The Grammy Awards for Lifetime Achievement: gospel singer Shirley Caesar, jazz performer Ahmad Jamal, Charley Pride (one of only a few African American superstars in country music), Jimmie Rodgers (lauded as the Father of Country Music), soul singer Nina Simone, Sly Stone and rock band The Velvet Underground. If Sly shows up and is in decent shape, that should be quite a ceremony!
Plus the great Mo Ostin, who made Warner Bros. records a powerhouse in the 70s and 80s, and Philadelphia International hit songwriter Thom Bell, are among the Trustee Honors winners along with Ralph Peer (who recorded the first country records, by The Carter Family and Rodgers, in the famed 1927 Bristol Sessions). Alan Dower Blumlein is the Technical GRAMMY Award recipient, and his biggest achievement is the invention of the stereo in 1931.
Mo Ostin is responsible for careers from Bonnie Raitt to Prince to Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, the list goes on and on. Thom Bell — often with the late Linda Creed– wrote some of the most enduring songs of all time including most of the hits for the Stylistics and the Spinners.
Here’s a list of Bell’s credits:
- 1968: “La-La (Means I Love You)” – The Delfonics
- 1970: “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” – The Delfonics
- 1971: “Hey Love” – The Delfonics
- 1971: “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)” – The Stylistics
- 1971: “You Are Everything” – The Stylistics
- 1972: “People Make the World Go Round” – The Stylistics
- 1972: “I’m Stone in Love with You” – The Stylistics
- 1972: “I’ll Be Around” – The Spinners
- 1972: “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” – The Spinners
- 1973: “I’m Doing Fine Now” – New York City
- 1973: “One of a Kind (Love Affair)” – The Spinners
- 1973: “Ghetto Child” – The Spinners
- 1973: “Break Up to Make Up” – The Stylistics
- 1974: “You Make Me Feel Brand New” – The Stylistics
- 1974: “Mighty Love (Part I)” – The Spinners
- 1974: “Then Came You” – The Spinners (with Dionne Warwick)
- 1975: “They Just Can’t Stop It the (Games People Play)” – The Spinners
- 1976: “The Rubberband Man” – The Spinners
- 1979: “Are You Ready for Love” – Elton John (with the Spinners)
- 1979: “Mama Can’t Buy You Love” – Elton John
- 1981: “Silly” – Deniece Williams
- 1982: “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” – Deniece Williams
- 1990: “I Don’t Have the Heart” – James Ingram
The other big news is that Debra Lee, head of BET, will be honored by NARAS and Clive Davis at the annual pre-Grammy gala on February 11th. Neil Portnow — great choices, he’s working overtime this year!
