Issachah Savage, Lalah Hathaway, Anthony Hamilton, and Nazaneen Grant, MD,

Issachah Savage, Lalah Hathaway, Anthony Hamilton, and Nazaneen Grant, MD
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

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10 Vocal Tips From Lalah Hathaway, Anthony Hamilton & More

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What we learned about how to sing your best from MusiCares and the Recording Academy Washington, D.C. Chapter's all-star vocal clinic
Nate Hertweck
Recording Academy
May 25, 2018 - 9:15 am

Washington, D.C.'s National Union Building was the place to be on May 16 for anyone interested in maximizing the musical use of the world's first instrument: the voice. Singers from various genres and backgrounds attended to learn more about caring for, resting and protecting their instrument at this vocal health clinic presented by MusiCares and the Recording Academy's Washington D.C. Chapter.

How Do Pro Singers Take Care Of Their Voice?

The clinic featured a conversation on vocal health moderated by singer/songwriter Tracy Hamlin with Associate Professor of Otolaryngology Dr. Nazaneen Grant, tenor vocalist Issachah Savage, and GRAMMY-winning gospel/R&B artists Lalah Hathaway and Anthony Hamilton. The all-star panel delivered a discussion that was anything but clinical, igniting the room into laughter, awe and epiphany as they shared their vocal habits, techniques, secrets, and insights.

For all you vocalists out there, here are 10 amazing insights, tips and tricks directly from the experts' lips.

1. Find What Works For You

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the clinic was that every vocalist needs to find out what works best for them, regardless of the wide variety of techniques out there. As Hamlin pointed out, "What works for one singer may be completely different for another." Savage added, "I cannot stress it enough, it is so super-duper important to really find out what works for you, and the only way you can do that is to know your instrument, and the only way to know your instrument, of course, is to spend a lot of time with it. Practice, practice, practice."

2. What To Eat On Day Of Show

Believe it or not, Hathaway confessed to not eating anything on the day of a concert, saying, "It makes me super sleepy and my reaction time is slow." Hamilton admitted he doesn't do dairy at all anymore, but he needs to eat something before taking the stage, saying, "I don't like to sing on an empty stomach, it just feels hollow." Savage added that he drops half a teaspoon of salt into a glass of water the morning of the show. All three singers revealed they'll have a cup of coffee from time to time, but alcohol before a show is a no-no.

3. The Truth About Hydration

Hydration is always a good idea, especially for the voice. Staying hydrated allows the vocal folds to stay limber and maintains the protective mucosal lining that coats the vocal folds and protects them from the natural friction that occurs during vocalization. "Drinking water is good to hydrate your whole body, but when you swallow, there's this thing called the epiglottis that flips over and makes it so the water doesn't go in your voice box — that's what happens when you choke," said Grant. "So [the water is] not hitting the vocal chords directly. Even when we gargle, it doesn't hit the vocal chords directly. Steam is actually what makes [the moisture] touch [the vocal chords]." She added that avoiding dehydrating substances — such as caffeine, decongestants and allergy medicines — is also helpful.

4. Hamilton's Secret Rider Item

"I chew really, really strong Mentos gum, two pieces right before I go on stage, always. It's on my rider," said Hamilton. When asked if he worries about accidentally swallowing it while singing, the GRAMMY winner said, "I've been holding gum in my mouth since I was a poor little boy who didn't have money for new gum. I can sleep with it," a response that drew a laugh from the room.

5. What Harms The Voice

After running through an explanation of the physical components that make up the voice, including visuals from a scope of the vocal chords, Grant outlined five main things that can harm your voice: misuse/overuse, dehydration, cigarette smoke/pollutants, acid reflux (more on that later), and allergies. She pointed out that one common way singers overuse their voice is when talking on their cell phone. Most people strain their voice and speak unnecessarily loud because they don't have any visual feedback from the person on the other line letting them know they're being heard. "Pretend like the person you're speaking to is right in front of you," said Grant. "[That technique helps] you speak a lot softer and not strain, so that's the trick."

6. Rest, Rest, Rest

How much rest does a singer need? It depends on the person and how they like to unwind. Hathaway, who has been on the road for the past two years, enjoys hanging out with her friends, family and dogs and playing video games to let her body recharge. She also pointed out that singing itself is so natural and fulfilling for her that it hardly feels like work. For Hamilton, cooking a meal, going for a drive, taking a nap, and walking for miles and miles outdoors helps him recuperate. Savage prefers to unplug from the world, especially social media, to rebuild his strength between shows, and he stressed that refraining from speaking is the best rest a singer can get.

7. How To Cool Down

For some singers, taking a moment to ramp down after a big show can make a big difference. "Years ago, when we were in school and we had physical education or gym, after exercise you always did some kind of cooldown, It's healthy to do," said Hamlin. "Just doing a five-note scale on a hum or 'oohs' really softly and it massages the vocal chords." While Hathaway and Savage admitted they don't have any routine, Hamilton joked, "I like to pour a little Jamieson on it."

8. Hoarseness Remedies

Defying convention, Hathaway says ice-cold water helps her voice when she feels hoarse. "It doesn't work for me to drink room temperature water during the show," she said. "Whatever it is that works for you, you have to find that, because your instrument is so unique, and once you find out what it can do, you're on your path." She also said that speaking on the day of a show works well for her as a warm-up, and shared tips on battling hoarseness she's learned along the way. Apparently, the singers in Take 6 wrap a towel full of ice around their neck to draw out the swelling, which helps with hoarseness, while Al Jarreau once told her to always work out on a show day to get the blood flowing.

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Issachah Savage and Anthony Hamilton
Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

9. The Secret To Avoid Acid Reflux

Grant explained how acid reflux occurs and how to identify it: Heartburn is a tell-tale sign, but even a bitter taste in the back of the throat or compulsive throat clearing can be signs. She recommended avoiding coffee and alcohol, not laying down for two to three hours after eating, and staying away from certain acidic foods, such as vinegar and spicy sauces. Hamilton also shared an insider's tip on how to use gravity to help with acid reflux. "It's important to lay on your left side because your stomach hangs that way, and it helps to keep the acid down — head elevated and laying on your left, because I've been dealing with that for 20-something years."

10. At The End Of The Day, It's "God's Business"

"Music is a ladder for the soul," Grant said to the singers onstage and in the audience, quoting the writings of the Baha’i Faith. "You guys are the ladder makers." While all singers are looking for the key to unlock a great voice, the panelists all agreed that, when it's all said and done, it comes down to an intangible "it" factor. "I don't believe that having an amazing sound or an amazing voice is something that can be taught," said Savage. "You can train … but the difference in having a great voice is God's business."

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

Tracy Hamlin and Elise Perry

Tracy Hamlin and Elise Perry

Photo: Shannon Finney/Getty Images

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Beyond The Beltway: A Closer Look At Washington D.C.'s Vibrant Music Community

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Members of the Washington D.C. Chapter Executive Board weigh in on what makes the city's scene sizzle and how they are helping create more opportunities for local musicians
Sarah Godfrey
GRAMMYs
Jan 7, 2019 - 12:47 pm

With a rich history and a bright future, the Washington D.C. music scene is truly alive. In fact, new music venues, both traditional rooms and more eclectic spaces, have been flooding the Washington D.C. area of late. Want to hear a band play inside of a pie shop? No problem. Require a sommelier as part of your concertgoing experience? Sure thing. Want to see a show from the inside of a geodesic dome turned giant snow globe in the middle of summer? No sweat.

An exact count is difficult to come by, but earlier this year, The Washington Post estimated roughly 24 new music venues have opened in the region, which includes part of Virginia and Maryland, since 2013. That’s in addition to existing venues—a mix of stadiums, arenas, concert halls, opera houses, amphitheaters, clubs, warehouses, at least one converted Baptist church, and a slew of coffeehouses, wineries, and breweries that also serve up live music. 

The region’s penchant for creating a music venue out of pretty much any interesting standing structure is one of the things that makes the scene in D.C. stand out, says Carl “Kokayi” Walker, artist, producer, educator, and current board trustee of the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy.

“We’re not all about policy and politics—we’re about creativity,” Walker says. “From intimate spaces like Songbyrd… to the Anthem when you want to see bands get crazy, to alt spaces, I think those are the things that make a difference in the music community here… This is the place where punk rock originated, the place where our own indigenous music, go-go, comes from, and a place we strive to make sure other musicians live up to their musicianship.”

Carl "Kokayi" Walker

Carl "Kokayi" Walker

One of the goals, and challenges, facing the leadership of the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy is making sure D.C.-based musicians have the resources they need to benefit from changes in the area’s music scene and ensure that homegrown artists always have a platform.

While growth and diversity of performances in the area is a boon for listeners, the impact on area musicians is trickier to parse. The opening of new venues doesn’t always translate into more performance opportunities for locally-based artists. And, amid all the grand openings have been a slew of closing parties for beloved local musical institutions that once served not only as show locations, but places for artists to gather. How does a scene that spans dozens of genres, covers three states, and now plays out at a dizzying number of venues stay strong and connected?

“My goal for the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy is really to create a situation of engagement among the professionals here,” says Elise Perry, producer, composer, arranger, film/television director, and vice president of the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy. “Whether it’s an entire art and music symposium or just some form of showcasing artistic talent and performance specifically, the more things we do to engage people, the more it helps the community and the more we can be seen as an engaged, connected community.” 

Elise Perry 

Elise Perry 

Perry, who grew up in D.C., says that a childhood spent performing with the DC Youth Orchestra and playing “desk drums,” to recreate the beat of popular go-go groups, meant “musical experience was absolutely part of what D.C. had to offer me.” As a result, she works to “insist that there’s recognition of the music community here and that there are spaces for our artists, so we can continue to make sure people are being seen and heard.”

Singer, songwriter, music educator, record label owner, and Recording Academy trustee Tracy Hamlin says she sees her role in the D.C. Chapter as working with her fellow board members to “engage, connect, support, and educate” members of the D.C. music community.

“When I first joined the chapter, I was an inactive member,” says Hamlin, who has been on the D.C. board for seven years. “But I said to myself, ‘You need to come closer. You only get out of it what you put into it.’ I encourage [everyone] to come closer.” 

Tracy Hamlin

Tracy Hamlin

At a time when the region and its music scene are growing and shifting, Hamlin is pulling people in and building community among artists by creating unique opportunities for performance and connection. In October, she held her inaugural Sweet Jazz and Wine Festival, an event with a charitable component—it raised funds to give two artists from low-income families a year of private instruction in their desired instrument. In a region where rents and the cost of living continue to rise, it’s a much-needed model that brings together D.C. musicians together in support of their fellow artists. Hamlin says the event is typical of the generosity of the area’s music community.

“There are a lot of folks here connecting with people from different genres, people building rapport and friendships and collaborating,” Hamlin says.

Von Vargas, hip-hop artist and producer, and the current D.C. Chapter president, enjoys the challenge of serving the different “pockets” of artists in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, and notes that artists seeking community and fellowship should look to service.

Von Vargas

Von Vargas

“Being in the entertainment industry, our careers can sometimes be more self-driven,” he says. “Sometimes it’s good to put that aside and try to make a way for others. I think serving others, taking time out to do that is important. Being [an Academy member] is one way – serving in the Academy is a selfless effort.”

Priscilla Clarke, president and CEO of the entertainment public relations firm Clarke & Associates, says that although the Washington area is more than just political ties, artists in the area should take advantage of Washington’s position as a seat of political power to advocate for themselves and others.

Priscilla Clarke

Priscilla Clarke

“Know what opportunities and resources exist,” says Clarke, who has been involved in the D.C. Chapter of the Recording Academy for 16 years, and is its current secretary, “Learn more about the chapter…and get involved in other groups with other music markers to learn what’s going on in your city. It’s important to know that you do have a voice and you can utilize it to make a change.”

Walker says that no matter how many new venues crop up, or how much the music scene in D.C. changes, a tight-knit network of dedicated artists will always be a strong, consistent presence.  

“We’re a specific, special community that watches out for our own,” says Walker. “For our creators and creatives, and people who are involved with music, and have a love of music and the business of music.”

Washington D.C. Chapter Presents: Vocal Health Tips From Lalah Hathaway, Anthony Hamilton & More

 

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Hero The Band perform at the Recording Academy Atlanta Chapter Annual Membership Celebration
Photo: Marcus Ingram/WireImage

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Report: Music & Culture Infrastructure Can Create Better "Future Cities"

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How sound planning for a creative future in our urban areas makes all the difference for artists and musicians
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Oct 23, 2019 - 2:27 pm

The future, as they say, is now. And for music makers around the world, building a future for themselves often starts at home, in their local creative community and in the city where they live. While technology has expanded communication and made the world smaller, cities continue to grow, making planning for the future a critical cultural mission of the present.

To that end, a new report by global organization Sound Diplomacy titled "This Must Be The Place" examines, "The role of music and cultural infrastructure in creating better future cities for all of us." The 37-page deep dive into community planning and development highlights the importance of creative culture in what it calls "Future Cities."

"The government defines ‘Future Cities’ as 'a term used to imagine what cities themselves will be like," the report states, "how they will operate, what systems will orchestrate them and how they will relate to their stakeholders (citizens, governments, businesses, investors, and others),'"

According to the report, only three global cities or states currently have cultural infrastructure plans: London, Amsterdam and New South Wales. This fact may be surprising considering how city planning and sustainability have become part of the discussion on development of urban areas, where the UN estimates 68 percent of people will live by 2050.

"Our future places must look at music and culture ecologically. Much like the way a building is an ecosystem, so is a community of creators, makers, consumers and disseminators," the report says. "The manner in which we understand how to maintain a building is not translated to protecting, preserving and promoting music and culture in communities."

The comparison and interaction between the intangibility of culture and the presence of physical space is an ongoing theme throughout the report. For instance, one section of the report outlines how buildings can and should be designed to fit the cultural needs of the neighborhoods they populate, as too often, use of a commercial space is considered during the leasing process, not the construction process, leading to costly renovations.

"All future cities are creative cities. All future cities are music cities."

On the residential side, as cities grow denser, the need increases for thoughtful acoustic design and sufficient sound isolation. Future cities can and should be places where people congregate

"If we don’t design and build our future cities to facilitate and welcome music and experience, we lose what makes them worth living in."

For musicians and artists of all mediums, the answer to making—and keeping—their cities worth living in boils down to considering their needs, impact and value more carefully and sooner in the planning process.

"The report argues that property is no longer an asset business, but one built on facilitating platforms for congregation, community and cohesion," it says. "By using music and culture at the beginning of the development process and incorporating it across the value chain from bid to design, meanwhile to construction, activation to commercialisation, this thinking and practice will result in better places."

The report offers examples of how planners and leaders are handling this from around the world. For instance, the Mayor Of London Night Czar, who helps ensure safety and nighttime infrastructure for venues toward the Mayor's Vision for London as a 24-hour city. Stateside, Pittsburgh, Penn., also has a Night Mayor in place to support and inform the growth of its creative class.

Diversity, inclusion, health and well-being also factor into the reports comprehensive look at how music and culture are every bit as important as conventional business, ergonomic and environmental considerations in Future Cites. Using the Queensland Chamber of Arts and Culture as a reference, it declared, "A Chamber of Culture is as important as a Chamber of Commerce."

In the end, the report serves as a beacon of light for governments, organizations, businesses and individuals involved in planning and developing future cities. Its core principals lay out guideposts for building friendly places to music and culture and are backed with case studies and recommendations. But perhaps the key to this progress is in changing how we approach the use of space itself, as the answer to supporting music may be found in how we look at the spaces we inhabit.

"To develop better cities, towns and places, we must alter the way we think about development, and place music and culture alongside design, viability, construction and customer experience," it says. "Buildings must be treated as platforms, not assets. We must explore mixed‑use within mixed‑use, so a floor of a building, or a lesser‑value ground floor unit can have multiple solutions for multiple communities."

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Dionne Warwick

Photo: ABC Photo Archives/ABC/Getty Images

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Dionne Warwick, Donny Hathaway & More To Receive Special Merit Awards

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The Recording Academy has announced this year's crop of Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY Award recipients
Nate Hertweck
Recording Academy
Dec 19, 2018 - 6:31 am

What do Black Sabbath, Sam & Dave and Julio Iglesias all have in common? They are among this year's Recording Academy Special Merit Awards recipients. Today, the Academy announced a prestigious crop of recipients for its Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY Award.

This year's Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Black Sabbath, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam & Dave and Dionne Warwick. Lou Adler, Ashford & Simpson and Johnny Mandel are Trustees Award honorees; and Saul Walker is the Technical GRAMMY Award recipient.

From their power riffs to their dark, gothic imagery, Black Sabbath arguably invented the heavy-metal signposts and influenced every hard-rock band that followed.

Among the most sampled acts of the funk/R&B era, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic’s spacey and masterfully played funk has laid the foundation for countless hip-hop hits.

Singer Billy Eckstine helped break ground for African-American artists in the '40s and '50s as a distinctive jazz singer and bandleader who crossed over to an equally dazzling career in pop.

Donny Hathaway was a versatile soul stylist who built his legend singing both urban protest songs as well as smooth, signature duets with the likes of Roberta Flack, despite his far-too-short career.

Perhaps the most successful Latin crossover artist of his time, Julio Iglesias became an enduring star on the world stage and Latin music’s most popular ambassador of his era.

Soul duo Sam & Dave (Sam Moore and Dave Prater) were one of the primary chart stars at the Stax and Atlantic labels in the '60s, bringing the passion of gospel to their wailing soul sides.

Singing the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David in the ’60s, and then scoring hits that bridged pop and R&B in the '70s and '80s, Dionne Warwick has carved out a unique and stellar career among pop/soul singers.

From the Monterey Pop Festival to L.A.’s iconic Roxy Theatre to the careers of the Mamas And The Papas, Carole King and Cheech & Chong, among others, Lou Adler is one of music’s most noted impresarios.

Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson were among the elite songwriting teams at Motown Records, penning modern classics such as "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough" and "You’re All I Need To Get By."

A versatile composer, arranger and jazz musician, Johnny Mandel’s credits include playing in the bands of Jimmy Dorsey and Count Basie and composing immortal movie and television music such as the M*A*S*H theme "Suicide Is Painless."

Saul Walker was a career-long audio innovator, teacher and mentor. From his early work in rocket telemetry to founding API in 1969, his designs continue to influence the music recording industry.

A special award presentation ceremony and concert celebrating the honorees will be held on May 11, 2019, in Los Angeles. Additional details regarding the ceremony will be announced in the coming weeks.

Emilio And Gloria Estefan $200,000 Music Scholarship Announced

Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood

Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood

Photo: Blue Rose, Inc.

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Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Miley Cyrus & Katy Perry Added To MusiCares Person Of The Year Honoring Dolly Parton

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Brooks, Yearwood, Cyrus, and Perry will join an impressive list of performers in paying tribute to the country icon at the MusiCares gala held during GRAMMY Week 2019
Nate Hertweck
MusiCares
Dec 18, 2018 - 7:00 am

Just when you thought the performer lineup for the 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year event honoring GRAMMY-winning country icon Dolly Parton couldn't get any better, it has.  GRAMMY winners Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood and past GRAMMY nominees Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry will join the star-studded list of performers paying tribute to Parton in Los Angeles during GRAMMY Week on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.

Brooks, Yearwood, Cyrus and Perry are the latest additions to an already stacked lineup of previously announced artists who will be performing songs from Parton's impressive musical catalog. Previously announced performers include GRAMMY winners Vince Gill, Don Henley, Norah Jones, P!nk, Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Mark Ronson, Mavis Staples, and Chris Stapleton, GRAMMY nominees Leon Bridges, Lauren Daigle and Linda Perry and multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes.

To the delight of fans and artists alike, the honoree will be closing out the program with a special performance as well, with GRAMMY-nominated musician Greg Phillinganes serving as the musical director for the evening.

Parton is being recognized as the 2019 MusiCares Person Of The Year, marking the first member of the Nashville music community to receive the honor. She was chosen for her unparalleled contributions to country music and a multitude of charitable causes, including the children's literacy organization she started in 1995, Imagination Library, with which she has donated over 100 million books to kids around the world.

"Dolly Parton has always been and continues to be a courageous trailblazer and indomitable inspiration for creators and artists—so for us to have the opportunity to honor her at our annual MusiCares Person of the Year gala is to pay tribute to a true pillar of strength and someone who we all look up to and cherish," Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow said. "Dolly also knows the power of philanthropy and she has used her stardom to contribute to a wide range of causes from natural disasters to education and literacy programs."

MusiCares provides a vital safety net of health and human services programs, and the proceeds from MusiCares annual Person of the Year gala go directly to the charitable organization to continue their much-needed work, which includes helping music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

The 29th annual gala will open with a reception and silent auction sponsored by Delta Airlines offering an exclusive and unparalleled selection of luxury items, VIP experiences and one-of-a-kind celebrity memorabilia for bidding guests followed by a gala dinner sponsored by AEG complete with a live auction, the tribute concert and the award presentation.

For ticket and table information, please contact personoftheyear@musicares.org.

Willie Nelson, Kacey Musgraves & More Added To MusiCares Person Of The Year Lineup To Honor Dolly Parton