
Alejandro Sanz
Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage.com
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Alejandro Sanz: Stars Honor Latin Academy Person Of The Year
A cluster of Latin stars paid tribute to the Spanish singer/songwriter with a concert for the ages
On Nov. 15, esteemed GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY winner Alejandro Sanz was honored as the Latin Recording Academy's 2017 Person of the Year for his significant artistic and philanthropic contributions to the world.
Hosted at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, the centerpiece of the star-studded celebration was a concert tribute, which featured renditions of Sanz' repertoire by notable artists and friends, including Natalia Lafourcade, Juan Luis Guerra, Mon Laferte, Jesse & Joy, Luis Fonsi, Residente, and more. The sold-out gala benefits the year-round education and preservation initiatives of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation.
Aún no tengo las palabras para explicar el #PersonOfTheYear de los @LatinGRAMMYs 2017 el amor de mis compańeros. Que barbaridad de artistas. Os lo mostraré. Viva la música en Espańol.
— Alejandro Sanz (@AlejandroSanz) November 16, 2017
On to the amazing performance highlights:
Lafourcade and Manuel Medrano kicked off the evening with a performance of "No Es Lo Mismo," which earned Sanz not only Record and Song Of The Year at the 5th Latin GRAMMY Awards, but the album of the same named earned Album Of The Year honors.
.@lafourcade y @manuelmedrano cantan No Es Lo Mismo Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/7y8fXaTa3J
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Guerra graced the stage next with a cover of "Desde Cuando," which earned a Record Of The Year nod at the 11th Latin GRAMMY Awards for 2010.
.@JuanLuisGuerra canta Desde Cuando Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/ZshGqEMGyR
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
This was followed by a performance of "El Alma Al Aire" by David Bisbal. El Alma … earned Sanz not only the Latin GRAMMY for Album Of The Year for 2001, but the title track also took home Record and Song Of The Year honors that year.
.@davidbisbal canta El Alma Al Aire Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/BknrRv6QvP
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Niña Pastori delivered a lovely rendition of "La Fuerza Del Corazon," which was followed by a passionate version of "Mi Soledad Y Yo" by Laferte.
.@npastorioficial canta La Fuerza Del Corazón Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/H07QBZZX8M
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
.@monlaferte canta Mi Soledad Y Yo Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/CA3FjY4MwA
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Guitarist Jose Antonio Rodriguez and dance company Siudy Garrido with El Carpeta brought a little flamenco flare to the stage with their performance of "Manhattan De 2 Frontera."
José Antonio Rodríguez, Siudy Garrido, Manuel Fernández Montoya "El Carpeta" Manhattan de 2 Frontera Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/El6vZ6RhwA
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Rosalía took on the Latin GRAMMY-nominated hit "Cuando Nadie Me Ve" with expert pizazz.
.@rosaliavt canta Cuando Nadie Me Ve Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/r1ipjXSrYs
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Brother and sister duo Jesse & Joy hit the stage next for a version of Sanz' "Siempre Es De Noche."
.@jesseyjoy cantan Siempre Es De Noche Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/d1gVZSMWwV
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Santiago Cruz, Gian Marco and accordionist Jimmy Zambrano gave an excellent performance of "La Musica No Se Toca."
.@SantiCruz @Gianmarcomusica @JIMMYZAMBRANOF o cantan La Música No Se Toca Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/juqRbUUTHM
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Fonsi, of "Despacito" fame, took on a version of "Amiga Mia" to honor Sanz.
.@LuisFonsi canta Amiga Mía Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/ll0rNacmdz
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Next up, Nick Jonas Calle 13's Residente and Anitta had a blast performing "Looking For Paradise." Sanz' original performance of the hit song features GRAMMY winner Alicia Keys.
.@nickjonas @Residente @Anitta cantan Looking For Paradise Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/oaMjHEuG2t
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Alejandro Fernandez brought to life Sanz's 1997 hit "Y ¿Si Fuera Ella? "
.@alexoficial canta Y, ¿Si Fuera Ella? Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/obXlx6pud7
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
Juanes and Camila Cabello teamed for an exquisite rendition of "Quisiera Ser," leading into the big finale.
.@juanes y @Camila_Cabello cantan Quisiera Ser Persona del Año 2017 en honor a @AlejandroSanz #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/5b7mNLOXfq
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017
To close out the night, Sanz, along with guitarist Jose Antonio Rodriguez, gave an emotional performance of his 1997 smash "Corazón Partío" — the perfect finish to an amazing celebration.
.@AlejandroSanz emociona al público cantando Corazón Partío Persona del Año 2017 #LatinGRAMMY pic.twitter.com/ha6LFDNVRv
— Latin GRAMMYs (@LatinGRAMMYs) November 16, 2017

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Universal language: Why humans need music
Learn why music is truly a common language that is key to human development and evolution
There's no doubt music finds a way into nearly every moment of our daily lives, whether it's marking milestones such as a first dance at a wedding, the soundtrack to our favorite movie or singing in the shower for fun. In fact, it's hard to imagine times when we are more than an ear-length away from hearing another song.
But why does music mean so much to us? A powerful form of communication that transcends all barriers — music is our common language, but why?
A composer and educator with a lifelong fascination for music, Adam Ockelford has traced our connection with music back to infants and caregivers. Infants are unable to follow words, but they are developmentally primed to trace patterns in sound, such as through the songs a caretaker sings to them. Therefore, understanding music is intuitive for humans, even at a very young age, and it encourages healthy development.
In addition, there may be another evolutionary purpose for music. Music provides a sense of sameness between humans — if you can copy the sounds someone else makes, you must be an ally. This synergy plays a role in human survival because it evokes empathy and understanding, a lesson we still learn from music in today's culture.
"Music is central to the notion of what it is to be human, and spans cultures, continents and centuries," writes Ockelford. "My music, your music, our music can bind us together as families, as tribes and as societies in a way that nothing else can."
Need a playlist? Check out our favorite songs of summer 2017

Pearl Jam
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com
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Pearl Jam Named Record Store Day 2019 Ambassadors
Pearl Jam's Mike McCready says "if you love music," record stores are the place to find it
Record Store Day 2019 will arrive on April 13 and this year's RSD Ambassadors are Pearl Jam. Past ambassadors include Dave Grohl, Metallica, Run The Jewels (Killer Mike and El-P), and 61st GRAMMY Awards winner for Best Rock Song St. Vincent.
McCready was also the 2018 recipient of MusiCares' Stevie Ray Vaughan Award.
The band was formed in 1990 by McCready, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Eddie Vedder, and they have played with drummer Matt Cameron since 2002. They have had five albums reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and four albums reach No. 2.
"Pearl Jam is honored to be Record Store Day's Ambassador for 2019. Independent record stores are hugely important to me," Pearl Jam's Mike McCready said in a statement publicizing the peak-vinyl event. "Support every independent record store that you can. They're really a good part of society. Know if you love music, this is the place to find it."
With a dozen GRAMMY nominations to date, Pearl Jam's sole win so far was at the 38th GRAMMY Awards for "Spin The Black Circle" for Best Hard Rock Performance.
Pearl Jam will be performing on March 3 in Tempe, Ariz. at the Innings festival, on June 15 in Florence, Italy at the Firenze Rocks Festival and at another festival in Barolo, Italy on June 17. On July 6 Pearl Jam will headline London's Wembley Stadium.

Glenn Danzig
Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
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Original Misfits Unleash One Night Only L.A. Reunion Show
Dark punk legends to play first show with Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only since last year's Riot Fest reunion
There's big news today for punk-rock fans aware that the Misfits made much more than just T-shirts.
The massively influential punk band announced a special show touted as the "only 2017 performance in this world… or any world" and billed as "The Original Misfits" in Los Angeles at the Forum on Dec. 30.
This will be the first Misfits show featuring original singer Glenn Danzig and original bassist Jerry Only with long-time guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein since the band reunited for a pair of Riot Fest appearances in Chicago and Denver in 2016. Last year's Riot Fest gigs, which featured drummer Dave Lombardo, marked the first time in 33 years the original Misfits members played together.
"OK Los Angeles, you've waited almost 35 years for this, here's your chance to see the "Original Misfits" in this Exclusive L.A. only performance." said Glenn Danzig. "No Tour, No BS, just one night of dark metal-punk hardcore brutality that will go down in the history books. See you there."
Tickets for this "one night only" show go on sale Friday, August 25.

Lady Gaga
Photo: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images
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Lady Gaga Steps In To Support Youth Impacted By Hurricanes
GRAMMY winner pledges support for those impacted by hurricanes this year through Save the Children’s Journey of Hope program
On Oct. 10 Lady Gaga announced she is devoting her $1 million donation in support of those impacted by the recent hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico and the earthquakes in Mexico, to a specific cause — the mental and emotional well being of children and youth.
Gaga announced on her Born This Way Foundation website she will support Save the Children’s Journey of Hope program, which uses a variety of tools to help young people deal with trauma in the wake of natural disasters.
"Through a curriculum that includes cooperative play, discussion, art, meditation, and mindfulness practices, young people learn to recognize and understand their emotions and develop healthy coping skills," Gaga wrote. "Tens of thousands of youth have benefited from the program since it’s development in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Save the Children is working to bring it to hundreds of thousands more in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico."
The announcement came on World Mental Health Day, and the Fame Monster has invited all of us to step up and consider making a contribution to the Journey of Hope program to support to mental and emotional needs of children.
"Mental health is just as vital to our wellbeing as physical health. That’s true for each of us, everyday, but it’s especially important for those coping with disaster and recovering from trauma," wrote Lady Gaga. "We must do everything within our power to support the full, vibrant recovery of these communities, from meeting their immediate needs to helping them to rebuild sustainably."
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