Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre

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David Bowie, Whitney Houston, Dr. Dre Recordings Added To GRAMMY Hall Of Fame

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Recordings from Johnny Cash, Billie Holiday, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Nirvana, and Aerosmith also added to the Hall, now in its 45th year
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Jan 16, 2018 - 6:30 am

Each year the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame celebrates a class of outstanding recordings at least 25 years old that exhibit qualitative or historical significance. To continue its ongoing commitment to preserving and celebrating timeless recordings, the Recording Academy has announced the class of 2018 recordings added to the Hall.

  

Recordings honored include Whitney Houston's unforgettable 1992 cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You"; Dr. Dre's groundbreaking 1992 debut rap album, The Chronic; Public Enemy's 1989 hip-hop classic, "Fight The Power"; Aerosmith's 1973 power ballad, "Dream On"; Nirvana's influential 1991 LP, Nevermind; and David Bowie's 1969 time-traveling track "Space Odyssey."

Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic': 25 Years Later

Queen's fourth studio album, A Night At The Opera (1972), the Rolling Stones' chart-topping "Paint It Black" (1966), Johnny Cash's seminal Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (1968), Linda Ronstadt's fifth studio album, Heart Like A Wheel (1974), Motown group the Four Tops' single "I Can't Help Myself" (1965), and Gladys Knight & The Pips' classic "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (1967) each made the list.

Also earning a spot in the 2018 class is Jimi Hendrix's album Band Of Gypsys (1970), Sam Cooke's classic single "Bring It On Home To Me" (1962), Parliament's infectious track "Flash Light" (1978), Andy Williams' smooth interpretation of "Moon River" (1962), Billy Paul's ballad "Me And Mrs. Jones" (1972), and Leon Russell's iconic "A Song For You" (1970).

Representing jazz, the King Cole Trio's 1946 song "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons," Billie Holiday's 1937 version of "My Man" and Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five's 1927 track "Savoy Blues" have been inducted.

South African trumpeter/singer Hugh Masekela's track "Grazing In The Grass" (1968), Thomas Alva Edison's original recording of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" (1878), Delta blues singer Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "That's All Right" (1949), and English musician Mike Oldfield's debut album, Tubular Bells, (1973) round out this year's Hall honorees.

Each year recordings are reviewed by a special member committee comprised of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts, with final approval by the Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees. With these 25 new titles, the Hall, now in its 45th year, currently totals 1,063 recordings and is on display at GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live.

"The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame strives to embody the changing climate of music throughout these past decades, always acknowledging the diversity of musical expression for which the Academy has become known," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "Iconic and inspiring, these recordings are an integral part of our musical, social and cultural history, and we are proud to have added them to our growing catalog."

The 60th GRAMMY Awards will take place at New York City's Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Jan. 28. The telecast will be broadcast live on CBS at 7:30–11 p.m. ET/4:30–8 p.m. PT. 

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Gladys Knight & The Pips

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"I Heard It Through The Grapevine": 7 Facts On The R&B Favorite | GRAMMY Hall Of Fame

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Learn how the would-be classic passed through many hands at Motown before it landed with Gladys Knight & The Pips
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Mar 23, 2018 - 4:09 pm

"Instead I heard it through the grapevine/Oh, not much longer would you be mine/Oh, I heard it, yes, I heard it (heard it through the grapevine)/Oh, just about, to lose my mind"

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was birthed at Motown Records by songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966. It would pass through many hands, including Smokey Robinson And The Miracles and a shelved Marvin Gaye rendition before the track landed with Gladys Knight & The Pips. As they say, the rest is history.

Released in 1967, Knight's retooled up-tempo version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" landed at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts and placed at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 just behind the Monkees' "Daydream Believer," paving the way for later versions such as Gaye's 1968 recording and Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1970 interpretation.

The tune also earned the distinction of being inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame as part of the class of 2018, an honor recognizing significant recordings that have shaped our musical heritage.

Though Gaye's version often gets the most attention, let's take a look back at seven facts about Gladys Knight & The Pips' soulful stylings on the chart-topping favorite.  

1. History Of The Grapevine

Singer/songwriter Barrett Strong is the mastermind behind the lyrics in the song. After strolling the streets of Chicago and hearing the phrase "through the grapevine," he was inspired to coin the classic term in a song. Working with producer Norman Whitfield, the pair put the words to an arrangement and crafted a narrative that describes a romantic betrayal. But the history of the "grapevine" has deeper roots. During the Civil War era, slaves communicated using the "grapevine telegraph" to pass along vital information using word of mouth.

2. "Out-Funking" The Queen Of Soul

Gladys Knight & The Pips were the third artist at Motown to take a crack at recording "… Grapevine" following Robinson and his Miracles and Gaye. While the previous two records had a smoother, slower vibe, Strong and Whitfield pumped up the funk, soul and gospel for Knight's version. The reason? Aretha Franklin had just released her smash "Respect," and according to author David Ritz, Whitfield wanted to "out-funk" Franklin. 

3. Tuning The Track To Gladys Knight

With the track's new upbeat groove, Strong, Whitfield, Knight, and the Pips still needed to do a little retooling on the track. First, the song needed to come from a woman's perspective, which resulted in lyric change, such as altering the first line of the second verse: "I know a man ain't supposed to cry/But these tears I can't hold inside" became "Take a good look at these tears in my eyes/Baby, these tears I can't hold inside." Rearranging "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" took several weeks before it was finally ready to record.

4. Berry Gordy's Reluctance

Motown label head Berry Gordy had already shelved the previous two versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" as singles when Knight's version crossed his desk. Again, Gordy initially didn't want to release it as a single, but after much discussion he reluctantly agreed. The song was finally released Sept. 28, 1967, on Motown's Soul Records label. It was also added to the group's 1967 studio album, Everybody Needs Love.

5. Career Breakthrough

Gordy's reluctance to release the track trickled into its promotion. In fact, Motown put almost no effort behind "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" after its release, and the Pips relied solely on their connections with radio DJs across the country. Their persistence paid off. Not only did the record spend six weeks in the top spot on Billboard's R&B charts, it rocketed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Motown's biggest hit at the time.

6. Paving The Way For Marvin Gaye

While Marvin Gaye technically recorded his version of the song first, Gordy refused to release the emotional down-tempo track until after Knight had such big success with it. Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was released in 1968, and it surpassed all expectations, outselling Knight's version. He received a GRAMMY nomination for the song at the 11th GRAMMY Awards, and Gaye's rendition was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 1998. Gaye's success caused tension between him and Knight, though they worked out their animosity later in their careers. But arguably, Knight's version paved the way for Gaye's "… Grapevine" good fortune.

7. Other Notable Covers

The mega success of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" led to other notable covers, particularly Creedence Clearwater Revival who took the song to another level with an 11-minute showdown on their 1970 album, Cosmo's Factory. Funk artist Roger Troutman also included the track on his 1981 solo album, The Many Facets Of Roger, and Amy Winehouse, the Temptations and Elton John have all gotten their hands on it. "… Grapevine" also formed the foundation for Queen Latifah's 1998 single "Paper."

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

Steven Tyler

Steven Tyler

Photo: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage.com

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Steven Tyler's Janie's Fund Event Raises $2.4 Million For Abuse Victims

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The GRAMMY-winning frontman of Aerosmith earned millions for his charity to benefit young women who have been victims of abuse
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Jan 31, 2018 - 2:01 pm

Steven Tyler founded Janie's Fund — named after Aerosmith's 1989 hit "Janie's Got a Gun" — in 2015 with partner organization Youth Villages to benefit young women who have been victims of abuse. This year he held the charity's inaugural gala ball at Red Studios in Hollywood, Calif., and what a successful evening it was.

The event's main attraction was a performance by Tyler with his country band Loving Mary, who rocked through classic hits such as "Sweet Emotion," "Dream On" and "Walk This Way." Alice Cooper, Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer and Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt also made appearances. The event also included watching the 60th GRAMMY Awards live.

With 500 guests assembled, Tyler raised $2.4 million, nearly doubling the $2.5 million total the charity has raised up until the gala. All the money raised will go toward supporting and protecting female victims of sexual abuse and trauma.

"The whole reason I'm in this is because I know what happens to a girl if she's sexually abused at 14, sent out on the street to sell crack at 15, her mother has her hook at 16, she's bringing johns home at 17 because she looks older," Tyler told Forbes. "At 18, she's left off at a bus station in Oklahoma, doesn't know where she is or what's going on. She's broken. Now, she, for the rest of her life, has a problem with sex, has a problem with men coming on to her. There are men in America that murder people, they get caught with a gun in their hand they get seven f***ing years! She gets 70 years — 70 years of her life has been ruined and that f***ing kills me. That kills me."

For more information on the Janie's Fund, visit the organization's website.

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Tina Turner

Tina Turner

Photo: Bill Marino/Sygma

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Tina Turner To Queen: 2018 Recording Academy Special Merit Awards

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Emmylou Harris, the Meters, Bill Graham, and John Williams are also among this year's crop of honorees who have made a lasting impression on the recording industry
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Jan 9, 2018 - 6:30 am

It's time to celebrate another class of exceptional music creators with the Recording Academy's Special Merit Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY Award.

This year's Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Hal Blaine, Neil Diamond, Emmylou Harris, Louis Jordan, the Meters, Queen, and Tina Turner. Bill Graham, Seymour Stein and John Williams will receive the Trustees Award. Tony Agnello and Richard Factor are the Technical GRAMMY Award recipients.

Hal Blaine
2018 Special Merit Awards Recipients

A special award presentation ceremony and concert celebrating the Special Merit Awards honorees will be held in summer 2018. Additional details regarding the ceremony will be announced.

In the meantime, why are these industry luminaries up for a Special Merit Award? Let's take a closer look.

Blaine is best known for his role as the lead drummer/founder of the Wrecking Crew studio band that backed iconic artists such as Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and more. He worked on six consecutive Record Of The Year GRAMMY-winning tracks between 1965 and 1970, including Sinatra's "Strangers In The Night" and Simon And Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson."

Diamond's rich catalog has become a part of the fabric of America's songbook with hits such as "Sweet Caroline," "Solitary Man" and "You'll Be A Woman Soon." He earned a GRAMMY at the 16th GRAMMY Awards for Album Of Best Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special for Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year in 2009.

A 13-time GRAMMY winner, Harris' genre-spanning style has earned her a permanent place among the contemporary country elite. She earned her first GRAMMY at the 19th GRAMMY Awards for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female for Elite Hotel. She most recently won for Best Americana Album for Old Yellow Moon at the 56th GRAMMYs.

The late Jordan has been dubbed the Father of Rhythm & Blues and the Grandfather of Rock and Roll for his recordings from the late 1930s to early 1950s. He has four recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame with his band Tympany Five: "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" (inducted 2013), "Caldonia Boogie" (1998), "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" (2008), and "Let The Good Times Roll" (2009).

The Meters — comprising drummer Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste, frontman Art Neville, percussionist/vocalist Cyril Neville, guitarist Leo Nocentelli, and bassist George Porter Jr. — are considered to be among the founding fathers of funk with iconic tunes such as "Cissy Strut," "Good Old Funky Music" and "Chicken Strut." "Cissy Strut" was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2011.

One of the most lauded rock bands of all time, Queen — bassist John Deacon, guitarist Brian May, frontman Freddie Mercury, and drummer Roger Taylor — have made an indelible impact on the music industry with blockbuster hits such as the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame-inducted recordings "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You"/"We Are The Champions."

Heralded as the Queen of Rock and Roll, Turner remains a global recording star worldwide. She earned her first GRAMMY at the 14th GRAMMY Awards with Ike Turner for their rendition of "Proud Mary," which took home Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Group. She's since added an additional seven wins to her tally, most recently as a featured artist on Herbie Hancock's Album Of The Year-winning River: The Joni Letters at the 50th GRAMMY Awards.

The late manager/concert promoter Graham is credited with creating the modern rock concert thanks to his tour organization for legendary artists such as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and George Harrison.

As a vice president of Warner Bros. Records and founder of Sire Records, Stein is responsible for ushering in the careers of some of our favorite artists, including the Ramones, the Pretenders, Talking Heads, k.d. lang, Barenaked Ladies, the Cure, Seal, Madonna, Depeche Mode, and Ice-T, among others.

Prolific composer Williams has made history for his unforgettable film scores, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. He is one of the top GRAMMY winners of all time with 23 GRAMMYs to his name, most recently for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the 59th GRAMMY Awards. Star Wars — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Technical GRAMMY Awards recipients Agnello and Factor have influenced the record-making process through their company Eventide, which produces a wide variety of original audio effects devices. The company's H910 Harmonizer effects processor, whose underlying technology forms the basis of all pitch-shifting and pitch-correction devices today, impacted the sound of classic LPs such as David Bowie's Low, Kraftwerk's Computer World and AC/DC's Back In Black, among others.

"This year's Special Merit Awards recipients are a prestigious group of diverse and influential creators who have crafted or contributed to some of the most distinctive recordings in music history," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "These exceptionally inspiring figures are being honored as legendary performers, creative architects and technical visionaries. Their outstanding accomplishments and passion for their craft have created a timeless legacy."

Collage of GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inductees' album covers
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2017 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame: David Bowie, Billie Holiday, N.W.A

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Class of 2017 also includes selections by the Beach Boys, Deep Purple, Merle Haggard, Nirvana, Prince, Bonnie Raitt, R.E.M., and Sly & The Family Stone
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am
GRAMMY.com

In keeping with its ongoing dedication to preserving and celebrating timeless recordings, The Recording Academy has announced the 25 newest additions to its GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. This year's collection acknowledges a diverse range of both singles and album recordings at least 25 years old that exhibit qualitative or historical significance. Each year recordings are reviewed by a special member committee comprised of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts, with final approval by The Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees. The Hall, now in its 44th year, currently totals 1,038 recordings.

List of 2017 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame recordings

"The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame represents all genres of music, acknowledging the diversity of musical expression for which The Academy has become renowned," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "Memorable and inspiring, these recordings are proudly added to our growing catalog and are an integral part of our musical, social and cultural history."

Representing an array of tracks and albums, the 2017 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inductees range from the Jackson 5's "ABC" to N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton. The list also features David Bowie's "Changes," Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock," Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Billie Holiday's Lady Sings The Blues, Prince's Sign "O" The Times, Merle Haggard's Okie From Muskogee, and the Beach Boys' "I Get Around." Other inductees include recordings by Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra, Cab Calloway And His Orchestra, Deep Purple, Dion, the Everly Brothers, Lesley Gore, Arlo Guthrie, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Willie McTell, Mills Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, R.E.M., Lalo Schifrin, Sly & The Family Stone, Sonny & Cher, and Rod Stewart.

The 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). For updates and breaking news, visit The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook.