Grammy Notes: Soul Man, Roy Orbison, Squirrel, RIP
GRAMMY NOTES:
“Soul Man” Sam Moore, the 74-year-old Grammy winner, has been asked to be the star’performer at the official Grammy after party at the L.A. Convention Center following Sunday’s Grammy telecast. “American Idol” judge and famed musician Randy Jackson, who produced Moore’s “Overnight Sensational” album, will be a special guest star on guitar in Moore’s band. Singer-composer Brenda Russell is going to join in on vocals. That should be some show…
…On the Grammy telecast, expect a tribute to the late Les Paul, the man who invented the rock and roll guitar. Among those involved: the great Jeff Beck, and performer-producer Narada Michael Walden…
…The Golden Globes had no “in memoriam” section, but hopefully that will not be the case with the Grammys. We recently lost Al Green’s amazing producer Willie Mitchell. And last week, the wonderful Robert “Squirrel” Lester, founding member of the Chi Lites, passed away. Lester was a soft spoken, lanky, masterful singer and dancer. His contributions to the Chi Lites over 40 years led to their hits like “Have You Seen Her?” and “Oh Girl.” Squirrel joins his old friend, Chi Lites founder and songwriter Eugene Record, another lovely guy, in rock and roll heaven. He will be sorely missed……The magnificent Roy Orbison gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today in front of the Capitol Records tower. Roy died in 1988 at age 52 of a heart attack. His widow, Barbara, and his two kids, Alex and Roy Jr., have proudly kept his memory alive…
…Tonight’s participants in MusiCares, the Grammy Foundation dinner, get an old-school gift bag put together by Julie Kenney of Jewels and Pinstripes. Stuffed into a rolling Adidas bag are a 500 gig hard drive from Seagate, a box of designer chocolates from Chocolat, pairs of Do Denim jeans, a gorgeous pair of Converse sunglasses (who knew they made designer eyewear?), a Ritmo sound system for pregnant women, a Life is Good shirt, and a newly pressed vinyl record of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s second album, “Deja Vu.” No one does a gift bag like Jewels and Pinstripes…
