GRAMMYs

Orville Peck

Photo by Daniel Mendoza / The Recording Academy

News

Orville Peck On The Music That Made Him, 'Pony' & The "Visual" Way He Creates

Facebook Twitter Email
The Recording Academy catches up with masked country star while On The Road at Austin City Limits 2019
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Jan 2, 2020 - 12:00 pm

Masked country performer Orville Peck is an enigma if ever there was one. Never without a handmade fringed mask, the Canadian singer-songwriter broke through last year with his mononym'd debut album, Pony.

The Recording Academy caught up with Peck while On The Road at Austin City Limits 2019, where we talked about his influences, the music he grew up with and more.

Orville Peck Talks Influences, 'Pony'

"My parents exposed me to lots of different types of music," he told us. "Country, obviously, but also glam rock, punk, gospel, soul, world music, you name it."

Peck certainly carries a proto-punk mentality when it comes to his influences; he cites '70s punk pioneer Patti Smith as one of his idols. "Patti Smith had a big impact on me," he says. "When I was like 14 years old, I wanted to be a musician but when I bought Horses—which is funny because my album's name is Pony—it made me feel like I could make music in a different way than I knew how when I was a kid."

Speaking of Pony, which dropped n March of last year via Sub Pop, Peck explains that he "just wanted to make my love letter to a classic country album." 

"[It's] the country that I love," he continues. "It's just my stories of places I've been, people I've known, people I've been with, things I struggle with."

Hear more from Orville Peck in the interview above, including the "visual" way he approaches the creation process and more.

K.Flay Talks Inspiration, Politics & The Argument That Led To Her Making Music

GRAMMYs

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton on stage at The 62nd GRAMMYs

Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS/Getty Images

News

Blake Shelton Announces Encore Drive-In Nights Concert Film Featuring Gwen Stefani & Trace Adkins

Facebook Twitter Email
The one-night-only July 25 showing features all-new performances filmed for drive-in theaters and pop-up locations
GRAMMYs
Jul 8, 2020 - 1:25 pm

Encore Live and Blake Shelton have teamed up to announce a special drive-in concert film event featuring special guests Gwen Stefani and Trace Adkins coming to drive-ins throughout the U.S. and Canada on July 25.

The catalyst for the upcoming event took place back on June 27, when Encore LIve brought a Garth Brooks filmed concert to country music fans at over 300 drive-in movie theatres and outdoor locations. The format was so successfful, it's being built into a series, with Shelton's show as the next installment. 

“This is such a great way to enjoy music with your family and friends and stay safe,” said Shelton. “I’m excited we’re getting the chance to perform a concert for fans and we’re going to go back and play old hits like 'Austin,' newer songs like 'God’s Country' and we might even introduce something brand new! So fill up those popcorn tubs and get ready for some country music!”

Whereas Brooks' drive-in event featured a more straightforward presentation of a concert performed on a soundstage, Shelton's film will also include cinematic interviews and storytelling. The drive-in theatres hosting these Encore Drive-In Nights will to Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommended guidelines, as well as state and local health mandates. 

“After the overwhelming response to Garth Brooks’ drive-in concert feature, we knew we had to launch Encore Drive-In Nights to provide music fans across the USA and Canada the chance to see their favorite artists in a cool new way,” said Encore Live founder and CEO Walter Kinzie in a release. “We can’t wait to bring music’s biggest stars to outdoor movie screens all across North America so that people can get back out there again and safely enjoy engaging in in-person experiences.”

Tickets for the event go on sale July 14 via Ticketmaster. You can find a directory of  participating drive-in theatres here as well as pop-up locations here. More shows in the series are expected to be announced soon.

Grammys Newsletter

Acclaimed Country Music Singer And Fiddle Player Charlie Daniels Dies At 83

 

Rio Cinema in London

Rio Cinema in London

Photo: Barry Lewis/InPictures/Getty Images

News

UK Government Pledges Arts Relief Package: "Biggest Ever One-Off Investment In UK Culture"

Facebook Twitter Email
Cultural institutions, including music venues, will be sharing funds from the "£1.15 billion support pot for cultural organizations in England," as the announcement states. £880 million of that money will be offered as grants and the rest as loans
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jul 7, 2020 - 1:17 pm

On July 5, the British government announced a £1.57 billion ($1.96 billion USD) coronavirus relief package for the gravely affected arts and culture sector of the country, including music venues, theaters, museums, galleries, independent cinemas, cultural institutions and freelance workers in the arts. No information on how to apply for funds—which will be distributed as loans and grants—has been given yet.

The news comes days after a coalition of over 1,500 British musicians, including Dua Lipa, the Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora, urged the government to assist the £4.5 billion ($5.6 billion) live music sector with the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign.

Read: Congress Works To Improve COVID-19 Relief For Creators

"Our world-renowned galleries, museums, heritage sites, music venues and independent cinemas are not only critical to keeping our economy thriving, employing more than 700,000 people, they're the lifeblood of British culture," wrote Rishi Sunak, U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the announcement. "That's why we're giving them the vital cash they need to safeguard their survival, helping to protect jobs and ensuring that they can."

"I understand the grave challenges the arts face and we must protect and preserve all we can for future generations. Today we are announcing a huge support package of immediate funding to tackle the funding crisis they face. I said we would not let the arts down, and this massive investment shows our level of commitment," U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden added.

The immediacy of the "immediate funding" is unclear, as applications and guidelines are not yet available. As Billboard reports, "Exactly how much funding will benefit the music sector, and what the process will be for allocating the funds, has not yet been fully fleshed out."

"We don't know the breakdown of how much will go to live music venues versus other sectors as applications are not open yet," the spokesperson says. "They will be soon."

Explore: Resources for Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: Asia, Europe & The U.K.

All applicable cultural institutions, including music venues, will be sharing funds from the "£1.15 billion support pot for cultural organizations in England," as the announcement states. £880 million of that money will be offered as grants, while the remaining £270 million will be repayable loans. An additional £188 million will be allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The government will determine who the grants are allocated to in partnership with "expert independent figures from the sector including the Arts Council England and other specialist bodies such as Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute. [Additionally,] repayable finance will be issued on generous terms tailored for cultural institutions to ensure they are affordable."

Read: #TheShowMustBePaused Creators Brianna Agyemang & Jamila Thomas Talk Vision, Next Steps

As Billboard highlights, "The funding will also target employment, including freelancers in the music industry. More than 350,000 people in the recreation and leisure sector have been furloughed since the pandemic began. (The U.K. live music sector supports 210,000 jobs)."

"Eligibility for grants and loans must be as broad as possible to ensure maximum take up from across the industry from those in desperate need of help," Tom Kiehl, acting CEO at U.K. Music, told the outlet.

More Support: The Best Apps & Tools For Recording And Monetizing Music In The COVID-19 Era

For more information on COVID-19 relief for those in the music industry, please visit MusiCares useful resource page. You can also find more info on applying for a one-time grant from the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, or donating to the Fund, if you are able.

From Aretha Franklin To Public Enemy, Here's How Artists Have Amplified Social Justice Movements Through Music

GRAMMYs

Charlie Daniels

Photo: Donald Kravitz/Getty Images

News

Acclaimed Country Music Singer And Fiddle Player Charlie Daniels Dies At 83

Facebook Twitter Email
The politically outspoken country rock music band leader, songwriter and producer died on Monday in Tennessee
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 6, 2020 - 4:40 pm

Charlie Daniels, the GRAMMY-winning country singer and multi-instrumentalist known for popular songs like "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," a varied music career and imprint on country and rock, has died. He was 83 years old. 

Daniels died of a hemorrhage stroke at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tenn. on Monday, July 6.

Raised in North Carolina, Daniels began his music career as a member of the bluegrass music group Misty Mountain Boys. In 1967, he moved to Nashville and began working as a session musician, producer and songwriter. As a session musician, he played a variety of instruments, the fiddle and banjo among them, on albums from Ringo Starr, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, including Nashville Skyline. He also played live with Cohen on tour. As a songwriter, he co-penned Elvis Presley's "It Hurts Me," and as a producer, more recently, worked on albums including The Youngbloods' Elephant Mountain. 

In 1970, Daniels released a self-titled solo album. He formed the Charlie Daniels Band in 1972 and with the group released several albums with "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," "Long Haired Country Boy," "The South’s Gonna Do It Again," "In America" and other songs.

In 2008, at 71 years old, Daniels fulfilled a life-long dream of playing the Grand Ole Opry.

"Tonight will be frozen in my mind as one of the most special nights in my life, absolutely," Daniels said the night of his performance. 

The passionate fiddle player joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

He won a GRAMMY in the Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group at the 22nd Annual GRAMMY Awards for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." He was nominated for a GRAMMY a total of six times.

"Our deepest condolences to the family of Charlie Daniels. His everlasting influence on country music will continue to be appreciated by music fans around the world," Recording Academy Interim president and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. 

The Charlie Daniels Band became known for its outspoken lyricism and Southern pride. "The South’s Gonna Do It Again" and "Long Haired Country Boy" show Daniels' views on culture and his lifestyle. While he is known as an influential figure in country rock, Daniels' fast vocal performance in "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is noted as perhaps one of the first examples of country rap. 

A self-identified patriot, Daniels was vocal about his beliefs, even appearing in a 2016 viral clip where he shared his thoughts about Iran. 

In 1993, he wrote a book titled Ain’t No Rag: Freedom, Family and the Flag.

But Daniels said he always left his ideas off stage.

"I don’t mind talking about my views in interviews and my blog, but on stage it’s over with. There are no politics on stage," he told Florida Today in 2017. "Now some of my songs are patriotic, but not political. Talking about politics doesn’t bother me because I have deep feelings about our country." 

At 80, Daniels was still playing over 100 shows, he shared in the same interview.

"I love what I do," he said about performing live. "I look forward to entertaining people. When show time gets here, I’m ready to go, ready to go play for them. It’s a labor of love."  

Beyond music, Daniels gave back to children and young people through his philanthropy, as well as was an avid supporter of the military and veterans.

GRAMMY Museum July Content Lineup: Blues Royalty Zakiya Hooker, Country Star Brett Eldredge & Much More

GRAMMYs
News

Downtown Music Hosts A Free Virtual Summer School For Students & Recent Grads

Facebook Twitter Email
Running from July 21-31, Downtown Summer School is a free, week-long series of virtual classes designed to provide insightful music business education for future industry professionals
Ogden Payne
GRAMMYs
Jul 6, 2020 - 11:22 am

While the ripple effect of COVID-19 has limited, if not eliminated, the possibility of hosting in-person events for some, Downtown Music Holdings has found a way to keep its commitment to providing quality education and opportunity to the next generation. In place of their on-site internship program, the company has announced its inaugural Downtown Summer School, a free, week-long series of virtual classes designed to provide insightful music business education for future industry professionals.

"We’re excited to reimagine our internship program for a virtual audience this year and fuel the next generation of music business leaders and creative entrepreneurs," said Justin Kalifowitz, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings. "Downtown Summer School will help participants understand the building blocks of the industry so we can continue to support a thriving creative class, now and in the future."

Beginning July 27, high school students, college students, and recent grads will have the opportunity to participate in morning and afternoon sessions on topics such as "How Unsigned Acts Distribute, Monetize and Promote their Music Today," "Crafting Hit Songs Around the World," "Music on Screen," "Diverse Career Paths into the Music Industry," and "The Future of Music Streaming." Guest speakers include Molly Neuman (President, Songtrust), Joe Kentish (Head of A&R at Warner Records, UK), Tracy Gardner (Head of Label Licensing and Partnerships at TikTok/Bytedance), and more.

"For many of us at Downtown, internships were our first pathways to exploring the business and developing our networks," Kalifowitz said. "We’ve been offering music industry internships at Downtown for over ten years and have had the good fortune to hire many of our interns to join us full time as the company has grown."

In addition to Downtown Summer School, the company has supported similar education initiatives such as Sound Thinking NYC. The program addresses gender and racial diversity by introducing students to the basics of the music industry and has reached over 500 students from 50 public schools in its first year.

Despite the spread of COVID-19 across the U.S., Kalifowitz sees a silver lining. The decision to utilize an online platform for their initiative creates an opportunity for Downtown to reach a wider audience than their on-site internship programs might have. Virtual or not, Kalifowitz says the company looks forward to "future iterations once we hear feedback from participants, educators, and our colleagues."

With brands such as Downtown Music Publishing (home to John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Benny Blanco, George Gershwin), Songtrust, and CD Baby under its umbrella, there might not be a better company than Downtown to extend its resources to the next generation. Rather than aim to outshine similar programs, the company looks to add a new option for future generations to take advantage of.

"Downtown Summer School is really focused on sharing our company’s unique perspective on the music business," Kalifowitz added. "It has less to do with addressing what’s missing in other programs and more to do with giving people a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re doing across Downtown every day."

Those interested in participating are encouraged to register here by July 22.

Grammys Newsletter