The nominations for the 64th GRAMMY Awards included a record-breaking slew of nods for an industry legend. But for 95-year-old Tony Bennett, the accolades are just the latest superlative in a historic career that has had a sparkling evolution from '50s-era crooner to bonafide icon. 

Bennett scored six nominations alongside duet partner Lady Gaga for their Cole Porter tribute album Love For Sale, making history as the oldest artist to be nominated for Record Of The Year and Album Of The Year. The legend also received nominations for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical), Best Music Video and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

The 18-time GRAMMY winner long ago staked a claim in the annals of music history, whether releasing instant classics such as 1951’s "Because of You" or his career signature "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," or creating swinging hits like "Rags to Riches." Decades into his career, Bennet maintains an unparalleled reputation as one of the Greatest American Songbook’s biggest champions and interpreters.

"Mr. Tony Bennett is truly the greatest singer to ever do it. I have learned so much from his records as a young musician and then later joining him on stage and in the studio over the years," says Brian Newman, the GRAMMY-winning bandleader, arranger and trumpeter for Cheek to Cheek and Love for Sale. "His reverence for the Great American Songbook is why I love this music so much. Pulling at your heartstrings, with every lyric and phrase."

Bennett's unmatched style and powerhouse voice (even "The Voice" himself, Frank Sinatra, famously referred to Bennett as his favorite artist) puts him in rarified air, even amongst the industry's biggest names. Ahead of the 2022 GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy honors the seminal figure with a roundtable tribute, featuring Bennett’s contemporaries, collaborators, friends and mentees.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

In No Uncertain Terms, Tony Bennett Is A Living Legend

Johnny Mathis (GRAMMY-nominated singer): Tony is an icon.   

Chris Botti (GRAMMY-winning trumpeter): Tony Bennett is one of our greatest American treasures. 

Michael Bublé (GRAMMY-winning singer): He’s one of the greatest vocalists, storytellers and interpreters of all time.  

Nancy Sinatra (GRAMMY-nominated singer): Tony is not just an American treasure but an international treasure, loved by the entire world.

Gregg Field (GRAMMY-winning producer, arranger): Tony is among only a handful of singers I’ve worked with who have a natural ability to be completely undistracted while they are telling stories through song.  

Wayne Newton (Chart-topping singer): As a performer, Tony Bennett is exquisite. There’s nothing he does on stage that is forced. It always comes from his heart. 

Clive Davis (GRAMMY-winning executive): Tony Bennett’s voice is truly perfection.  Whether it’s a pop song, jazz or blues, when Tony sings it it’s forever definitive. 

Singing The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

Jack Jones (GRAMMY-winning singer and actor): He’s been a singing star as long as I can remember, but I became aware of him in high school when I had my first kiss at a dance. His record "Stranger in Paradise" was always on the radio at the time. He sounded like what romance meant to me, singing these beautiful songs, and I got to thinking that his voice was always the most identifiable from the very beginning of his career. People like me and Steve Lawrence had to get warmed in before you could tell who it was, but you always knew it was Tony.

Gregg Field: I’ve been a fan of Tony from back when I would go to see him at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco as a teenager. I worked with him for the first time when I was a young member of Count Basie’s band. Tony loved Basie and we would do concerts together two or three times a year. Tony very much lived in his own world. I remember one time Tony and I were in a car heading to a hotel and he mentioned that like Duke Ellington, he had never driven a car because he was always too distracted by the music in his head.

Brian Newman: He really makes you feel every moment of that song and you know that he means every word he is singing. He has an uncanny ability to take words that were written by some of the greatest songwriters of all time and uniquely make them his own.

Wayne Newton: He was constantly around Frank Sinatra when the Rat Pack was in Vegas, so he’s always been a part of the Vegas genre, if you will. [They are] the superstars that really left an image on this town that has sustained for a long time.

Johnny Mathis: Tony takes me back to a different period which I remember very fondly.  We have a great deal in common because we both came up in the music industry at a similar time and were both Columbia Records artists. We were also particularly fortunate to sing wonderful songs written by some of the best songwriters of the era, and work with many of the finest musicians and producers in the world.

Learning From The Best

Michael Bublé: I learned a lot working with him. Having my hero take me under his wing was one of the greatest moments of my life and my career. It meant a lot to me and it brought gravitas to everything I did.  

Brian Newman: His humility and his longevity is a testament to how he treats others around him. It is always a supreme honor to be in his presence and he is someone I will always study and look up to.  

Chris Botti: I've had the great pleasure of working with him many times and consider him to be not only an icon, but one of the most generous performers I've ever worked with. 

Michael Bublé: He was even generous in what he would tell me when we’d be together. I said to him, "I’m learning as much as I can from you." And he laughed and said, "If you steal from one, you’re a thief. But when you steal from everyone, you can call it research." It’s a quote that I actually use a lot whenever any young person comes up to me and asks for advice. That’s exactly what I tell them: Take it all in and borrow from everyone. We’re all a culmination of our heroes.  

Gregg Field: With Tony, it's always very personal and you feel like you are being given a window into who he is. Sinatra, Ella, Luther Vandross and, of course, Tony, were masters at that. Sinatra once said: "I only need one mic and one light." What does that say about the depth of their artistry? A Picasso is a Picasso, and the frame is irrelevant. Tony can transport his audience and you feel like it’s just you and him.      

A Stacked Discography

Michael Bublé: My favorite Tony song is "I Wanna Be Around;" I think it’s one of his greatest vocal performances. I love Ralph Sharon on piano on the track; he’s one of the greatest accompanists of all time. From its sentiment, to how hard it swings and the way he and his band fit together like a glove, it’s perfection. It’s a song that became the soundtrack of my life. It’s just the most wonderful song with great lyrical content about love and also about revenge. I thought it was just so cool.

Jack Jones: For the second-ever GRAMMYs, I sang the five nominated songs when one of them was mine, "Wives and Lovers." And so I got to Tony’s song "I Wanna Be Around" and said, "Hey Tony, you gotta help me!" He jumped up and finished the song with me. It was a great moment. 

Gregg Field: His recordings with Basie, Ellington and particularly Bill Evans are certainly iconic albums in the jazz world. But Tony is the ultimate interpreter of a great lyric, especially when he sings a ballad. His original ballad recording of Stevie Wonder’s "For Once in My Life" is the very definition of great vocal interpretation. It’s slow and Tony waits. When he finally says the first line, it’s not "crooned," it’s stated. Tony creates a narrative and an anticipation for the next line, and it always becomes deeply personal. 

Johnny Mathis: My favorite Tony song is "Because Of You." While it was before "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," it is just the song that I personally most associate with Tony. His interpretation is so honest and it was very representative of the time. Also, I believe it was produced at my favorite CBS 30th street studio in New York by my lifelong friend, Percy Faith. 

Gregg Field: Tony is also a great visual artist and was always drawing on napkins or whatever was nearby. I cherish those drawings. 

Nancy Sinatra: His records and the paintings he created over the years will live on forever. I am the proud caretaker of a lovely gouache Tony made for me — plus every album he has ever made. My favorite is his The Movie Song Album. Every track is a classic.

Brian Newman: Tony's such a prolific recording artist and has performed most every song in the Great American Songbook. It's so hard to pick a favorite but here are my top three right now:  "Once Upon a Summertime" from his 1963 record I Wanna Be Around… , "Some Other Time" from the duo records he did with famed pianist Bill Evans — this is one of my favorite records of all time; truly a masterpiece. "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" off the 1970 album Something — he holds a gorgeous high note at the end that is at least 20 seconds long. Wow! 

Tony Tales From The Road

Jack Jones: One night we were staying at the same hotel and the two of us went down to the bar to have a drink. At a certain point, he pulled out his pencil and pad and he started sketching on a napkin a drawing of the guy who was sitting at the end of the bar. So we finished and I saw him crumble it up in his hand and he was about to throw it away, and I said, "Oh no, you don’t!" And he said, "You want this?" I said, "Sure I do." To this day, it’s sitting on my coffee table.

Brian Newman: There are so many great stories of working with Tony. They are moments that I will cherish and honor forever. I remember when we were in Brussels for the release concert for Cheek to Cheek, and he was hanging with all of us at this tiny bar until the wee hours of the morning. I'll never forget the great stories and knowledge that he shared with us that night.

Clive Davis: Over the years, I’ve loved often showcasing Tony at my pre-GRAMMY gala.  I would watch all the young artists and musicians in the room transfixed by him.

Nancy Sinatra: ​​Tony named a school in Astoria for Frank and when his family suggested he changed the name to the Tony Bennett School, Tony wouldn't do it. The school was named for his friend. Period.

Wayne Newton: My favorite Tony story happened at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. The guy that booked there got into a big scene with Tony for some reason and fired him. And Tony’s next record out was "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," which of course was the biggest hit in the world. Well now, the place wanted him back.

So the guy called him and said, "I’ll pay you whatever you’re now receiving and we’ll make sure to get anything else you need." And Tony said, "Yeah, I need a black glass stage." And the guy said, "What? Well, if you can come on this date we’ll have a black glass stage for you." And he hung up the phone and Tony was asked, "What in the world do you need with a black glass stage?" And Tony said, "I don’t need it at all, it was the only thing I could think of." That’s Tony Bennett, and it’s those kinds of stories that tell you more about individuals than their art.

Brian Newman: Another good Tony story was in Belgium. Our sax man Steve Kortyka, who I've been playing with for over 20 years, came by my room to rehearse some of our horn parts. Since we've known each other so long, he gave a few really loud banging knocks on my door just to mess with me. Turns out he was across the hall banging on Tony's hotel room door! I heard the commotion and when I opened my door there was Steve directly across the hall from me, facing Tony and his open door. There were the three of us, not sure what to do! Steve apologized profusely and we all had a good laugh about it. Later that night he came down to the bar and we all had some champagne together at the bar with the band.

Nancy Sinatra: On a personal level, I remember how nervous I was performing "This Girl’s in Love With You" on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Tony was in the audience smiling and cheering me on. Later on, when my father was dying, Tony was the only celebrity friend who came to visit. One evening at dinner, there we sat — the three of us, Dad in pajamas, dining quietly, not much conversation, the two legends and me. Tony respected my dad so much that he didn't impose a lot of talking. He simply followed Dad's lead. It was a sweet, lovely night.

Jack Jones: At Sinatra’s funeral, I remember we met up afterwards and he said, "What are you doing?" I said, "Oddly enough, I’m working on an album dedicated to you" and he offered to do the cover. So the plan was that he’d go to England and when he’d get back, he’d send me the cover. He went away, called me from the Dorchester Hotel and said, "What color are your eyes?" And I said, "Hazel" and he said, "Thank you," and hung up.

So I’m waiting for it to arrive and it never did, so I had to get someone else to do the cover for me. He didn’t realize it didn’t arrive and thought I was shying away from it. We wound up meeting each other at the GRAMMYs right after. I was able to tell him, "Hey, we never got the picture so we had to get someone else." But apparently,  someone accidentally put it in a closet in his office and they forgot to send it out. But we called it Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett and it became one of my favorite albums of my career.

Giving A Legend His Due

Nancy Sinatra: Tony is an American treasure who has served his country for decades. First as a soldier on the front lines in WWII, and then as an entertainer singing for the troops. His life was shaped by the terrible things he saw in the war and, as a result, Tony is perhaps the most peaceful and peace-loving man I know. I love Tony, and I treasure his friendship. Above all else, he is a precious friend.

Johnny Mathis: Tony is one of the last of his genre and he stands alone because of his unique talent, work ethic and his dignified demeanor.  He was not afraid to stretch musically yet still remained true to himself.

Gregg Field: A couple of years ago I was asked to music-direct Tony’s "Library of Congress-Gershwin Prize" PBS special, which I was very proud to have received an Emmy for. My association with Tony has lasted over 40 years; our last gig together was in 2019 at the Statue of Liberty along with Gloria Estefan. I was noticing the signs of his Alzheimer’s coming on then. I can only imagine the courage and passion it took for Tony to walk onto the stage at Radio City last year for the last time with Lady Gaga. After all the concerts over seven decades, performing in every corner of the world, it was at once incredibly moving knowing that we will not be able to experience Tony’s magic again after that night, but bittersweet that this was the perfect finale.

Jack Jones: He’s able to sing up in that high register to this day. I thought the show he did in New York with Lady Gaga was wonderful. Knowing what they were going through and the fact he sang everything just beautifully.  It was a more than wonderful thing for her to do that. It was very special, and very unique.

Gregg Field: Overall, his absolute unrelenting commitment to excellence is at the forefront. In spite of decades of passing musical trends, Tony recognized greatness, and it is always that the next generation of artists that are attracted to his music.

Johnny Mathis: He raised the level of popular music of the day while always remaining a gentleman. He’s someone to look up to and even more importantly, he’s able to bring together different generations through his music. What he contributed over his long and successful career will last, which is the ultimate goal of nearly every artist.

Clive Davis: He’s an all-time best. An all-time real deal.

Brian Newman: He really is the coolest cat on the planet.

How The Sounds Of The '70s Took Over The 2022 GRAMMYs: The Return Of ABBA, The Throwback Vibes Of Silk Sonic & More

It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

The Rise Of Underground House: How Artists Like Fisher & Acraze Have Taken Tech House, Other Electronic Genres From Indie To EDC

Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,  Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage, the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself, details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside, reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [Laughs]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside. We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore?

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go. If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts, and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on "Viva La Bam" back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [Laughs] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [Laughs] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

Living Legends: Nancy Sinatra Reflects On Creating "Power And Magic" In Studio, Developing A Legacy Beyond "Boots" & The Pop Stars She Wants To Work With

Country music's evolution is well represented in the 2023 GRAMMY nominees for Best Country Solo Performance. From crossover pop hooks to red-dirt outlaw roots, the genre's most celebrated elements are on full display — thanks to rising stars, leading ladies and country icons.

Longtime hitmaker Miranda Lambert delivered a soulful performance on the rootsy ballad "In His Arms," an arrangement as sparing as the windswept west Texas highlands where she co-wrote the song. Viral newcomer Zach Bryan dug into similar organic territory on the Oklahoma side of the Red River for "Something in the Orange," his voice accompanied with little more than an acoustic guitar.

Two of country's 2010s breakout stars are clearly still shining, too, as Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini both received Best Country Solo Performance GRAMMY nods. Morris channeled the determination that drove her leap-of-faith move from Texas to Nashville for the playful clap-along "Circles Around This Town," while Ballerini brought poppy hooks with a country edge on the infectiously upbeat "HEARTFIRST."

Rounding out the category is the one and only Willie Nelson, who paid tribute to his late friend Billy Joe Shaver with a cover of "Live Forever" — a fitting sentiment for the 89-year-old legend, who is approaching his eighth decade in the business. 

As the excitement builds for the 2023 GRAMMYs on Feb. 5, 2023, let's take a closer look at this year's nominees for Best Country Solo Performance.

Kelsea Ballerini — "HEARTFIRST"

In the tradition of Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini represents Nashville's sunnier side — and her single "HEARTFIRST" is a slice of bright, uptempo, confectionary country-pop for the ages.

Ballerini sings about leaning into a carefree crush with her heart on her sleeve, pushing aside her reservations and taking a risk on love at first sight. The scene plays out in a bar room and a back seat, as she sweeps nimbly through the verses and into a shimmering chorus, when the narrator decides she's ready to "wake up in your T-shirt." 

There are enough steel guitar licks to let you know you're listening to a country song, but the story and melody are universal. "HEARTFIRST" is Ballerini's third GRAMMY nod, but first in the Best Country Solo Performance category.

Zach Bryan — "Something In The Orange"

Zach Bryan blew into Music City seemingly from nowhere in 2017, when his original song "Heading South" — recorded on an iPhone — went viral. Then an active officer in the U.S. Navy, the Oklahoma native chased his muse through music during his downtime, striking a chord with country music fans on stark songs led by his acoustic guitar and affecting vocals.

After his honorable discharge in 2021, Bryan began his music career in earnest, and in 2022 released "Something in the Orange," a haunting ballad that stakes a convincing claim to the territory between Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell in both sonics and songwriting. Slashing slide guitar drives home the song's heartbreak, as Bryan pines for a lover whose tail lights have long since vanished over the horizon. 

"Something In The Orange" marks Bryan's first-ever GRAMMY nomination.

Miranda Lambert — "In His Arms"

Miranda Lambert is the rare, chart-topping contemporary country artist who does more than pay lip service to the genre's rural American roots. "In His Arms" originally surfaced on 2021's The Marfa Tapes, a casual recording Lambert made with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall in Marfa, Texas — a tiny arts enclave in the middle of the west Texas high desert.

In this proper studio version — recorded for her 2022 album, Palomino — Lambert retains the structure and organic feel of the mostly acoustic song; light percussion and soothing atmospherics keep her emotive vocals front and center. A native Texan herself, Lambert sounds fully at home on "In His Arms."

Lambert is the only Best Country Solo Performance nominee who is nominated in all four Country Field categories in 2023. To date, Miranda Lambert has won 3 GRAMMYs and received 27 nominations overall. 

Maren Morris — "Circles Around This Town"

When Maren Morris found herself uninspired and dealing with writer's block, she went back to what inspired her to move to Nashville nearly a decade ago — and out came "Circles Around This Town," the lead single from her 2022 album Humble Quest.

Written in one of her first in-person songwriting sessions since the pandemic, Morris has called "Circles Around This Town" her "most autobiographical song" to date; she even recreated her own teenage bedroom for the song's video. As she looks back to her Texas beginnings and the life she left for Nashville, Morris' voice soars over anthemic, yet easygoing production. 

Morris last won a GRAMMY for Best Country Solo Performance in 2017, when her song "My Church" earned the singer her first GRAMMY. To date, Maren Morris has won one GRAMMY and received 17 nominations overall.

Willie Nelson — "Live Forever"

Country music icon Willie Nelson is no stranger to the GRAMMYs, and this year he aims to add to his collection of 10 gramophones. He earned another three nominations for 2023 — bringing his career total to 56 — including a Best Country Solo Performance nod for "Live Forever."

Nelson's performance of "Live Forever," the lead track of the 2022 tribute album Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver, is a faithful rendition of Shaver's signature song. Still, Nelson puts his own twist on the tune, recruiting Lucinda Williams for backing vocals and echoing the melody with the inimitable tone of his nylon-string Martin guitar. 

Shaver, an outlaw country pioneer who passed in 2020 at 81 years old, never had any hits of his own during his lifetime. But plenty of his songs were still heard, thanks to stars like Elvis Presley, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. Nelson was a longtime friend and frequent collaborator of Shaver's — and now has a GRAMMY nom to show for it.

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List

The Latin GRAMMYs may have just honored the genre's trailblazers in Las Vegas on Nov. 17, but the celebration will continue at the upcoming 65th GRAMMY Awards ceremony in February. There are five categories in the Latin Field of the 2023 GRAMMY nominations — and you can hear all of the nominees in one playlist.

In the Best Latin Pop Album category, are Christina Aguilera's Latin GRAMMY-winning AGUILERA will compete with Rubén Blades & Boca Livre's Pasieros, Camilo's De Adendro Pa Afuera, Fonseca's VIAJANTE, and Sebastián Yatra's Dharma+. Channeling their lively Latin roots while traversing pop landscapes, these albums all magnetically merge tradition and modernity.

Reggaeton, dancehall, hip hop, and funk coalesce in the nominated works for Best Música Urbana Album: Rauw Alejandro's Trap Cake, Vol. 2, Bad Bunny's Un Verano Sin Ti, Daddy Yankee's LEGENDADDY, Farruko's La 167, and Maluma's The Love & Sex Tape.

The genre-blending jubilation continues with the Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album category. This year's nominees are Cimafunk's El Alimento, Jorge Drexler's Tinta y Tiempo, Mon Laferte's 1940 Carmen, Gaby Moreno's Alegoría, Fito Paez's Los Años Salvajes, and Rosalía's MOTOMAMI.

For Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano), 2021 winner Natalia Lafourcade's Un Canto por México - El Musical is up against Chiquis' Abeja Reina, Los Tigres Del Norte's La Reunión (Deluxe), Christian Nodal's EP #1 Forajido, and Marco Antonio Solís' ​​Qué Ganas de Verte (Deluxe). 

As for Best Tropical Latin Album, Marc Anthony — a two-time winner in the category — returns as a nominee with Pa'lla Voy, alongside pioneers Tito Nieves (nominated for Legendario), La Santa Cecilia (Quiero Verte Feliz), Víctor Manuelle (Lado A Lado B), Spanish Harlem Orchestra (Imágenes Latinas), and Carlos Vives (Cumbiana II).

Listen to all of the above albums in this comprehensive, 338-song playlist of the Latin music GRAMMY nominees at the 2023 GRAMMYs.

​​Check it out on Pandora, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music — and we'll see you at Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 5!

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List