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Whitney Houston

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Whitney Houston Exhibit Opens At Newark's GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center

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The new GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center exhibit celebrates the life of the legendary singer Whitney Houston in her hometown
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 24, 2018 - 2:32 pm

GRAMMY winner Whitney Houston shook the world with her powerful voice and music for years, beginning with her self-titled debut in 1985. Now an exhibit is bringing her legacy to her hometown of Newark.

Whitney! at the GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center  gives fans an intimate look into her life through "a collection of diverse artifacts, rare photographs and footage from the private collection of the Houston Family," including several of her stunning costumes, awards and personal mementos, including scrapbooks. Houston broke several records during her musical career, and continues to receive accolades and honors since her death in 2012.

The powerhouse singer made a stir as soon as she entered the music scene in 1985, with her debut Whitney Houston—and several its singles—topping the charts and earning the star her first three GRAMMY nominations. At the 28th GRAMMY Awards the album was nominated for Album of the Year and she took home her first win for Best Pop Vocal Performance for "Saving All My Love For You," one of the album's three No. 1 singles. Her sophomore album, Whitney, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making her the first ever female artists to do so.

During her illustrious career she would take home six GRAMMY wins, including for Album of the Year for The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack and Record of the Year for "I Will Always Love You" at the 36th GRAMMY Awards. Whitney Houston was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2013 and "I Will Always Love You" was in 2018, recognizing them as "recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old."

The Whitney! exhibit is curated by the GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live, where the original museum site is located in downtown Los Angeles, with support from the Estate of Whitney Houston. Visitors can watch and revisit Houston's amazing performances and also hear from other artists on how she impacted their lives and careers, with exclusive interviews.

The exhibit launched on the one year anniversary of the GRAMMY Museum Experience opening its doors. A Whitney! exhibit was on view at the GRAMMY Museum L.A. back in 2012-2013, and thanks to the museum location opening in Newark, the GRAMMY Museum can honor and celebrate the star in her hometown. The GRAMMY Experience brings music history and culture through interactive exhibits to music lovers on the East Coast and celebrates local New Jersey legends including Houston, as well as fellow GRAMMY-winning icons Bruce Springsteen and Frank Sinatra.

Whitney! will be on view at GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center until June 2019, please visit their website for info tickets, hours and more.

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Michael Sticka

Michael Sticka

Photo: Brad Van Tilburgh

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GRAMMY Museum Announces Michael Sticka As New Executive Director

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As the museum approaches its 10th anniversary, the third-ever Executive Director is announced
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 18, 2018 - 7:10 am

The GRAMMY Museum has announced that Michael Sticka will take over as the new Executive Director. Sticka will continue to support the organization's strategic direction and vision, taking leadership on all aspects of operations including curation, programing, grants and more.

As the museum moves towards a successful tenth year, Sticka's new appointment is part of a larger leadership expansion, which also named Scott Goldman as the Artistic Director earlier in the year, and a renewal of Rita George's role as Chief Operating Officer. The Founding Executive Director, Bob Santelli, will remain with the museum to focus on expanding programs that reach past the museum's walls, including traveling exhibitions.

Sticka previously served as the GRAMMY Museum's Controller and Senior Director of Finance and Administration, playing an important role in its integration with the GRAMMY Foundation in 2017 and designing a strategic long-term plan for the partnership.

"It's not lost on me that I’ve been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead a team of extraordinary people as we seek to be a greater and more active part of our community through our vital curatorial and educational work," Sticka said, regarding his new role. "It is an understatement to say that I am proud of what our team has accomplished to date, just as it can't be overstated how excited we all are for what lies ahead."

For almost ten years the museum has been "dedicated to cultivating a greater understanding of the history and significance of music" through engaging exhibits, exciting programming with both iconic and up-coming artists, grants and more.

Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy and Chair of the GRAMMY Museum Board, highlighted the museum's accomplishment and the hardworking people behind it.

"In just 10 years, the GRAMMY Museum has exceeded our expectations largely due to the powerful vision of our extraordinary executives and the hard-working and passionate team at the Museum, which has resulted in our becoming one of the industry’s foremost philanthropic organizations dedicated to music education and advancement," he said.

The GRAMMY Museum will celebrate its tenth anniversary this December, and will continue to bring schools/students and the public a wide range of exhibits celebrating the history of music, programs showcasing conversations and performances with both established and newer artists, and grants to support music programs in public schools. Upcoming exhibits include "Jermaine Dupri & So So Def: 25 Years of Elevating Culture," which kicks off Sept. 20 with a conversation with Jermaine Dupri himself.

Visit the GRAMMY Museum website for the latest on all upcoming exhibits and events.

Prince circa 1984

Prince

Photo: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

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Auction Features Items From Prince, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson & More

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Also bid on a legendary George Harrison guitar, items signed by Britney Spears and Tom Petty benefitting MusiCares, and so much more
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2018 - 2:11 pm

Fancy yourself a songwriter who can "Shake It Off" like Taylor Swift? Into '90s divas such as Britney Spears? Want to make "Purple Rain" like Prince? How about a classic rock guitar slinger like Tom Petty? Or maybe the Beatles' George Harrison is more your style. Whatever your musical affinity, the latest Music Icons auctions from Julien's Auctions are sure to have exactly what you need.

The massive auction features two parts: one day devoted entirely to Prince and a second day of memorabilia featuring artists from B.B. King to Michael Jackson, Harry Styles to Elvis Presley, and everyone in between.

The first day celebrates all things Prince, including a 2002 Schecter "White Cloud" electric guitar commissioned by the man himself, a custom electric blue ensemble worn during a 1999 performance with Lenny Kravitz, a long-sleeved lace-up blue shirt with matching pants, signed handwritten lyrics from 1986's "Miss Understood," and a collection of set lists, tour posters and other unforgettable items.

The second day of the auction features tons of items music fans will want to get their hands on, such as Spears' demo cassette tapes, outfits worn by Alicia Keys, a handwritten poem from Tupac Shakur, the gold outfit Shakira wore during her GRAMMY Awards performance in 2007, platinum records from Madonna, a Whitney Houston GRAMMY nomination certificate, clothing worn by Cher, a guitar played and smashed by Kurt Cobain, jumpsuits worn in a photoshoot by the Jackson 5, and the auction's signature item: the guitar Bob Dylan played when he went electric in 1966.

The auction also features a slate of keepsakes whose proceeds will benefit the Recording Academy-affiliated health and human services charity MusiCares and the music education and preservation efforts of the GRAMMY Museum. These items include signed memorabilia from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Linkin Park, Ed Sheeran, and Imagine Dragons, among others.

Julien's will host their 2018 Music Icons auction extravaganza in New York City at the Hard Rock Café. The bidding on all Prince items will take place May 18, while the rest will be available during the auction on May 19.

Don't miss your chance to own a piece of music history!

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

Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston

Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

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Whitney Houston's Estate Is Working On A Hologram Tour & New Album

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Pat Houston, the GRAMMY winner's sister-in-law and former manager, spoke to the New York Times about her decision to begin projects celebrating the vocal powerhouse's legacy, seven years after her death
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
May 20, 2019 - 5:57 pm

Whitney Houston's estate has revealed they are working on several projects to continue the late GRAMMY winner's legacy, including a hologram tour featuring her original band and backup singers, a new album of unreleased material and a possible Broadway show.

These are the first major moves made by the estate, led by Pat Houston, the vocal powerhouse's sister-in-law and former manager, in the seven years since her death at the age of 48.

The New York Times reports the estate signed a 50/50 partnership deal last week with Primary Wave Music Publishing, a music marketing company in New York, to help implement such projects. Houston said the hologram "has taken precedence over everything."

"Everything is about timing for me. It's been quite emotional for the past seven years. But now it's about being strategic," Pat Houston, who is the sole executor of the estate, told The New York Times. "Before she passed, there was so much negativity around the name; it wasn't about the music anymore. People had forgotten how great she was. They let all the personal things about her life outweigh why they fell in love with her in the first place."

Larry Mestel, Primary Wave's founder, added, "Whitney was America's sweetheart, and the idea now is to remind people that that is what her legacy is."

Related: Whitney Houston Exhibit Opens At Newark's GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center

Mestel told the publication that unused tracks recorded from Houston's GRAMMY-nominated 1985 self-titled debut album will likely be included on the new album. He also discussed he is in conversation with Broadway producers about Whitney-inspired musical. Sony owns her recordings, so they will have also work in partnership with the estate and Primary Wave.

Last year the estate-authorized GRAMMY-nominated documentary Whitney offered a direct look at the star's fame and heartbreaking downfall. Now, with the new projects, Pat Houston wants to help the world remember the shining light she saw when she worked with her 20 years ago: "I watched a woman go onstage, and was just absolutely flawless."

Dolly Parton Talks Legacy, Equality, Whitney Houston & More

GRAMMY In The Schools Live!

Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images

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GRAMMY In The Schools Live! 2019 Celebrates The Power Of Music & Educators

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The lively GRAMMY Week event celebrated its 10th year with performances from GRAMMY Camp alumni and moving speeches from Music Educator Award honoree Jeffery Redding
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Feb 8, 2019 - 7:32 pm

On Thursday, Feb. 7, The Montalbán in Hollywood was filled with music, laughter, cheers and plenty of inspiring stories as GRAMMY In The Schools Live! celebrated its 10th annual GRAMMY Week event. The evening's music was provided by the talented GRAMMY Camp Alumni Band, who not only wowed the packed theater with show-stopping covers but poignantly answered high school students' questions about being an artist in the real world.

One of the highlights of the night was meeting Music Educator Award honoree, choir teacher Jeffery Redding, and hearing his passion for music and how uses it to inspire his students at West Orange High School in Florida. "Your job is to maximize the gifts that have been given to you," he said during his speech.

GRAMMY In The Schools Live! 2019

The band brought together nine young musicians from across the U.S., all of whom were once aspiring musicians honing their skills at one of the GRAMMY Museum's student-focused offerings: GRAMMY Camp, GRAMMY Camp—Jazz Session, or the GRAMMY Museum Summer Session. In addition to tearing up the stage covering hits from the likes of GRAMMY winners Justin Timberlake and The Weeknd, they answered students' questions, fielded by David Sears, the museum's Executive Education Director.

The talented group showcased not only their musical prowess on stage, but also their insight into how to successfully navigate the music industry. Luca Mendoza, a pianist and college sophomore, poignantly answered a question about balancing music, school and social life.

"I think the one thing that has stayed with me is to really listen to myself and be honest with myself with what I need in the moment. It's really easy to get caught up in 'work, work, work,'" Mendoza said. "It's easy to forget that that’s what this is really about, about playing music for people, to connect with people."

These artists are shining examples of the power of music education to touch lives and allow young people the platform on which to explore their unique identities and skillsets. Programs like GRAMMY Camp, a five-day summer intensive with eight tracks spanning potential music industry careers, from audio engineering to vocal performance to music journalism, offer participants practical experience and advice to help them dive deeper into their passions, and allows them to connect with other young aspiring artists.

Thoughtful educators also play a huge role in helping students to find their joy—Music Educator Award honoree Redding is one such teacher. A powerful segment from "CBS This Morning" offered a look into how the choir teacher has made a meaningful impact on all his students.

"I stand here humbly as a music educator here to serve," Redding declared as he took the stage. After sharing how music had helped both him and so many others he's worked with overcome live's challenges, he encouraged the students in the audience to share their talents with the world. "Your job is to maximize the gifts that have been given to you."

When we asked Redding why music education was so important to him, his passion was palpable in every word.

"Music education touches and changes lives, it inspires. In a classroom it provides a safety from the world. There's a song for everything that you're going through. It teaches community…it deals with vulnerability, with a transparent heart," Redding told us.

As the recipient Of the 2019 Music Educator Award he is recognized for his "significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education" and will receive a $10,000 honorarium, plus a matching grant for his school.

These programs would of course not be possible without one of the GRAMMY Museum's longest-standing partners, The Ford Motor Company Fund. We also spoke to Pamela Alexander, Director of Community Development for the Fund, about what the partnership means to her.

"Music education is an opportunity for a student that has the talent, or even just the interest, to really express themselves and explore themselves and grow as a person. It also means achievement, because know that schools with music education programs have higher graduation rates and higher test scores," Alexander explained.

Nominations for the for the 2020 Music Educator Award are open until March 15. Click here to nominate a well-deserving teacher in your community.

The GRAMMY Camp 2019 summer session in L.A. is also currently accepting applications until March 31. For more information, click here.

Finally, GRAMMY Week concludes this Sunday on Feb. 10 with the 61st GRAMMY Awards—be sure to catch the show live on CBS, beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT from the STAPLES Center.

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