 

Second Chance

El DeBarge

[Geffen]

 

Love Letter

R. Kelly

[Jive Records]

 

Pieces Of Me

Ledisi

[Verve Forecast]

 

Kelly

Kelly Price

[My Block/Sang Girl/Malaco]

8:38: Winner: Chris Brown. He’s got a few people on their feet as he thanks God and the Grammys for the opportunity to perform and dedicates the award to his fans.

I demand a recount on behalf of Ledisi, who could sing this guy under the table.

8:39: Already two-time winners tonight, The Civil Wars arrive and cheekily thank all their opening acts tonight, “including that promising kid from Liverpool.” They proceed to amaze the crowd with their awesome harmonies on “Barton Hollow.” They’re there to warm the stage for fellow Grammy winner Taylor Swift, but they’ve made a pretty big impression with a very brief spotlight. Excellent work.

8:40: Taylor Swift is in straight-hair mode and is strumming her ganjo – that’s a banjo with a guitar neck – as she croons her Grammy-winning song “Mean” in her usual-for-this-number Depression-era garb. It’s one of my favorite of her songs, and she always sounds really good on it. She’s got the crowd clapping and singing along as she changes the lyrics to reflect her performing it at the Grammys. She’s really progressing on her awards show performances. Gotta love her getting so much acclaim out of a song designed to put down her critics. Talk about getting the last word.

8:44: And cue Taylor’s usual wide-eyed, lip-biting shocked face as she gets a standing O. It’s a well-deserved standing O, and I’m not saying she should take it for granted. But I’m just not sure that she should still be so surprised that people really, really like her.

8:50: Neil Patrick Harris is there and promising no naughty wisecracks as he presents song of the year. He says that’s hard for him, and a bit disappointing for me, I must admit. Here are the noms:

All Of The Lights

Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)

Track from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

[Roc-A-Fella; Publishers: EMI April Music, EMI Blackwood Music, Headphone Junkie Publishing, Please Gimme My Publishing, Very Good Beats/Hip Hop Since 1978]

 

The Cave

Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)

Track from: Sigh No More

[Glassnote Records]

 

Grenade

Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans

[Elektra; Publishers: Mars Force Music/Bughouse, Music Famamanem/Toy Plane Music/Art For Arts Sake/Late 80s Music/Westside Ind. Music/Studiobeat Music, Warner Tamerlane, Andrew Wyatt, Downtown DMP Songs, EMI April Music, Roc Nation Music]

 

Holocene

Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver)

Track from: Bon Iver

[Jagjaguwar; Publisher: April Base Publishing]

 

Rolling In The Deep

Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)

Track from: 21

[XL Recordings/Columbia Records; Publishers: Universal-Songs of Polygram/EMI Music Publishing]

8:51: Winner: Adele, who is just tearing it up tonight, as expected. She gets extra high-pitched and even more Cockney than usual – is that possible? yes, apparently – as she squeals her joy and gives much of the mike time to her producer.

8:52: The beautiful Kate Beckinsale joins LL Cool J to introduce a woman with a great work ethic “who can shoot fireworks out of her boobs.” Yep, must be time for Katy Perry. She starts out with big production and then a fake glitch before appearing in a glass cage and skin-tight metallic catsuit and blue hair. She’s belting “Part of Me” rather defiantly. Despite all the flame effects and Chippendales-inspired backup dancers and the fake-out production breakdown, Katy seems more connected to this performance than I’ve seen in the past. At least she’s not pretending she’s still young enough to need a fake ID.

8:57: Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley are going to present best country album, and Ran’s hubby Blake Shelton is in the running here. So rooting for him:

My Kinda Party

Jason Aldean

[Broken Bow Records]

 

Chief

Eric Church

[EMI Records Nashville]

 

Own The Night

Lady Antebellum

[Capitol Records Nashville]

 

Red River Blue

Blake Shelton

[Warner Bros. Records]

 

Here For A Good Time

George Strait

[MCA Nashville]

 

Speak Now

Taylor Swift

[Big Machine Records]

8:59: Winner: Lady A. “Wow, we did not expect this” Charles Kelley of Lady A says, and I have to say I didn’t expect it either.

It wasn’t the hottest album as far as radio play (that would be Aldean’s), and they weren’t the hottest stars in the race (Shelton). I didn’t think it was the best album in the category (dead heat between Church and Blake, since Pistol Annies weren’t nominated and Ran’s “Revolution” was released past the deadline), and it wasn’t the biggest seller (Swift) or the one from the most respected artist (King George). No disrespect to Lady A, since I’m a fan of them, but I wonder if everyone else kind of canceled each other out in this race. “Thanks for changing our lives here last year,” Kelley adds. He and his cohorts also thanked the fans first, in the great country tradition.

9:05: “The only Oscar winner who sang here with Cee Lo last year” is the rather odd intro for Gwyneth Paltrow, who in turn is going to introduce Adele’s highly anticipated comeback performance. “We’re so thrilled that singular voice of hers is back,” Gwyneth says, and I couldn’t agree more. Already a four-time winner tonight, Adele sounds as great as ever as she belts “Rolling in the Deep.” The whole crowd seems to be clapping along. Whatever else Karl Lagerfeld or any other small-minded jerk says, she looks absolutely beautiful out there in a her elegant black dress. And she is just glowing. No question this is her night.

9:16: Already a two-time winner tonight, Taylor Swift, who looks grown-up and lovely in her long sparkly golden dress, even if it really sounded like she just referred to “Alzheimer’s” as “old timers,”  pays homage to “Rhinestone Cowboy” Glen Campell and introduces The Band Perry playing a very bluegrassy version of “Gentle on My Mind.” Every time I see them, I can’t help but think that these kids are the real deal.

9:19: Looking handsome in a simple black suit, Oklahoma’s Own Blake Shelton gets big applause as he croons “Southern Nights.” He has such a great voice, and like the Perry sibs, he’s doing right by Glen Campbell. Still, I would have preferred Blake perform one of Campbell’s great hits written by Elk City native Jimmy Webb, such as “Wichita Lineman,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” or “Galveston.”

9:21: And here comes Glen Campbell himself, and he’s in an embellished cream-colored jacket as he sings “Rhinestone Cowboy” and encourages the crowd to help him out. He’s got the audience on their collective feet again, and I’m so glad that they’re doing this while he’s still able to get out there and really show how great he is. Blake and the Perry trio join him, and they sound terrific together. I love that Joe Walsh and his lady were caught on camera doing a two-step in the midst of Glen’s spotlight. “Thank y’all so much,” Glen says, asking “Do I go somewhere or just shut up?”

9:24: Along with Campbell, fellow country star George Jones as well as Diana Ross, the Allman Brothers Band, the late Antonio Carlos Jobim, the late Gil Scott-Heron and the Memphis Horns are the other Lifetime Achievement Award winners. I’m glad at least one of them actually got to spend some time in the spotlight tonight.

9:30: Checotah native Carrie Underwood, in a long, sparkle-coated gown, lavishes praise on legendary crooner Tony Bennett, who won another Grammy tonight for his album “Duets II,” which features Carrie on the standard “It Had to Be You,” which they are now singing together in gorgeous fashion. It’s another retro moment and another standing O for this year’s Grammys, but it’s hard to complain when it sounds this good.

9:33: Now Tony and Carrie are going to present best new artist. Here are the noms, which are kind of all over the map musically:

The Band Perry

Bon Iver

J. Cole

Nicki Minaj

Skrillex

9:34: Winner: Bon Iver, and indie rock fans everywhere just burst into tears of joy. Justin Vernon really looks uncomfortable, but at least he’s up front about it.

“It’s really hard to accept this award. There’s so much talent here on this stage and there’s so much talent that’s not here tonight,” he says. “When I started making music it was for the inherent reward of making songs, so I’m a little uncomfortable up here. But with that discomfort there’s a sense of gratitude.”

It’s an awkward little speech but at least he remembered to thank his parents and hometown of Eau Claire, Wisc., so well done there. And he thanked the voters, calling his win a “sweet hookup.”

9:38: Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow is telling about the Grammys’ charitable efforts and introducing the In Memoriam montage. Amy Winehouse, Heavy D, Steve Jobs, Dobie Gray, Johnny Otis, Gene McDaniels, Pinetop Perkins and Clarence Clemons are among those prominently featured, and naturally, Whitney Houston is the last pictured.

9:43: Dressed in somber black and visibly emotional, Jennifer Hudson is delivering the promised Whitney tribute, belting out “I Will Always Love You.” She gets a big standing ovation. She sounded great and managed to keep it together, which couldn’t have been easy. So well done there.

9:51: ?uestlove of The Roots joins LL Cool J to give a shout-out to the late “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius before introducing the Grammys’ much-hyped first dance performance featuring David Guetta, Chris Brown, deadmau5, Lil Wayne and Foo Fighters.

First up are Guetta with Lil Wayne and Chris Brown, and I’m really tired of Chris Brown at this point. There are comebacks and then there are blatant attempts to brainwash us into forgetting all about someone’s ugly past indiscretions, and this show’s crossing the line, people.

It’s a pretty fun groove, but so far it’s not worth all the fuss. Of course, the Foos haven’t played yet, and they pretty much make everything better.

9:57: Like right now, for instance. The Foos are rocking “Rope,” and I’m pretty sure deadmau5 is wearing his extra-fancy formal helmetry in honor of the occasion. My obvious rock bias aside, I really thought the Foos and the mouse (sorry, mau5) completely upstaged their collaborators.

10:04: The very handsome Drake is introducing one of the most beautiful, talented and driven women he has ever met in his life, his former bandmate Nicki Minaj. She’s in full-blown creep-out mode with her “Exorcism”-inspired rendition of “I Feel Pretty,” which she uses to lead into her debut of “Roman’s Holiday,” which has her throwing down while strapped to a kind of wall while nun-lookalikes in red habits dance around her and smoke plumes up from the stage. Now she’s levitating high above said stage while she mixes in a bit of “Come All Ye Faithful.” She gets a brief standing O, but I have to say that for me it was just the usual Nicki Minaj: really overdone and assaulting to the senses. I’m seeing a lot of style, such as it is, but not much substance.

10:10: Lady A – who want to go on record that winning this prize is pretty awesome – are going to present record of the year. And I’m betting we get to see Adele one more time:

Rolling In The Deep

Adele

Paul Epworth, producer; Tom Elmhirst & Mark Rankin, engineers/mixers

Track from: 21

[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

 

Bon Iver

Justin Vernon, producer; Brian Joseph & Justin Vernon, engineers/mixers

Track from: Bon Iver

[Jagjaguwar]

 

Grenade

Bruno Mars

The Smeezingtons, producers; Ari Levine & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers

Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans

[Elektra]

 

Mumford & Sons

Markus Dravs, producer; Francois Chevallier & Ruadhri Cushnan, engineers/mixers

Track from: Sigh No More

[Glassnote Records]

 

Katy Perry

Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Sandy Vee, producers; Mikkel S. Eriksen, Phil Tan, Sandy Vee & Miles Walker, engineers/mixers

[Capitol]

10:12: Winner: Yep, it’s Adele. “Thank you so much. This is ridiculous,” she says. “I want to say thank you to every radio programmer and broadcaster for playing ‘Rolling in the Deep’ because you really helped it cross over.” She ends with a thumbs up.

10:18: LL Cool J says one of the first people who put him on TV happens to be a Lifetime Achievement winner tonight: Diana Ross, who gets a standing O and recalls when Cool J was “just a little kid.” She’s praising the show’s “fantastic energy” before praising Paul Epworth as producer of the year.

Now, she’s going to give album of the year … to Adele, most likely.

21

Adele

Jim Abbiss, Adele, Paul Epworth, Rick Rubin, Fraser T. Smith, Ryan Tedder & Dan Wilson, producers; Jim Abbiss, Philip Allen, Beatriz Artola, Ian Dowling, Tom Elmhirst, Greg Fidelman, Dan Parry, Steve Price, Mark Rankin, Andrew Scheps, Fraser T. Smith & Ryan Tedder, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer

[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

 

Wasting Light

Foo Fighters

Butch Vig, producer; James Brown & Alan Moulder, engineers/mixers; Joe LaPorta & Emily Lazar, mastering engineers

[RCA Records/ Roswell Records]

 

Born This Way

Lady Gaga

Paul Blair, DJ Snake, Fernando Garibay, Lady Gaga, Robert John “Mutt” Lange, Jeppe Laursen, RedOne & Clinton Sparks, producers; Fernando Garibay, Bill Malina, Trevor Muzzy, RedOne, Olle Romo, Dave Russell, Justin Shirley Smith, Horace Ward & Tom Ware, engineers/mixers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer

[Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live]

 

Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Bruno Mars

B.o.B, Cee Lo Green & Damian Marley, featured artists; Dwayne “Supa Dups” Chin-Quee, Needlz & The Smeezingtons, producers; Ari Levine, Manny Marroquin & Graham Marsh, engineers/mixers; Stephen Marcussen, mastering engineer

[Elektra]

Loud

Rihanna

Drake, Eminem & Nicki Minaj, featured artists; Ester Dean, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Alex Da Kid, Skylar Grey, Kuk Harrell, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mel & Mus, Awesome Jones, Makeba Riddick, The Runners, Sham, Soundz, Chris “Tricky” Stewart, Sandy Vee & Willy Will, producers; Ariel Chobaz, Cary Clark, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Alex Da Kid, Josh Gudwin, Kuk Harrell, Jaycen Joshua, Manny Marroquin, Dana Nielsen, Chad “C-Note” Roper, Noah “40″ Shebib, Corey Shoemaker, Jay Stevenson, Mike Strange, Phil Tan, Brian “B-Luv” Thomas, Marcos Tovar, Sandy Vee, Jeff “Supa Jeff” Villanueva, Miles Walker & Andrew Wuepper, engineers/mixers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer

[Def Jam]

10:20: Winner: ADELE! And this final win seems to have finally shattered her composure: she is emotionally overcome and fighting back tears as she hugs all her producers, including Tulsa-born Ryan Tedder, and exclaiming, “Mum, gold is good! Mum, I love you and I’m sorry you’re not here.”

“This record is inspired by something really normal that everybody goes through – a rubbish relationship … and it’s really changed my life in the past year,” she says as she laughs and tries not to sob and wipes away “a bit of snot.” Great night for her, and she absolutely deserves it.

10:24: Instead of saying good night, Cool J promises to show us a good night, reintroducing Paul McCartney. Sir Paul is sitting at the piano to perform the wonderful Beatles cut “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End.” Wow. He may be singing standards this year, but Macca has still got it, baby, as he races away from the piano and takes up his guitar and plays with an all-star band including Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl. The crowd is up again and dancing while these guys rock away the final moments of the telecast.

What a great finish to a night that had many more highlights than miscues. I wish more Okies had won, but at least they had the honor to be nominated.

Hope you enjoyed following my live blog of the 2012 Grammys. Remember, “in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

-BAM

---

Jennifer Hudson to perform tribute to Whitney Houston on tonight’s Grammy Awards

Jennifer Hudson will perform a tribute to Whitney Houston, the one-time pop superstar who died Saturday at the age of 48, during tonight’s 54th Annual Grammy Awards.

The Grammy Awards air live from Los Angeles from 7 to 10:30 tonight on CBS. Follow my live blog tonight right here on BAM’s Blog.

Oscar-winning singer/actress Hudson was said to be “having a hard time” at rehearsal for the tribute number, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Houston homage will air three-quarters of the way through the broadcast, as part of a broader “In Memoriam” segment. Hudson will sing Houston’s smash 1990s cover of the Dolly Parton ballad “I Will Always Love You.”

Chaka Khan has also been added to the tribute number with possibly more surprise guests to be announced, according to the trade publication.

While competing on season 3 of American Idol, Hudson sang Houston’s “I Have Nothing” one week before being eliminated.

-BAM

---

RIP Whitney Houston

Actress/singer Whitney Houston, who was regarded as one of the best voices of the late 20th century before drug use and her troubled marriage to fellow singer Bobby Brown marred her polished image and triumphant career, died Saturday. She was just 48.

Her death happened on the eve of tonight’s 54th Annual Grammy Awards, a stage on which she once sparkled. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jennifer Hudson will perform a tribute to Houston on the awards show, which airs live at 7 tonight on CBS.

According to the Associated Press, Houston died in her room on the fourth floor of the Beverly Hilton. Her publicist told the AP the cause of death was unknown.

Houston was set to appear and maybe perform Saturday at longtime mentor Clive Davis’ annual concert and dinner Saturday, according to the AP.

From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, Houston was one of the world’s best-selling music stars.

Her voice had a seemingly effortless power that amazed audiences, whether she was belting the National Anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl or her 1992 smash pop version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” She influenced a generation of powerhouse divas who could hit the high notes, including Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey.

Houston was able to parlay her musical success and polished image into a career in the movies, starring in 1992′s “The Bodyguard,” 1995′s “Waiting to Exhale” and 1996′s “The Preacher’s Wife.” The soundtrack for “The Bodyguard,” an international hit, included “I Will Always Love You,” soon to become a ubiquitous smash.

Unfortunately, Houston, like so many music stars before her, became a cautionary tale about the dangers and damage of drug use. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once stunning voice became raspy and lost its supple ability to hit high notes. She stopped making news with her big hits and impressive album sales and instead made tabloid headlines with her strange behavior and public appearances and her troubled marriage.

“The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy,” Houston told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

It was a sad fall for a superstar who was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 55 million records sold in the United States alone, according to the AP.

Born Aug. 9, 1963, in Newark, N.J., Houston was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.

Houston first started singing in the church as a child. In her teens, she sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when Davis, a music mogul, first heard Houston perform, according to the AP.

“The time that I first saw her singing in her mother’s act in a club … it was such a stunning impact,” Davis told “Good Morning America.”

“To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine,” he added.

Houston made her album debut in 1985 with “Whitney Houston,” which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. “Saving All My Love for You” brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. “How Will I Know,” ”You Give Good Love” and “The Greatest Love of All” became smash singles, too.

Another multiplatinum album, “Whitney,” came out in 1987 and included hits like “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” It also became the first album by a female to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard pop albums chart, according to the trade publication.

Her decision not to follow the more soulful inflections of singers like Franklin drew criticism by some who saw her as playing down her black roots to go pop and reach white audiences. She was even booed during the “Soul Train Awards” in 1989, according to the AP.

Her moving 1991 rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and reaffirmed her as America’s sweetheart.

In 1992, she married former New Edition member and soul crooner Bobby Brown. From the outside, it seemed an odd match: a pop princess with a bad boy, and he already had children of his own. The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina, in 1993.

Over the years, Brown would be arrested several times, on charges ranging from DUI to failure to pay child support, according to the AP.

“When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place,” she told Rolling Stone in 1993. “You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that’s their image. It’s part of them, it’s not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody’s angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy.”

In 1992, she made the successful jump into acting opposite Kevin Costner in “The Bodyguard.”  The movie’s theme, “I Will Always Love You,” sat atop the charts for weeks. It won the Grammy for record of the year and best female pop vocal, and “The Bodyguard” soundtrack was named album of the year.

She returned to the big screen in 1995-96 with “Waiting to Exhale” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” Both spawned soundtrack albums, and another hit studio album, “My Love Is Your Love,” in 1998, brought her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal for the cut “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay,” according to the AP.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010, Houston said by the time “The Preacher’s Wife” was released, “(doing drugs) was an everyday thing. … I would do my work, but after I did my work, for a whole year or two, it was every day. … I wasn’t happy by that point in time. I was losing myself.”

In the interview, Houston blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993. They divorced in 2007.

According to the AP, Houston would go to rehab twice before she would declare herself drug-free to Winfrey in 2010.

In the interim, missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs and public meltdowns corroded her image.

She was so startlingly thin during a 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert that rumors spread she had died the next day. Her crude behavior and jittery appearance on Brown’s reality show, “Being Bobby Brown,” only made her image worse. Her Sawyer interview, where she declared “crack is whack,” was often parodied.

Houston staged what began as a successful comeback with the 2009 album “I Look To You.” The album debuted on the top of the charts and would eventually go platinum.

But a concert to promote the album on “Good Morning America” went awry, according to the AP, Houston’s voice sounded ragged and off-key. She blamed an interview with Winfrey for straining her voice.

A world tour launched overseas showcased a Houston no longer able to hit her trademark high notes. Fans walked out of some dates, while other shows were canceled.

Houston was set to make her return to movies with a remake of the 1976 screen musical “Sparkle,” starring Jordin Sparks, Derek Luke, Mike Epps and Cee Lo Green. The tale of three sisters who form a successful singing group and must deal with the fallout of fame and drugs seemed an apropos cinematic comeback for Houston. According to IMDB, the movie is in post-production and set for Aug. 10 theatrical release.

-BAM

 

---

Reminder: Grammys live blog begins at 7 tonight!

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards take place live from 7 to 10:30 tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show will air live on the CBS Television Network, and it will be hosted by two-time Grammy winner and “NCIS: Los Angeles” star LL Cool J.

Look for my live blog of the show here on BAM’s Blog starting at 7 p.m.

Performers set for tonight’s Grammys include the reunited Beach Boys with Foster The People and Maroon 5, Adele, The Civil Wars, Diana Krall, Maceo Parker, Joe Walsh, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Tony Bennett and Checotah native Carrie Underwood, Chris Brown, Glen Campbell with The Band Perry and Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton, Coldplay and Rihanna, deadmau5, Foo Fighters, David Guetta, Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt, Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band, and Taylor Swift.

To see the list of nominees with Oklahoma ties, click here.

-BAM

---

Powered by Wordpress | WP Premium theme by WP Remix
Copyright 2007. BAM's Blog. All rights reserved

• Home
• RSS Feed
• About the Author
• Contacting BAM’s Blog
• Newsok | A&E