Lalah Hathaway

Lalah Hathaway

Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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Watch: Lalah Hathaway Honors Late Father Donny Hathaway In Moving GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends Performance

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Find out which of the soul icon's songs she sings in the powerful on stage "family affair"
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 7, 2019 - 10:22 am

Five-time GRAMMY-winning songstress Lalah Hathaway is perfect artist to pay tribute to the late, great soul Donny Hathaway, and not just because she's his daughter. For the 2019 GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends she offered her sultry, powerful vocals to showcase the unstoppable love present in her father's music.

Lalah Hathaway On Father Donny Hathaway's Legacy

"He's been gone, this year, for 40 years, so this is a very auspicious occasion. I'm so glad my mom is here; I'm singing with my sister, so this is a family affair," Lalah told the Recording Academy backstage before the show.

"His legacy is one that I'm discovering every day... It will just carry over oceans, it will influence people and bring people peace and joy forever," she added, reflecting on the unending power of his music.

Read: Lalah Hathaway On Mental Health Awareness: "You Can Never Look At A Person And See What They're Going Through"

With her sister Kenya Hathaway, the pair offer a powerful rendition out their father's GRAMMY-winning song "Where Is The Love." Originally released in 1972 as a duet with Roberta Flack, the powerhouse pair earned their first GRAMMYs for the song, taking home Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus at the 15th GRAMMY Awards.

The fourth annual GRAMMY Salute extravaganza took place in the heart of Hollywood earlier this year to honor all of the Recording Academy's 2019 Special Merit Award recipients. Donny Hathaway was one of a handful of artists presented with the Recording Academy's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award during this year's show. Black Sabbath, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam & Dave and Dionne Warwick are the other 2019 recipients.

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award artists, the Trustees Awards, given to Lou Adler, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, and Johnny Mandel this year, celebrated exemplary contributors to music, outside of performance. Additionally, the Technical GRAMMY Award was presented (posthumsly) to API Audio Co-Founder Saul Walker and Florida high school choir director Jeffery Redding was celebrated with the Music Educator Award. The big night was filled with love, gratitude, celebration and a whole lot of amazing musical tributes.

You can watch the full GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends show, including the Hathaways' full performance and the other tributes to Donny, on Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check your local listings).

Watch Jessie Mueller Honor Lou Adler & Carole King At GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

Sam Moore at the 2019 GRAMMYs

Sam Moore

Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images

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Sam Moore On His Lifetime Achievement Award: "It Means More To Me Than Anything" | GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

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The iconic "Soul Man"—and half of GRAMMY-winning soul/R&B duo Sam & Dave—reflects on what the prestigious honor means to him
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 16, 2019 - 10:13 am

Sam Moore first introduced the world to his soulful voice and contagious smile back in 1966, as half of GRAMMY-winning—and Rock & Roll Hall Of Famers—soul/R&B duo Sam & Dave. You've probably sung along to their upbeat 1967 hit "Soul Man," which earned the pair a GRAMMY for Best R&B Group Performance at the 10th GRAMMY Awards and later, in 1999, an induction into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. 

This year, at the 2019 GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends, Sam & Dave (Dave Prater passed away in 1988) received the Recording Academy's high honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sam Moore Celebrates Lifetime Achievement Award

"It means more to me than anything in the world. It means that my work—what I've done and what I'm going to do in the near future—is not in vain," Moore shared backstage at the celebration.

During the show, Moore shared his bright smile (his sequin blazer wasn't the only thing shining) and electric voice on stage, joined by GRAMMY-winning country star Garth Brooks. The pair offered a vibrant rendition of "Soul Man," and Brooks shared his praises for the icon.

Sam & Dave were part of a handful of artists presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award during this year's show. Black Sabbath, Donny Hathaway, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, George Clinton & the Parliament-Funkadelic and Dionne Warwick are the other 2019 recipients.

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award artists, the Trustees Awards, given to Lou Adler, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, and Johnny Mandel this year, also celebrated exemplary contributors to music, albeit outside of performance. Additionally, the Technical GRAMMY Award was presented (posthumously) to API Audio Co-Founder Saul Walker and Florida high school choir director Jeffery Redding was celebrated with the Music Educator Award.

Don't forget to tune into GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends this Friday, Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check your local listings).

George Clinton: "The Funk Is Just Beginning" | GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

Lou Adler

Lou Adler

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage/Getty Images

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Lou Adler Reflects On His Impactful Career In The Music Industry | GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

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The 2019 Trustee Award recipient famously signed and worked with GRAMMY winners Cheech & Chong and Carole King
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 11, 2019 - 11:36 am

GRAMMY-winning music producer, label founder and film director Lou Adler has lifted up countless artists over the years, such as comedians Cheech & Chong and singer/songwriter Carole King, all fellow GRAMMY winners. His deep impact and influence in music and film is still felt in his longtime home of Los Angeles, from the Roxy Theatre he co-owns with his son to far beyond.

At the 2019 GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends, Adler was one of four music industry icons honored with the Recording Academy's annual Trustees Award. His celebration during the program included performances by Jessie Mueller, who portrayed King on Broadway and, at the GRAMMY Salute, sang two of the singer/songwriter's songs from the Adler-produced 1971 album, Tapestry.

Record Exec Lou Adler Reflects On His Career

Mueller offered a vibrant rendition of "I Feel The Earth Move" and "It's Too Late," from Tapestry. The emotive LP earned both King and Adler the prestigious Album Of The Year gramophone at the 14th GRAMMY Awards, and the latter track also gave them both Record Of The Year wins. King took home two more GRAMMYs that year for that project and, in 2004, received the Trustees Award, followed by the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

Now, this year, Adler's contributions to her music and many others' have him joining the inspiring group of Special Merit honorees.

"A lot of the things that I did are still going, so they will cross over to a new generation. I hope that it's some kind of musical history lesson that they can latch on to," Adler said backstage, reflecting on his musical impact. 

Don't forget to tune into GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends on Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check your local listings) to watch Mueller's performance and discover all the magical moments of the celebration honoring music's biggest lifetime contributors.

Watch Jessie Mueller Honor Lou Adler & Carole King At GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

Kenny Lattimore

Kenny Lattimore

Photo: Paul Morigi/WireImage/Getty Images

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Kenny Lattimore Pays Tribute To Mentors Ashford & Simpson At GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

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Find out what early Marvin Gaye hits Lattimore and Valerie Simpson sang together during the celebratory show
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 9, 2019 - 10:48 am

"Wow, when I think about it, [Ashford & Simpson] have been like mentors in a way, and embraced me from the beginning," GRAMMY-nominated R&B great Kenny Lattimore said while backstage at the 2019 GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends.

 During the celebration, GRAMMY nominees Valerie Simpson and her late husband Nickolas Ashford, who wrote and produced decades of hits as Ashford & Simpson, received the Recording Academy's prestigious Trustees Award.

Watch Kenny Lattimore & Valerie Simpson Duet

To pay tribute to their indelible musical impact, Lattimore and Simpson herself took the stage together to duet two early Ashford & Simpson-penned hits, originally recorded by the one and only GRAMMY-winning Prince Of Soul, Marvin Gaye.

The pair sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "You're All I Need To Get By," both of which were recorded by Gaye and Tami Terrell at Motown, in 1967 and 1968, respectively. The former song was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 1999.

"But doing this duet program tonight is just the highest honor I could do for Mr. Nickolas Ashford," Lattimore added, before offering up his smooth, rich vocals to bring the unforgettable songs to life.

Don't forget to tune into GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends on Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check your local listings) to watch Simpson's and Lattimore's full performance and many more heartwarming moments.

Watch Asia Ashford Honor Her Parents, Ashford & Simpson, At GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

Asia & Nicole Ashford

Asia & (sister) Nicole Ashford

Photo: Donna Ward/Getty Images

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Watch Asia Ashford Honor Her Parents, Ashford & Simpson, At GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

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Tune into GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends on Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check your local listings)
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 8, 2019 - 10:00 am

GRAMMY nominees Valerie Simpson and her late husband Nickolas Ashford contributed to countless soulful hits for decades as the powerhouse songwriting and production duo (and sometimes as the performers themselves) Ashford & Simpson. At the 2019 GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends earlier this year, they were honored with the Recording Academy's Trustees Award.

During the celebration, Simpson served up a powerful rendition, along with Kenny Lattimore, of one of the songs they penned and produced while working at the iconic Motown, "You're All I Need To Get By." The love song was recorded by none other than Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1968.

Asia Ashford Celebrates Ashford & Simpson's Legacy

Asia Ashford, the daughter of the two honorees, was there to celebrate with her mother, rocking her dad's fabulous vintage gold, beaded jacket.

"I'm pretty sure that he would've been be elated and just so happy to be here, and it's well deserved," Ashford said, smiling. "[My parent's] wrote melodies and they wrote really good lyrics together. I feel like future generations are not writing lyrics as poignant as we're used to hearing, so I hope that [their legacy] effects it well."

The fourth annual GRAMMY Salute extravaganza took place in the heart of Hollywood to honor all of the Recording Academy's 2019 Special Merit Award recipients. Ashford & Simpson were two out of four artists presented with the Recording Academy's prestigious Trustees Award during this year's show. Lou Adler and Johnny Mandel were the other recipients of the honor this year, given to celebrate exemplary contributors to music, outside of performance.

Black Sabbath, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam & Dave and Dionne Warwick are the 2019 recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, and were also celebrated at the show.

Don't forget to tune into GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends on Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check your local listings) to watch Simpson's and Lattimore's full performance, plus more magical moments.

Watch: Lalah Hathaway Honors Late Father Donny Hathaway In Moving GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends Performance