Barbra Streisand's golden debut in "Funny Girl"

Feature

Fifty years ago, Barbra Streisand garnered accolades and critical acclaim for her role as Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" on Broadway

Paul Grein

GRAMMYs

Mar 26, 2014 - 12:31 pm

GRAMMY.com

It was 50 years ago today that Barbra Streisand opened on Broadway in "Funny Girl." None of the opening-night reviewers actually said "She's like buttah" (to borrow Linda Richman's [aka Mike Myers'] famous line from SNL's "Coffee Talk" sketch), but that's definitely the impression they left.

Time raved, "Some stars merely brighten up a marquee; Barbra Streisand sets an entire theater ablaze. … Actress, songstress, dancer, comedienne, mimic, clown — she is the theater's new girl for all seasons."

In his column in the Daily News, Ed Sullivan wrote, "Barbra Streisand in 'Funny Girl' is the greatest thing to hit Broadway in too many seasons."

Writing in the New York Journal-American, society columnist Suzy Knickerbocker flatly said, "Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice is the star of the decade."

Celebrities who attended the opening night party at the Rainbow Room also sang Streisand's praises. Lauren Bacall raved, "I absolutely saw the best thing I ever saw in my life in that girl. She can act. She can sing. She has an electric personality. Which is what makes a star."

Sophie Tucker, who was a peer of Brice's in the '20s and '30s, enthused, "She has everything that I will call a star. She is star material from now on. Nothing will stop Barbra Streisand."

Fred Robbins, who hosted the "Robbins Nest" radio show on WNEW-FM in New York, interviewed Streisand in her dressing room at the Winter Garden Theatre on opening night. "In your wildest dreams, did you think it would happen to this dimension?" he asked her.

"Of course," Streisand quickly replied. "I always wanted to be famous and rich and [a] star. And I'm not that rich yet, and I'm not that famous, so I still have more to go."

Streisand was already a star by the time "Funny Girl" opened on Broadway on March 26, 1964. Each of her first three albums had made the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. Her second album had climbed all the way to No. 2.

But "Funny Girl" took Streisand to an even higher level. On April 10 she appeared on the cover of Time. On May 12 she won her first two GRAMMY Awards: Album Of The Year and Best Vocal Performance, Female, both for her debut album, The Barbra Streisand Album. That spring, Streisand was also nominated for an Emmy (for her legendary 1963 appearance on "The Judy Garland Show") and a Tony (for "Funny Girl"). Streisand was nominated for three of the four major show business awards in the space of just a few months — an astonishing degree of success for any performer, much less one so young: Streisand was just 22.

Producer Ray Stark had worked on developing a musical based on the life of Fanny Brice (who was his mother-in-law) for a decade. "It's been a long pull," he told The New York Times in December 1963, when the show was in rehearsals prior to its out-of-town opening in Boston. "And I can't deny that there were times when I was ready to give up. But the idea wouldn't let me rest. Casting always was a problem. But I'm happy now. Whom else could you want for Fanny than Barbra Streisand? From the moment you saw her in [1962's] 'I Can Get It For You Wholesale,' you knew she was it."

Streisand told WNEW's Robbins that she intentionally didn't research Brice's life, or listen to her recordings. "I didn't want to approach it as an imitation or anything like that," she said. "They hired me because [of] whatever organic things we had similar. … I'm not singing 'My Man.' And this is not really truthful, the story, I mean it's based on the truth, but it's a writer's play, it's not a biography. … I'm approaching it as a character in a play who could have been any woman who was torn between a career [and] marriage and has problems of her own."

Broadway veterans Jule Styne and Bob Merrill co-wrote the score, which yielded two of Streisand's signature songs: the exquisite "People" and the exhilarating "Don't Rain On My Parade."

Nonetheless, the show had a bumpy road on its way to its Broadway opening. Previews in Boston drew tepid reviews (though the critics all praised Streisand). The headline for Billboard's review of the Boston opening lacked poetry, but got the point across. "Barbra Great As Fanny, But Show Tedious Stuff."

With the Broadway opening looming, the company regrouped. The show's director, Garson Kanin, left the production. Jerome Robbins was brought in to oversee the show (his credit was production supervisor). The Broadway opening was pushed back a month as the show, especially the second act, was reworked and tightened.

The show went on to receive eight Tony nominations — second only that season to "Hello, Dolly!," which amassed 11. But "Funny Girl" went 0 for 8. It lost to "Hello, Dolly!" in five categories, including Best Musical and Best Score (Composer and Lyricist).

Interestingly, the "Funny Girl" original cast album fared better than the "Dolly" caster at the GRAMMYs, probably because of Streisand's recording pedigree. Funny Girl was nominated for Album Of The Year at the 7th GRAMMY Awards. ("Hello, Dolly!" wasn't.) And it beat "Hello, Dolly!" for Best Score From An Original Cast Show Album.

"Funny Girl" was the first Broadway cast album to receive an Album Of The Year nomination. In all the years since, only one other cast album — Jesus Christ Superstar — has equaled the feat. (The original cast album is slated for release April 29 as a special 50th anniversary deluxe edition on CD and vinyl LP, with a 48-page booklet of exclusive photos.)

The show's standout song, "People," was nominated for both Record and Song Of The Year. Streisand's performance of the ballad brought her another GRAMMY for Best Vocal Performance, Female.

"People" was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 1998. Funny Girl was inducted six years later.

Streisand remained with the show until Dec. 26, 1965. (Her replacement was Mimi Hines, who played the role until the show concluded its Broadway run on July 1, 1967.) In spring 1966, Streisand took the show to London for a 14-week run.

In 1968 Streisand starred in the film adaptation of "Funny Girl." The movie (unlike the stage show) included some of Brice's old hits: "My Man," "Second Hand Rose" and "I'd Rather Be Blue Over You (Than Happy With Somebody Else)." The movie received eight Academy Award nominations. Only one movie got more that year — "Oliver!" led with 11.

On April 14, 1969, Streisand won the best actress Oscar in a tie with Katharine Hepburn. It was the first (and remains the only) time that an actress has won an Oscar for playing a role that she had originated in a Broadway musical.

In accepting the award, Streisand noted, "Sitting there tonight, I was thinking that the first script of 'Funny Girl' was written when I was only 11 years old. Thank God it took so long to get it right!"

(Paul Grein, a veteran music journalist and historian, writes regularly for Yahoo Music.)

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A GRAMMY Valentine

On Valentine's Day, we offer flowers, a box of chocolates and a sampling of GRAMMY-winning romantic duets

Paul Grein

GRAMMYs

Feb 14, 2012 - 1:12 pm

GRAMMY.com

The year's most romantic holiday seemed an appropriate opportunity to look at a select list of romantic duets honored by the GRAMMY Awards through the years. Covering country, pop, R&B, and even folk and hip-hop, duets have the kind of natural appeal that crosses genres and generations. Whether they combine stars of the highest magnitude or artists who simply make magic together they tend to have a lasting impact on the listener.

"That Old Black Magic," Louis Prima And Keely Smith
This fizzy recording was the signature song by the husband-and-wife team, whose high-energy nightclub act made them Las Vegas favorites. It won a GRAMMY for Best Performance By A Vocal Group Or Chorus in 1958, the first year of the awards. Prima and Smith performed the song in the 1958 movie Senior Prom. Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer wrote the song for the 1943 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It earned an Oscar nomination under the title "Black Magic." Big band leader Glenn Miller had the first big hit with the song. Sammy Davis Jr. revived it in 1955.

"If I Were A Carpenter," Johnny Cash And June Carter
The legendary husband-and-wife team had eight country hits, but this was the only one to cross over to the pop chart. This duet made the Top 40 in early 1970, when Cash had a weekly variety series on CBS. The couple brought a warm, informal tone to the Tim Hardin song, which Bobby Darin had popularized in 1966. The hit, which was featured on Cash's album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash, won a GRAMMY for Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1970. Cash and Carter had previously won for 1967's "Jackson."

"After The Fire Is Gone," Conway Twitty And Loretta Lynn
This was the first of 14 country hits that these country legends recorded together. The ballad won Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1971. It marked Lynn's first GRAMMY and the only one for Twitty. Another country legend, Owen Bradley, produced the traditional country track, which appeared on their album We Only Make Believe. More than 30 years later, Lynn won a GRAMMY for a collaboration with a very different type of artist, Jack White. Their song "Portland Oregon" won Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.

"Where Is The Love," Roberta Flack And Donny Hathaway
These two great singers have perfect chemistry on this bittersweet song about a couple whose romance is at the breaking point. The song, from their hit album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, was one of six chart hits for the pair. Joel Dorn and Arif Mardin co-produced the single, which was voted Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus in 1972. This and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" brought Flack her first two GRAMMYs. This was Hathaway's only GRAMMY. He took his own life in 1979.

"That Lovin' You Feelin' Again," Roy Orbison And Emmylou Harris
This graceful ballad appeared in the movie Roadie, which starred Meat Loaf. It was voted Best Country Performance, Duo Or Group in 1980. (Surprisingly, it marked the first GRAMMY for Orbison.) Both singers went on to win GRAMMYs for subsequent collaborations. Orbison won for a pairing with k.d. lang on his classic "Crying" and for the all-star Traveling Wilburys project. Harris won twice for recordings with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt.

"Guilty," Barbra Streisand And Barry Gibb
Streisand has recorded duets with such stars as Neil Diamond, Celine Dion and Donna Summer, but this was the only one to win a GRAMMY. This slinky recording won Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1980. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb co-wrote the song, which was featured on Streisand's smash album of the same name. It's closer to the Bee Gees' hit sound than to Streisand's usual ballad style, but she rose to the occasion, demonstrating her versatility. Gibb also co-produced the album, which spawned a second duet hit, "What Kind Of Fool."

"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," Aretha Franklin And George Michael
The Queen of Soul and the prince of MTV teamed for this scorching duet, which was featured on Franklin's 1986 album Aretha. The smash won Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1987. It was the first GRAMMY for Michael, who won Album Of The Year the following year for Faith. The video includes stills of two earlier pairings, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and Sonny and Cher — choices that reflect this record's multiformat appeal. The song's success helped its producer, Narada Michael Walden, win the 1987 GRAMMY for Producer Of The Year.

"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
This vibrant recording helped make Dirty Dancing a hit movie, a smash soundtrack and an enduring phenomenon. The song won an Oscar as well as a GRAMMY for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1987. Warnes had won in the same category five years earlier for "Up Where We Belong," a duet with Joe Cocker from An Officer And A Gentleman. Dirty Dancing was set in 1963, which is the same year that Medley first hit the chart as one-half of the Righteous Brothers. This is his only GRAMMY to date.

"I'm In The Mood," John Lee Hooker Featuring Bonnie Raitt
Hooker had a No. 1 R&B hit with this song in 1951. Nearly 40 years later, Raitt teamed with him to remake it for his all-star album The Healer. Their version was voted Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1989. It marked the first GRAMMY win for both artists. (Raitt won three other awards that year for her album Nick Of Time.) Both artists have since won GRAMMYs for collaborations with other artists. Raitt won for 1991's "Good Man, Good Woman," a pairing with Delbert McClinton. Hooker won for 1997's "Don't Look Back," a collaboration with Van Morrison.

"Makin' Whoopee," Dr. John With Rickie Lee Jones
This lighthearted duet appeared on Dr. John's album In A Sentimental Mood. The track won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group in 1989. This was Dr. John's first GRAMMY. He and Jones capture the song's amorous and impish spirit. Their rendition gained wider exposure in 1993 when it was featured in the hit movie and soundtrack Sleepless In Seattle. Eddie Cantor introduced the song in the 1928 Broadway musical "Whoopee!" Ray Charles revived it in 1965.

"Don't Know Much," Linda Ronstadt Featuring Aaron Neville
Bill Medley and Bette Midler had both charted with this ballad, but it took this pairing to turn it into a smash. The track won for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1989. It was Neville's first GRAMMY (along with another award that same year for the Neville Brothers). Ronstadt and Neville won again the following year for "All My Life." Both songs appeared on Ronstadt's album Cry Like A Rainstorm — Howl Like The Wind. "Don't Know Much" was co-produced by Peter Asher (that year's GRAMMY winner for Producer Of The Year) and Steve Tyrell.

"Unforgettable," Natalie Cole With Nat "King" Cole
This ultraromantic ballad garnered wins for Record Of The Year and Best Traditional Pop Performance in 1991. It was featured on Natalie's Unforgettable With Love, which was voted Album Of The Year. Nat's vocals were dubbed from a 1961 recording. (He had first recorded the song in 1951.) David Foster produced this velvety recording, which helped him win a GRAMMY for Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical). Natalie encored five years later with a recording of her father's 1957 classic '"When I Fall In Love," which also featured Nat's vocals. It won a GRAMMY for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

"Beauty And The Beast," Celine Dion And Peabo Bryson
This elegant ballad, written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, won an Oscar as well as a GRAMMY for Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television. Angela Lansbury performed the song in the movie. This pop version played over the end credits. Both versions were featured on the soundtrack. The Dion/Bryson version was voted Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1992. It marked the first GRAMMY for both artists. Bryson won in the same category the following year with another movie theme duet, "A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)," which he sang with Regina Belle.

"I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By," Method Man Featuring Mary J. Blige
This influential recording blended hard-edged rap with old-school R&B. It won for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1995. The smash grew out of the track "All I Need," which appeared on Method Man's 1994 album Tical, his first apart from Wu-Tang Clan. Producer RZA created the hit remix. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell introduced "You're All I Need To Get By" in 1968. Another blue-chip team, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, wrote the song. This was the first GRAMMY for Blige, who has gone on to win for collaborations with Sting, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan.

"Dilemma," Nelly Featuring Kelly Rowland
This smash, which still sounds fresh, was voted Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002. The song borrowed heavily from Patti LaBelle's 1984 R&B hit "Love, Need And Want You," so it was fitting that LaBelle had a cameo in the video as Rowland's mom. This marked the first GRAMMY for Nelly (along with an award that same year for "Hot In Herre," another track from his sophomore album, Nellyville). Rowland had previously won three GRAMMYs for her work with Destiny's Child. The two reunited in 2011 for "Gone."

"A Wonderful World," Tony Bennett And k.d. lang
This was the title track of an album-length collaboration that won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2003. Near the end of the song, Bennett tips his hat to Louis Armstrong, who introduced the song in 1967. Bennett and lang have a long history of collaborations. They teamed to sing "Moonglow" on his 1994 album MTV Unplugged; "Because Of You" on his first duets album, 2006's Duets: An American Classic; and "Blue Velvet" on his 2011 album Duets II. In addition, both singers have won GRAMMYs for duets with other partners. Lang won for a 1988 pairing with Roy Orbison; Bennett for a 2006 collaboration with Stevie Wonder.

"Crazy In Love," Beyoncé (Featuring Jay-Z)
Beyoncé's solo career got off to an explosive start with this smash, which won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2003. It borrows the horn hook from the Chi-Lites' 1970 R&B hit "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)." "Crazy In Love" appeared on Beyoncé's first solo album, Dangerously In Love, which won Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Crazy In Love" was the second of four pairings by Beyoncé and Jay-Z to hit the chart. In 2008 they took their collaboration to the next level by getting married.

"My Boo," Usher And Alicia Keys
This tender duet won a GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals in 2004. It was added to a deluxe edition of Usher's blockbuster album Confessions, which was voted Best Contemporary R&B Album. Usher is featured on an edgy, rock-accented opening, but the song really comes alive when the two singers join forces. Keys' plaintive vocal enhances the song's emotional power. This valentine is just right for the hip-hop generation: it's warm and melodic but not at all gooey.

"Please Read The Letter," Robert Plant And Alison Krauss
This rootsy ballad won Record Of The Year in 2008. It was one of the highlights of Raising Sand, the unlikely pairing of rock idol Plant and country/bluegrass star Krauss. The album brought the pair a total of six GRAMMYs, including Album Of The Year and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album. T Bone Burnett's spare production adds to the song's impact. The song first appeared on the 1998 album Walking Into Clarksville, which Plant recorded with his former Led Zeppelin cohort Jimmy Page.

"Lucky," Jason Mraz And Colbie Caillat
Mraz and Caillat are known for mellow songs such as "I'm Yours" (his) and "Bubbly" (hers), and this duet couldn't be mellower. The serene ballad about being in love with your best friend won Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals in 2009. (Remarkably, Caillat had a second teaming in the running, "Breathe," which she recorded with Taylor Swift.) The song appeared on Mraz's album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Mraz and Mexican singer Ximena Sariñana later recorded a Spanish-language version of the song.

(Paul Grein, a veteran music journalist based in Los Angeles, writes the weekly Chart Watch column for Yahoo.com.)

List

Mary J. Blige to Katy Perry: 57th GRAMMY nominee facts

Dig deeper with 57 fun facts about this year's class of GRAMMY nominees, including Iggy Azalea, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, and more

GRAMMYs

Jan 13, 2015 - 6:30 pm

GRAMMY.com

By now you've seen the full list of 57th GRAMMY nominees. But with 83 categories, it's a lot of information to absorb. We've dissected the list to bring you factoids about this year's nominees that are sure to make you the star attraction at your group GRAMMY viewing party. So dig in with our list of 57 Fun Facts About The 57th GRAMMY Nominees and mark your calendar for Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 8 from 8–11:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Sam Smith is nominated for each of the "Big Four" awards — Album, Record and Song Of The Year and Best New Artist. At 22, he's the second youngest artist ever to achieve that feat. Mariah Carey was just 20 when she was nominated for all four awards 24 years ago.

Female artists account for four of the five Record Of The Year nominees. It's the first time in 16 years — and only the fourth time in GRAMMY history — that women have dominated the category to that degree.

"Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX is just the second all-female collaboration to receive a Record Of The Year nomination. The first was "The Boy Is Mine," the 1998 smash by Brandy and Monica.

"Shake It Off" is Taylor Swift's third single to receive a Record Of The Year nomination. The sassy smash follows "You Belong with Me" (2009) and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (2012).

Sia's "Chandelier" is the year's only work to be nominated for both Record Of The Year and Best Music Video.

Pharrell Williams is competing with himself for Album Of The Year. He's nominated for his own album, Girl, and as a co-producer for both Beyoncé's Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran's X.

Beck is nominated for Album Of The Year for Morning Phase. He's the first artist to be nominated in this category in each decade from the 1990s through the 2010s. He was previously nominated for Odelay (1996) and Midnite Vultures (2000).

Beyoncé is nominated for Album Of The Year for the second time, for Beyoncé. She was nominated five years ago for I Am… Sasha Fierce. Beyoncé has amassed 53 GRAMMY nominations, more than any other female artist.

Ed Sheeran's sophomore album, X, has the shortest title of any Album Of The Year finalist in GRAMMY history. The old record was held jointly by James Taylor's JT, Peter Gabriel's So and Adele's 21.

Another album titled X, by Chris Brown, is nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Brown won the 2011 award for Best R&B Album for F.A.M.E.

Hozier, a Song Of The Year finalist for "Take Me To Church," was born in Bray County, Wicklow, Ireland. Other Irish songwriters that have been nominated for this top GRAMMY include Gilbert O'Sullivan and U2.

Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass," which is nominated both for Record and Song Of The Year, is not the first GRAMMY-nominated song to celebrate a woman's "bass." Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" won for Best Rap Solo Performance for 1992.

Brandy Clark, who is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Country Album, received her first GRAMMY nomination a year ago for Best Country Song. She was a co-writer (with Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves) of Miranda Lambert's hit "Mama's Broken Heart."

Haim, comprising sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, are the first sister trio to receive a Best New Artist nomination.

Two all-female collaborations — "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX and "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj — are competing for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Either would become the first all-female collabo to win in the Pop Field since "Lady Marmalade," the 2001 smash by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, and Pink.

Tony Bennett is vying for his 12th award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. He's nominated for Cheek To Cheek, a collaboration with Lady Gaga. Bennett is by far the most frequent winner in the category. Michael Bublé is second with four wins.

With Cheek To Cheek, Lady Gaga is vying to take best album honors in a third genre. She previously won for Best Electronic/Dance Album for The Fame (2009) and Best Pop Vocal Album for The Fame Monster (2010).

Johnny Mathis, nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Sending You A Little Christmas, received his first GRAMMY nomination in 1960, the third year of the awards. His classic rendition of "Misty" was nominated for Best Vocal Performance, Male — Single Or Track.

Miley Cyrus received her first GRAMMY nomination for Bangerz, which is a finalist for Best Pop Vocal Album. Her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, received a 1992 nomination for Best New Artist.

Coldplay, who are nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album for Ghost Stories, have previously won for Best Alternative Music Album (twice) and Best Rock Album (once).

Katy Perry is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. This brings Perry's career total of nominations to 13. She is looking for her first win.

Deadmau5 is nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for the third time in the past four years. The Canadian musician is nominated for his seventh studio album, While (1

Mary J. Blige is nominated for Best Dance Recording as the featured artist on Disclosure's "F For You." The versatile singer has won nine GRAMMYs in four distinct genres: R&B, rap, pop, and gospel.

Slipknot, nominees for Best Metal Performance for "The Negative One," won the 2005 award in this category with "Before I Forget."

Two tracks from a tribute album to the late Ronnie James Dio are nominated for Best Metal Performance. They are Anthrax's "Neon Knights" and Tenacious D's "The Last In Line." Dio died in 2010.

The Black Keys, nominated for Best Rock Album for Turn Blue, won in that category two years ago with El Camino. Their album before that, Brothers, won the 2010 award for Best Alternative Music Album.

U2's 13th studio album, Songs Of Innocence, is nominated for Best Rock Album. All five of the band's studio albums since 1994, when this category was introduced, have been nominated for this award. U2 have amassed 46 GRAMMY nominations, more than any other group.

Jack White, nominated for Best Alternative Music Album for his second solo album, Lazaretto, won three times in this category with the White Stripes. If he wins again this year, he'll become the first four-time winner in the category's history.

St. Vincent is vying to become just the second female solo artist to win for Best Alternative Music Album. Sinéad O'Connor won the first-ever award in the category for her 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who rose to fame on "The Cosby Show," is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance as a featured artist on Robert Glasper Experiment's "Jesus Children." (The track also features Lalah Hathaway.)

Love, Marriage & Divorce by Toni Braxton and Babyface is nominated for Best R&B Album. It's vying to become the second collaboration to win in that category. Wake Up! by John Legend and the Roots took the 2010 award.

Robert Glasper Experiment are vying for Best R&B Album for Black Radio 2. Their initial Black Radio won the 2012 award in this category.

Two tracks from Lecrae's seventh studio album, Anomaly, were nominated in very different categories. "All I Need Is You" is a finalist for Best Rap Performance. "Messengers," featuring For King & Country, is nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

With The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem is vying to win Best Rap Album for the sixth time. Eminem's five previous wins make him the category leader. Kanye West is second with four wins.

Schoolboy Q was featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' The Heist, which was last year's winner for Best Rap Album. This year, the Los Angeles rapper is nominated in that category with his own album, Oxymoron.

Childish Gambino, nominated for Best Rap Album for Because The Internet, is the musical persona of actor Donald Glover, best known for his role on the TV series "Community."

Neil Patrick Harris received his first-ever GRAMMY nomination this year. The actor and frequent awards show host is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for Hedwig And The Angry Inch.

Keith Urban, nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for "Cop Car," amassed four GRAMMYs for Best Male Country Vocal Performance in a six-year span (2005 through 2010).

"Meanwhile Back At Mama's" by Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. It's their sixth nomination for vocal performance as a team.

The Band Perry are vying to become the third artist to win a GRAMMY for a recording of "Gentle On My Mind." John Hartford (the song's composer) and Glen Campbell both won 1967 GRAMMYs for recordings of the song.

Paul Epworth is vying for his second award in the category of Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. He won three years ago, chiefly for his work on Adele's 21. This year, his projects included Paul McCartney, Foster The People and FKA Twigs.

Swedish hit-maker Max Martin is nominated for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical for the first time. In addition, he's nominated for both Record and Song Of The Year for his work on Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off."

Current nominees Beck and Jack White are among the artists who will perform at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute gala honoring Bob Dylan on Feb. 6.

Aloe Blacc received his first career nomination for Best R&B Album for Lift Your Spirit. Blacc is among the artists who will perform at Lean On Me: A Celebration Of Music And Philanthropy, the 17th Annual GRAMMY Foundation Legacy Concert taking place Feb 5.

Taylor Swift is the lone nominee who is the subject of a current exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum. Featuring personal photographs, handwritten lyrics, tour costumes, and more, The Taylor Swift Experience is on display through May 10.

Iggy Azalea is nominated for Best Rap Album for The New Classic. Should she win, Azalea would become the first female solo artist to take home the award.

Tom Petty's nod for Best Rock Album for Hypnotic Eye with the Heartbreakers is his 18th career nomination. Petty won his first GRAMMY for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for 1989 for Traveling Wilburys Volume One. The Traveling Wilburys featured Petty and, among others, George Harrison, who is one of this year's Special Merit Awards recipients.

Paramore's Hayley Williams and Taylor York are up for Best Rock Song for the group's "Ain't It Fun." This marks the second time the two musicians have received a nomination in a songwriting category. They were previously nominated for "Decode," which was a 2009 finalist for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media.

English rock group Bastille are among this year's nominees for Best New Artist. They are vying to become the first English collective to take home the honor since Sade won the award for 1985.

Former President Jimmy Carter is nominated for Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) for A Call To Action. If he takes the award, Carter will become the third former or future president with two GRAMMY wins, joining Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Carter is scheduled to present the award to Bob Dylan at the 2015 Person of the Year gala.

Gloria Gaynor's We Will Survive: True Stories Of Encouragement, Inspiration, And The Power Of Song is also nominated for Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling). At 35 years, Gaynor has the longest gap between nominations of any current nominee. Her last nominations were for 1979, including a win for Best Disco Recording for "I Will Survive."

Ziggy Marley and Anoushka Shankar are nominated for Best Reggae Album and Best World Music Album, respectively. Both artists' fathers — Bob Marley and Ravi Shankar — are GRAMMY winners and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

Kendrick Lamar's "I" is the lone song with a one-letter title to be nominated this year. It's up for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.

"The Monster" by Eminem featuring Rihanna is among the nominees for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The two stars received a 2010 nomination in this category for "Love The Way You Lie."

"Weird Al" Yankovic and Louis C.K. each received nominations for Best Comedy Album. Each has previously won in the category: Yankovic for Poodle Hat (2003); Louis C.K. for Hilarious (2011).

With six GRAMMY wins, Carrie Underwood has the most GRAMMYs by an "American Idol" alumnus. She's up for two more this year: Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

What do Arcade Fire, Tony Bennett, Glen Campbell, Alison Krauss, Barbra Streisand, Taylor Swift, and U2 have in common? Besides all being current nominees, they've all released albums that have won Album Of The Year honors.

News

Bid Your Way To Next Year's GRAMMYs

GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions offer 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards VIP Experience and exclusive music memorabilia

GRAMMYs

Feb 11, 2011 - 9:48 am

GRAMMY.com

In celebration of the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards, the GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions are open now through Feb. 24. Presented in partnership with Kompolt, the auctions provide bidders an opportunity to bid on approximately 100 exclusive items, including once-in-a-lifetime VIP experiences, memorabilia from world-renowned celebrities, and official GRAMMY merchandise autographed by artists during GRAMMY Week.

Featured items will be available for bid in two cycles, including a 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards VIP Experience for two, including Platinum-level GRAMMY tickets, GRAMMY Celebration tickets, GRAMMY rehearsal passes, and 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute tickets; a private guitar lesson with Orianthi, recording artist and guitarist in Michael Jackson's This Is It; and official GRAMMY merchandise autographed backstage at the 53rd GRAMMY Awards rehearsals and telecast by celebrity participants. This year's performers include Justin Bieber, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, and Katy Perry, among others.

Additional auction items include VIP concert and meet-and-greet experiences with Kathy Griffin and Maroon 5; VIP lounge tickets to the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals; guitars autographed by Jeff Beck, Bruno Mars, Tom Petty, Slash, and Train, among others; and music memorabilia autographed by Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, Daughtry, Jay-Z, Ke$ha, Barry Manilow, Pink, Carlos Santana, and Barbra Streisand, among others.

To place your bid on items featured in the GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions, visit www.ebay.com/grammy. All proceeds will benefit MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation.

List

Dr. Dre to Tom Petty: What's your GRAMMY friend playlist?

The GRAMMY Friendship Day playlist

GRAMMYs

Jul 30, 2010 - 6:00 am

GRAMMY.com

There aren't many things more important than friendship. A friend is someone you can talk with about a problem, someone who is always there when you need a hand, someone you can trust with your deepest secrets, someone who makes you laugh, or even someone you can poke on Facebook. And a friend can be anyone or anything: a parent, a sibling, a classmate, a pet, a stuffed animal, or even invisible.

In recognizing the important role friends play in people's lives, in 1935 Congress proclaimed the first Sunday in August as Friendship Day. The idea is simple: spend time with your friends and express your love and appreciation for them. The holiday has caught on globally as friends worldwide take part in the celebration, led by friendship ambassador Winnie the Pooh, who was named to the post in 1997 by the United Nations.

Of course, artists and musicians know the importance of friendship. Whether it is a bandmate, producer, songwriter, or manager, an artist needs a good team of friends he/she can trust. Sometimes musical friendship can manifest itself in other ways, such as getting together with a fellow artist in the spirit of collaboration.

With the latter thought in mind, we present our GRAMMY Friendship Day playlist featuring memorable pairings and duets, and the coveted fruits of thy friendships: the songs.

Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand (iTunes>)
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers," Record Of The Year nominee, 1979

Written by Diamond with Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Diamond and Streisand each recorded solo versions of this solemn song and an enterprising disc jockey spliced together both versions, which ultimately resulted in the pair coming together for their duet recording. It was a good idea as the duet hit the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978, and was followed by a memorable performance at the 22nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1980.

Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes (iTunes>)
"Up Where We Belong," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, 1982

Appearing on the soundtrack for An Officer And A Gentleman, this uplifting No. 1 hit almost didn't happen. Film producer Don Simpson demanded it be shelved from the soundtrack, saying at the time, "The song is no good. It isn't a hit." The magic combination of Cocker and Warnes ultimately proved him wrong. Songwriters Will Jennings, Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie also took home the Oscar for best original song in 1982.

Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (iTunes>)
"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, 1987

Warnes makes a second playlist appearance with her duet with Medley featured in Dirty Dancing. Who could forget the film's dancing finale? Frances "Baby" Houseman (played by Jennifer Grey) overcomes her trepidation and trusts both herself and her dancing partner, Johnny Castle (played by Patrick Swayze), to allow him to lift her up figuratively and literally, set to the perfect backdrop of "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life." The song also picked up the Oscar for best original song in 1987.

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (iTunes>)
"Please Read The Letter," Record Of The Year, 2008

The Album Of The Year winner in 2008, Raising Sand, was spawned by the unlikely combination of a bluegrass princess and rock royalty. The collaboration, which also featured the able assistance of producer T Bone Burnett, proved to be fruitful as Krauss and Plant struck GRAMMY gold five times over. Asked to sum up the partnership with Krauss, Plant said in a 2007 interview: "We're happy. We feel good together, this seems to be a good little team."

Santana & Rob Thomas (iTunes>)
"Smooth," Record Of The Year, 1999

Santana employed a large cast of friends for his 1999 album Supernatural, including Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, Maná, and Dave Matthews. Most notably, his teamwork with Matchbox Twenty singer Thomas on "Smooth" resulted in one of the top songs not only of the year, but of the last 50 years. In 2008 Billboard named "Smooth" as the No. 2 song on its list of the Billboard Hot 100's top 100 songs from its first 50 years, only behind Chubby Checker's "The Twist."

Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (iTunes>)
"Ebony And Ivory," Record Of The Year nominee, 1982

A song embodying harmony and true friendship, "Ebony And Ivory" united two legends in McCartney and Wonder. The song's call-and-response includes a reference to black-and-white keys being side by side on a piano, underscoring its theme of racial harmony. Penned solely by Macca, the song lived in perfect harmony at No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1982.

Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (iTunes>)
"Islands In The Stream," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal nominee, 1983

Written by the Bee Gees, "Islands In The Stream" was the start of a beautiful friendship between two of country's finest artists. After riding the stream all the way to No. 1, Parton and Rogers proceeded to record a Christmas album and would eventually team for another duet in 1985, "Real Love," which was followed by a brief U.S. tour.

Faith Evans & Puff Daddy (iTunes>)
"I'll Be Missing You," Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group, 1997

Diddy, the artist formerly known as Puffy and Puff Daddy, joined with Evans for the touching "I'll Be Missing You" to honor the late Notorious B.I.G, who was murdered in 1997. The song borrows the melody and basic structure from the Police's "Every Breath You Take." Friendship assist: Sting.

Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg (iTunes>)
"Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang," Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group nominee, 1993

Featured on Dr. Dre's seminal hip-hop album, The Chronic, "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang" paired Dre with then-new artist Snoop Dogg. In true friendship fashion, the music video depicts Dre trekking to pick up Snoop for a block party blowout featuring volleyball, barbeque and other thangs.

Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty (iTunes>)
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal nominee, 1981

For her first solo album outside Fleetwood Mac, Nicks enlisted the talents of Petty and his band the Heartbreakers in 1981 on "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." The song features spirited vocal interplay between Petty and Nicks, with backing from the entire Heartbreakers roster. In reciprocal friendship nature, earlier that year Nicks sang vocals on tracks featured on Petty's Hard Promises album.

Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men (iTunes>)
"One Sweet Day," Record Of The Year nominee, 1995

Boyz II Men and Carey teamed for this soaring ballad, featured on Carey's Daydream album, in 1995. The somber verse lyrics lament a friend who has passed while the chorus offers optimism with the hopes of a reunion in heaven "one sweet day." The song holds the distinction for having the longest run (16 weeks) at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer
"Redemption Song," Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals nominee, 2004

The pairing of former Clash member Strummer and country legend Cash proved to be equally redeeming and exciting. Their cover of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," a song encouraging emancipation from "mental slavery," made its way on to Cash's box set, Unearthed, in 2003. Sadly, these two friends are no longer with us: Strummer died in 2002 and Cash died in 2003.

Babyface & Eric Clapton (iTunes>)
"Change The World," Record Of The Year, 1996

Clapton and Babyface teamed for "Change The World" for Phenomenon, a film telling the tale of a small-town man (played by John Travolta) who unexpectedly attains telekinetic powers. The classic rock guitar titan and smooth R&B crooner rode this song all the way to No. 1 with the help of some other friends, songwriters Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Tommy Sims.

k.d. lang & Roy Orbison (iTunes>)
"Crying," Best Country Vocal Collaboration, 1988

Sometimes it's a friend who can make all the difference. Canadian songstress lang got one of her first big career breaks touring as a backup singer with Orbison, and received another when Orbison decided to record a duet with her on "Crying" in 1987. Orbison originally wrote the song with Joe Melson and released it in 1961. The duet marked lang's first appearance on the Country Singles chart.

Judy Garland & Gene Kelly (iTunes>)
"For Me And My Gal," GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, 2010

Graduating from the role of Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz, a then-20-year-old Garland played her first adult role in 1942's For Me And My Gal. The film is set during World War I and follows the journey of two talented performers, Jo Hayden (Garland) and Harry Palmer (Kelly), with grand plans for vaudeville success. The song was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2010, becoming Garland's sixth recording to earn Hall honors.

Elton John, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick & Stevie Wonder (iTunes>)
"That's What Friends Are For," Song Of The Year, 1986

What's better than a duet? How about four GRAMMY-winning artists getting together to perform a song that speaks to the true meaning of friendship.

What songs symbolize friendship to you? Drop us a comment.