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Beatles Reunite Without Julian Lennon or Band’s Famed Recording Engineer

Roger Friedman
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Beatles Reunite Without Julian Lennon or Band’s Famed Recording Engineer

When it’s all edited and ready for broadcast, CBS’s Beatles reunion show on February 9th will have interviews with some of the people who worked for Ed Sullivan on his show. And there are references to John Lennon and George Harrison. John’s son with Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, is in the audience. Dhani Harrison, son of George and Olivia, plays on one track with little fanfare.

But plenty of people are MIA and never mentioned in the special. The most glaring omission is Julian Lennon, John’s eldest son, a well known musician and photographer. “Hey Jude”– which is sung at the end of the show– was written by Paul McCartney for him when Julian was a little boy. Last November Julian released a very good new album and documentary that some press attention but quietly faded away. An appearance on the show would have been a nice way to support him.

Also missing was Geoff Emerick, the Beatles recording engineer who worked on all of their sessions. Emerick worked for producer George Martin and is credited with a lot of the interesting bits and pieces that made Beatles records so wonderful. Emerick lives in Los Angeles, has worked with Paul McCartney on many of his solo albums.

But sources say Emerick’s 2006 memoir– a really good read– was too candid for some of the inner circle. He dismissed a lot of George and Ringo’s work, and had unkind recollections of Yoko as she sat in on Beatles sessions. The price Emerick paid for his candid observations: no invite to the CBS taping on Sunday.

 

Grammy’s Don’t Help Sales, Exactly, But Music Streaming– Stevie Wonder In Particular

Roger Friedman
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Grammy’s Don’t Help Sales, Exactly, But Music Streaming– Stevie Wonder In Particular

The Grammys didn’t give any albums or tracks a particular sales bounce. On iTunes, things have remained pretty quiet with no surprise jumps on the charts of anything.

Audio streaming is a different story, however. Spotify says its most streamed song from the Grammys was Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star.” It jumped 635 percent. Stevie played “Another Star” during the Daft Punk segment with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers. People who’d never heard it before probably thought, What’s that? Real music? Maybe they’ll dig into “Songs in the Key of Life” and Stevie’s many other classic albums. We can only hope.

Here’s some other info from Spotify:

Beyonce’s sexy show-opener drove a 52 percent increase in streams of “Drunk in Love” on Spotify from Sunday to Monday
Streams of Chicago’s “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?,” performed with Robin Thicke, increased by more than 150 percent from Sunday to Monday
Streams of “One,” performed by Metallica & Lang Lang, increased by 125 percent
Whether or not they walked away with a Grammy, the following nominees and performers had the biggest wins on Spotify (according to increases in streamed tracks from Sunday to Monday):
Daft Punk: 205 percent increase
Paul McCartney: 126 percent increase
Kendrick Lamar: 99 percent increase
Taylor Swift: 67 percent increase
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: 65 percent increase
Metallica: 63 percent increase
Keith Urban: 60 percent increase
Pharrell: 54 percent increase
Lorde: 46 percent
Spotify’s streaming data correctly predicted three of the top five categories:
Best New Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Best Pop Solo Performance: “Royals” / Lorde
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Get Lucky” / Daft Punk Feat. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers

Justin Bieber: Grammy Weekend Show He’s Not Part of Music Biz

Roger Friedman
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Justin Bieber: Grammy Weekend Show He’s Not Part of Music Biz

Grammy Weekend is hereby declared over. What a week! Count the events and the players who remind us the music business is still alive. From Clive Davis’s maybe best party and show ever to the MusiCares tribute to Carole King to the Beatles tribute on Monday night– whew! And that’s not even mentioning Thursday night’s Legacy concert with Bonnie Raitt, Gavin DeGraw and Valerie Simpson among others.

Of course there were the Grammys themselves and the after parties. Quincy Jones and Lang Lang at AEGLive’s celebration in the Staples Center. Multiple winner Pharrell Williams, legendary Stevie Nicks, and next years’ winners– A Great Big World– were just some who poured into the Palm for Sony Music.

Over at Sunset Tower, we ran into a ton more players for Warner Music. And Universal Music took over a hot nightclun converted from a theater downtown.

Paul McCartney entertained his Beatles family and a few others including Johnny Depp at an Italian restaurant on Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles.

And where was Justin Bieber? Panama. Studying his tattoos. This farce of a music business act is over. Mostly what you heard all weekend is “That’s it.” His records are not played on the radio, no one knows what his album sales were. He’s got an arrest to deal with in Miami, and legal problems in California. There are reports that his manager, Scooter Braun, went to Panama with Usher for an intervention. Scooter is already back in L.A., Tweeting away about sunsets. He’s made his money with Bieber. Watch “The Elephant Man” to see what happens next. It isn’t pretty.

The only thing worse than Bieber is Madonna’s attempt to sing on stage at the Grammys during the Macklemore wedding procession. It was like listening to three cats screeching in a bag. What was she thinking? She needs a full production around her to hide vocal flaws. I don’t how it played on TV but in the Staples Center, holy moley! The sound guys turned her volume down after a few seconds. Ouch!

But the business lives. I heard so many live performers, unaugmented, for better or worse. Pharrell really did the best. I hope he will take off now. Annie Lennox must make a new record. Her voice is better than ever. Joe Walsh, between the Eagles and the Beatles, is having a Renaissance. Steven Tyler singing “You Really Got a Hold on Me” acapella from the Grammy stage, with Smokey Robinson standing right there! Bingo! Fantasia on Clive Davis’s stage, same thing.

I think I ran into Olivia Harrison about 12 times this weekend. She is just super. No one has done a better job preserving a legacy. And I like Alicia Keys singing in a lower register. She and John Legend really nailed “Let it Be” last night.

More to come. We’re back in New York after almost three excruciating weeks in LaLa Land. No one knows how to drive, everything moves like molasses, and darkness falls early every night. Yeah, the weather was good. As I said to someone who remarked about the cold back East, “I have sweaters, thanks.”

Beatles Celebrate 50th Anniversary with Star Studded TV Taping

Roger Friedman
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Beatles Celebrate 50th Anniversary with Star Studded TV Taping

The Beatles were celebrated tonight on the occasion of their 50th anniversary of coming to America with an all star concert in Los Angeles. The concert will be edited down to a two hour special airing February 9th on CBS. But I do think the full version will emerge on DVD. It would be a shame to lose any of it.

Paul McCartney, wife Nancy, Ringo Starr and his wife Barbara Bach, her sister Marjorie with guitarist Joe Walsh plus Olivia Harrison and her son Dhani and Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon comprised the Beatles ‘family’ section of the 3000 seat makeshift theater in the LA Convention Center. It was the same room used for the MusiCares Person of the Year dinner on Friday night.

And just as I told you exclusively, Stevie Wonder led a group of stars including the Eurythmics, Jeff Lynne, Walsh, Katy Perry, John Legend and Alicia Keys,  Keith Urban and John Mayer, Ed Sheeran Maroon 5, Imagine Dragons, Dave Grohl, Brad Paisley  and Pharrell Williams.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were in the audience and didn’t participate. But a few actors were used t to introduce segments: Sean Penn, Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, and Kate Beckinsale. They were all just sort of random.

Many of the clips we saw in the live show may not make it into the special. But I wish they would be used. There were lots of home movie clips, unseen footage of rehearsals circa 1968-69 during the recording of “Let it Be,” “Abbey Road,” and “The White Album.” There was also footage from the real “Let it Be” sessions called “Get Back” and the Beatles famous rooftop concert.

I Tweeted some of the proceedings @showbiz411. But the highlights, I think were Stevie performing his 1968 hit single We Can Work it Out- and twice, just to get it right. He told the audience he’d first heard the Beatles when he went to Paris as a teen on tour.

Standouts: Keys and Legend in partner pianos playing “Let it Be” and Annie Lennox singing “The Fool on the Hill.” Sheeran does a nice job on “In My Life.” Dave Grohl and Jeff Lynne rocked out on “Hey Bulldog.” Urban and Mayer were great on “Don’t Let Me Down.” Dhani Harrison joined Jeff Lynne and Joe Walsh on a haunting version of George Harrison’s “Something.”

But everyone came to see Paul and Ringo. After Ringo– the greatest rock and roll drummer ever– performed “Matchbox” and “Boys,” and led a singalong in “Yellow Submarine,” McCartney spoke to the audience.

“Tonight,” he said, “we’re remembering our beautiful friends John and George.” What followed was the magic moment of the night– Paul leading “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club” band into Ringo as Billy Shears on “With a Little Help from My Friends.” That was it, frankly. Gorgeous. Ringo joined Paul on drums for “Hey Jude” to end the show.

McCartney did tell the audience he’d had some reluctance about participating in a tribute to himself. But then he said Americans told him how much that Ed Sullivan show in 1964 had changed their lives. And that convinced him.

There was a great buzz of excitement in the room. Yoko danced a lot, and the whole gang of extended Beatle family were clearly loving the show. They sing along through the guest artists. Paul and Ringo genuinely enjoyed the night. There was a sense of camaraderie. Producer Ken Ehrlich integrated live bits from the Beatles “Cirque du Soleil” show “Love,” as well. The whole thing is going to look wonderful. CBS should just make it three hours.

PS The band was exceptional, led by Don Was, Steve Lukather, and Peter Frampton. Also, in the clips we saw in the theater, there were rare glimpses of the real “Fifth Beatle,” the late Billy Preston, the only musician ever credited on a Beatles record other than the Fab Four.

 

Taylor Swift: Had Reason to Think She Won Album of the Year

Roger Friedman
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Taylor Swift: Had Reason to Think She Won Album of the Year

Yes, Taylor Swift probably thought she won Album of the Year last night. I can tell you why there’s a video clip (see below) of Taylor a little surprised she hadn’t won when Daft Punk was called to the stage.

At Clive Davis’s party on Saturday night I happened to be standing near Taylor during a dinner break. We’d been talking. Several top record execs and a couple of artists came by to say they’d voted for her Red album. They were quite emphatic. Taylor was surprised by their intensity. I really think it was the first time she’d considered the possibility. One really famous guy told her: “You’ve got it.”

The process of winners’ names being called out at awards shows is crazy enough at places like the Oscars. The video response is controlled. But in the Staples Center, it’s like the circus. Poor Taylor. I felt bad for her when she was surprised again. But she probably got over it within seconds.

 

 

Beatles: Tonight’s Guests Include Stevie Wonder, Dave Grohl, John Mayer, Dragons

Roger Friedman
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Beatles: Tonight’s Guests Include Stevie Wonder, Dave Grohl, John Mayer, Dragons

The Beatles are having a concert tonight in Los Angeles. I broke the news some time ago that the Grammys Salute the Beatles would be taped tonight and air  February 9th on CBS. That’s the exact date 50 years ago that the group debuted on American television on Ed Sullivan.

Now I can tell you that guest stars on the show will be Paul and Ringo’s close circle of friends as well as the previously announced John Legend and Alicia Keys.

Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra will be on hand. So will Joe Walsh of the Eagles. He’s also Ringo’s brother in law. Pharrell Williams, last night’s big Grammy winner, is set for the show. Keith Urban will be joining in. I did hear rumblings about Stevie Wonder last night, but that may not materialize.

Of course, Dave Stewart, who is friends of both Paul and Ringo, will be on the show. He’s bringing Annie Lennox and they’re having a Eurythmics reunion of their own.

Don Was, head of Blue Note Records and a great producer in his own right, is musical producer. When the show is finished tonight, famed engineer and mixer Al Schmitt will make it right for TV. He mixed McCartney’s “Live Kisses” recording out of Capitol Records a couple of years ago.

The big mystery is how long the show will be. Originally it was supposed to be three hours and take up all of Sunday night on CBS February 9th. Then it was cut back to two hours, so CBS could show some series at 10pm. Tonight’s recording will take three hours, and with McCartney, who could play for hours, who knows? Maybe CBS will like what they see and go back to the original plan.

Stick with me on Twitter starting around 9pm Eastern @showbiz411 as more emerges…

Rosie O’Donnell Returns to “The View” For First Time Since She Left

Roger Friedman
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Rosie O’Donnell Returns to “The View” For First Time Since She Left

Rosie O’ Donnell is returning to “The View” on February 7th. It’s a triumphant return, too, and the first time she’s been on the show since her raucous exit at the end of 2007. It’s about time!

Barbara Walters said in a statement:  “I have great affection for Rosie and we have remained in contact through the years. I am happy to welcome her back to the program. She is always a lively and engaging guest and a part of the show’s successful history.”

You may recall that during her highly rated run, Rosie battled with Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She also went toe to toe with Donald Trump. There were many times when she felt Walters didn’t support her.

But things are changing at “The View.” Walters is retiring at the end of May. Jenny McCarthy has been a controversial addition. There’s been talk of Sherri Shepherd leaving. A permanent Rosie return isn’t so far fetched.

And the fact is, Rosie has mellowed too. A new “View” run by Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie O’Donnell is a pretty swell idea. This one time return might be a path to that plan. Anyway, February is sweeps, and “The View” wants ratings.

What’s Rosie been doing? She’s been appearing on ABC Family’s very successful series “The Fosters.” She’s also been raising her kids, doing stand up, and getting ready to get back in the game. Even I will watch “The View” on February 7th!

Grammys: Justin Timberlake Wins Minor Awards, Is a No Show

Roger Friedman
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Grammys: Justin Timberlake Wins Minor Awards, Is a No Show

What no one wanted to mention on the Grammys: the absence of Justin Timberlake, who had the biggest selling albums of 2013. JT got no love in Album, Record, or Song of the Year categories. He was therefore absent from the proceedings. He did win a couple of minor awards, but it was all very weird. Daft Punk won 5 major awards even though the French duo was never seen and probably wasn’t there. Men wearing white robot costumes stood in for them. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers were there, however, and accepted their awards.

Katy Perry didn’t sing “Roar,” which also made no sense. Pink sang two songs from a 2012 album that should not have been eligible. Go figure. Robin Thicke sounded awful with a new edition of the band Chicago.

Some tidbits: Paul, Ringo, Yoko, Sean Lennon, Olivia Harrison, et al — the Beatles unit – sat up front, watched the whole show, didn’t disappear backstage or hang out in the Governor’s Room. They really dug the show and supported it. A lot of the presenters and Hollywood non music types notably Julia Roberts did just the opposite. During the wedding ceremony march, McCartney shook dozens of hands. It was very classy.

Taylor Swift, also in front, got up and danced to several numbers.

There was way too much heavy metal, and not enough landmark moments. Classical pianist Lang Lang was wasted with Metallica.

But Lang Lang did show up later at the AEG after party, along with Quincy Jones, on the 300 level of the Staples Center. Everyone got copies of this year’s Grammy hits CD and JBL in ear headphones, plus there was a whole demo of JBL stereo products. I bought two of their Bluetooth speakers recently. I know nothing about JBL but they make excellent stereo accessories.
THE WINNERS

Album of the Year
Random Access Memories, Daft Punk

Record of the Year
“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams

Song of the Year

“Royals,” Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor, songwriters (Lorde)

Best Country Album
Same Trailer Different Park, Kacey Musgraves

Best Pop Vocal Album

Unorthodox Jukebox, Bruno Mars

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
“Holy Grail,”Jay Z f/JustinTimberlake

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Royals, ”Lorde

Best Rock Song
“CutMe Some Slack,” Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & PatSmear, songwriters (Paul McCartney & Nirvana)

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams

Best New Artist
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Pharrell Williams

Best Alternative Album
Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend

Best Rock Album
Celebration Day, Led Zeppelin

Best Metal Performance
“God Is Dead?” Black Sabbath

Best Rock Performance
“Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons

Best Country Song
“Merry Go ‘Round,” Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“From This Valley,” The Civil Wars

Best Country Solo Performance
“Wagon Wheel,” Darius Rucker

Best Music Film
Live Kisses, Paul McCartney, Jonas Åkerlund, video director; Violaine Etienne, Aron Levine & Scott Rodger, video producers

Best Music Video
“Suit & Tie,” Justin Timberlake f/Jay Z, David Fincher, director, & Timory King, video producer

Best Blues Album
Get Up!, Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite

Best R&B Album
Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys

Best Urban Contemporary Album
Unapologetic, Rihanna

Best R&B Song
“Pusher Love Girl,” James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)

Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Please Come Home,” Gary Clark Jr.

Best R&B Performance
“Something,” Snarky Puppy with Lalah Hathaway

Best Rap Album
The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap Song
“Thrift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap Performance
“Thrift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/Wanz

Best Comedy Album
Calm Down Gurrl, Kathy Griffin

Best Dance/Electronica Album
Random Access Memories, Daft Punk

Best Dance Recording
“Clarity,” Zedd f/Foxes

Best Regional Roots Music Album
Dockside Sessions, Terrence Simien & The Zydeco Experience

Best Folk Album
My Favorite Picture of You, Guy Clark

Best Bluegrass Album
The Streets of Baltimore, Del McCoury Band

Best Americana Album
Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell

Best American Roots Song
“Love Has Come For You,” Edie Brickell & Steve Martin

Best Musical Theater Album
Kinky Boots, Cyndi Lauper & Various Artists

Best Song Written for Visual Media
“Skyfall,” Adele & Paul Epworth

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Skyfall, Thomas Newman

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Sound City: Real to Reel, Dave Grohl & Various Artists

Best Latin Jazz Album
Song for Maura, Paquito D’Rivera & Trio Corrente

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Night in Calisia, Randy Brecker, Wlodek Pawlik Trio & Kalisz Philharmonic

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue, Terri Lyne Carrington

Best Jazz Vocal Album
Liquid Spirit, Gregory Porter

Best Improvised Jazz Solo
“Orbits,” Wayne Shorter

Best New Age Album
Love’s River, Laura Sullivan

Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Winter Morning Walks, Maria Schneider

Best Classical Compendium
Hindemith: Violinkonzert; Symphonic Metamorphosis; Konzertmusik, Cristoph Eschenbach

Best Classical Vocal Solo
Winter Morning Walks, Dawn Upshaw

Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Corigliano Conjurer – Concerto for Percussionist & String Orchestra, Evelyn Glennie; David Alan Miller, conductor (Albany Symphony)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Roomful of Teeth, Brad Wells & Roomful of Teeth

Best Choral Performance
Part: Adam’s Lament, Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor (Tui Hirv & Rainer Vilu; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Sinfonietta Riga & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra; Latvian Radio Choir & Vox Clamantis)

Best Opera Recording
Ades: The Tempest, Thomas Adès, conductor; Simon Keenlyside, Isabel Leonard, Audrey Luna & Alan Oke; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Best Orchestral Performance
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4, Osmo Vänskä, conductor (Minnesota Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical
David Frost

Best Engineered Album, Classical
Winter Morning Walks, David Frost, Brian Losch, & Tim Martyn

Best Tropical Latin Album
Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Pacific Mambo Orchestra

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
A Mi Manera, Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
Treinta Dias, La Santa Cecillia

Best Latin Pop Album
Vida, Draco Rosa

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Overcomer, Mandisa

Best Gospel Album
Greater Than [Live], Tye Tribett

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
“Overcomer,” David Garcia, Ben Glover & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Mandisa)

Best Gopsel Song
He Did It Before… Same God [Live], Tye Tribett

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Performance
Break Every Chain [Live], Tasha Cobbs

Best Surround Sound Album
Live Kisses, Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; Tommy LiPuma, surround producer (Paul McCartney)

Best Remixed Recording
“Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix),” Cedric Gervais, remixer (Lana Del Rey)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Random Access Memories, Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta & Daniel Lerner, engineers; Antoine “Chab” Chabert, Bob Ludwig (Daft Punk)

Best Historical Album
Charlie Is My Darling: Ireland 1965, Teri Landi & Bob Ludwig (The Rolling Stones)
The Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums, Various

Best Album Notes
Afro Blues Impressions, Neil Tesser

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition), Simon Earith & James Musgrave (Paul McCartney and Wings)

Best Recording Package
Long Night Moon, Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds (Reckless Kelly)

Best Instrumental Arrangement
On Green Dolphin Street, Gordon Goodwin (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
Swing Low, Gil Goldstein, arranger (Bobby McFerrin & Esperanza Spalding)

Best Instrumental Composition
Pensemientos for Solo Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra, Clare Fischer, composer (The Clare Fischer Orchestra)

Best Children’s Album
Singing Our Way Through: Songs for the World’s Bravest Kids, Alastair Moock & Friends
Throw A Penny in the Wishing Well, Jennifer Gasoi

Best Spoken Word Album
America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t, Stephen Colbert

Best Reggae Album
Ziggy Marley in Concert, Ziggy Marley

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
To Be Loved, Michael Buble

Best Pop Instrumental Album
Steppin’ Out, Herb Albert

NOMINEES

THE BIGGIES
Album of the Year
Random Access Memories, Daft Punk

Record of the Year
“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams

Song of the Year
“Royals,” Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor, songwriters (Lorde)

POP
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Royals,” Lorde

Best Duo/Group Performance
“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams

Best Pop Vocal Album
Unorthodox Jukebox, Bruno Mars

ROCK
Best Rock Song
“Cut Me Some Slack,” Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear, songwriters (Paul McCartney & Nirvana)

RAP
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
“Holy Grail,” Jay Z f/Justin Timberlake

COUNTRY
Best Country Album
Same Trailer Different Park, Kacey Musgraves

PACKAGING
Best Recording Package
Long Night Moon, Reckless Kelly

Grammy Show Alerts: Paul & Ringo Will Perform Together After All

Roger Friedman
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Grammy Show Alerts: Paul & Ringo Will Perform Together After All

Here are some possible spoilers for tonight’s Grammy show: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are scheduled to perform separately. Why?  I do not know. Paul didn’t make it to pick up the Beatles Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award yesterday. Ringo, Yoko and Olivia Harrison were there.

Tonight Paul is set to perform a solo song with a ‘special guest star.’Who will it be? Julian Lennon? Stevie Wonder? One source told me Paul is singing a song from his “New” album. Nu? Why not a classic like “Maybe I’m Amazed”?

I am told he’s singing “Queenie Eye” and that Ringo will play drums. If it happens, wow. Ken Ehrlich should be doing Mid East peace talks1

Ringo will sing “Photograph,” the hit he wrote with George Harrison, produced by Richard Perry. One of my favorite all time records.

Beyonce is said to open tonight’s show solo, then will be joined by Jay Z, who actually has a bunch of Grammy nominations this year.

Carole King and Sara Bareilles are doing a mashup of “Brave” and something from “Tapestry.”

There will be RIP mentions of Phil Ramone and Lou Reed. The Everly Brothers will get a nod from Billie Joe Armstrong.

Lang Lang will do a tribute to Van Cliburn, former rapper with DMZ. (Just kidding.)

Robin Thicke will sing with Chicago, the group most desired to get into the Rock Hall of Fame.

And Pink will sing “Try,” the best single of the last three years.

 

Miley Cyrus: “I Have a Dry Sense of Humor, Some People Don’t Get It”

Roger Friedman
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Miley Cyrus: “I Have a Dry Sense of Humor, Some People Don’t Get It”

Her tongue is back in her mouth, and firmly in her cheek. Miley Cyrus told me last night, after cracking a joke about her father: “I have a dry sense of humor. Some people don’t get it.”

I had asked her at Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy dinner if she’d learned a lot about show business because her father had been in it so long.

“Why would I ask him?” she replied. “What would know?” She was joking, of course, but it takes a second to realize it. She’s no one’s fool. I asked her if her whole transformation from Disney princess to semi-porn pop singer had been planned.

The essence of her answer was Yes.

In fact, Miley is only provocative in certain situations. Otherwise, she’s the example of propinquity. Last night she dressed glamorously but to attract attention. She sang her guys out on Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and on “Wrecking Ball,” without sticking her tongue out or baring her tush. When she was done with her numbers she ran over to Clive Davis on stage and said, aloud, “I hope you invite me back!”

And what’s she doing today before the Grammy Awards:

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