We’re formally arising on Grammy season — however proper earlier than that, on this week between Christmas and New Yr’s, it’s Grammy commemoration season, because of a few two-hour throwback specials premiering on CBS. First, on Friday night time, comes “Grammy Greats: The Tales Behind the Songs,” devoted to the winners within the Music of the Yr class. Following that on Sunday is “Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments,” a present largely comprised of a number of the uncommon or exceptional duet pairings which have been put collectively for the annual awards telecast over time, together with singular moments.
Each specials are the handiwork of producer Ken Ehrlich, who carry critical enyclopedic and institutional data to those “clip reveals” — he was behind each Grammys telecast (bar one) from 1980 via 2020. Apart from discovering the correct excerpts and tales to inform, Ehrlich interviewed most of the artists which are featured on the 2 specials, together with Billie Eilish and Finneas, Joni Mitchell, Dua Lipa, Sting, Elton John, John Mayer, Annie Lennox, St. Vincent, Bonnie Raitt, LL Cool J, Luke Combs, Kenny Loggins and Brandi Carlile.
The weekend’s twin Grammy specials full a trifecta during which Ehrlich produced three reveals which are airing on CBS in the midst of one week; the primary was an Andrea Bocelli Christmas particular that premiered on Christmas Eve. It’s not fairly a primary for him, to be accountable for that a lot concentrated starpower in a single relative fell swoop, but it surely’s the primary time he’s had fairly that a lot content material on the air without delay in 25 years, as he explains.
Ehrlich sat down to speak with Selection about “Grammy Greats: The Tales Behind the Songs,” which bows Friday at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and the “Memorable Moments” present, which premieres Sunday in the identical time slot. (Gayle King cohosts each specials; nation star Mickey Guyton shares duties on the previous, whereas Jimmy Jam is the cohost of the latter.)
CBS shouldn’t be going to invoice this as Ken Ehrlich Week, however along with your three specials on the community in lower than seven days, possibly we’re free to unofficially name it that.
I’d keep away from that. That sounds so unhealthy! However I’ll let you know that that there’s a precedent. In Thanksgiving 1999, we did three large specials on one weekend — Ricky Martin, Shania and Celine. We did a number of specials with all of them, however the one with Ricky was his first, and I bear in mind (the interval) as a result of we opened the present in Liberty State Park throughout from the Twin Towers, which have been nonetheless up. In order that was three one-hour reveals in a single weekend.
The Andrea Bocelli particular you probably did that ran Christmas Eve was executed in one thing of a rush, as we perceive it. However you should have had fairly some time to do the 2 Grammy commemorative specials, there are such a lot of stars you bought to take a seat right down to do interviews for these.
The Grammy reveals we did over the summer season. We had executed Elton (John’s Gershwin Prize particular for PBS in April or Might, after which in July we began doing these Grammy clip reveals. They weren’t laborious to do, however they have been labor-intensive, as a result of for the 2 reveals I most likely did 15 or 16 interviews, possibly extra, and most of them have been in particular person. Sting was in particular person, John Mayer was in particular person, Billie Eilish and Finneas… and Annie Lennox, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, St. Vincent, Mark Ronson, all in particular person. There have been a couple of who we interviewed nearly — Dua Lipa, Girl A, Keith City. It stuffed the summer season, and we delivered the 2 reveals in early September. They have been enjoyable to do.
The Bocelli present didn’t exist till about 5 weeks in the past. We simply pitched it as… I don’t need to say as a whim. However I used to be speaking to Branden Chapmen, my major contact with the Academy now, and I stated, “Hey, do you assume they’d be enthusiastic about Bocelli?” And we arrange a name with the community and so they purchased it instantly. After which I needed to go to Bocelli, who I’ve labored with earlier than and actually take pleasure in, and get them to say sure to doing a present actually in a interval of three and a half weeks, we put it collectively. Thankfully, that they had these two sold-out concert events booked, one in Vegas and one right here in L.A., and we mainly moved in on each reveals. So I couldn’t get a number of the digicam angles and different stuff we’d usually need as a result of we mainly constructed that one-hour particular on prime of what his live performance was. We additionally added in quite a few Christmas songs that weren’t gonna be in his common repertoire for these two concert events.
At one level I assumed there was some discuss having one of many Grammy reveals air someplace across the nominations and the opposite one nearer to and even after the Grammys. However somebody wakened and stated, “Hey, let’s put ’em collectively” (on the weekend between Christmas and New Yr’s). So I simply mainly stated, “Hey, no matter you need.”
The 2 Grammy reveals each contain numerous reminiscences of segments you probably did for the Grammy stay telecasts over time. However I do know the one you probably did for Music of the Yr is near your coronary heart. What was particular about having Music of the Yr class be the peg for a particular, versus Report of the Yr, New Artist or any of the opposite awards you can have commemorated?
Actually, I’ve at all times felt that songs have been my favourite. I don’t need to say they have been my favourite class, however that’s my orientation. From the time I first began listening to music, it was all in regards to the songs. I’ve the lucky benefit of getting had my first musical experiences be previous to the singer-songwriter period, rising up listening to Elvis and the doo-wop stuff. However once I was in faculty within the ‘60s advert then loving music as I received married and having youngsters within the ‘70s, it was that stuff that I actually liked. My son was visiting over Thanksgiving and he requested me, “Dad, did you used to sing ‘Candy Child James’ to me once I was a child?” I stated, “Completely.” And I liked these songs due to the lyrics possibly most of all.
So there’s that background of mine, and mixing that with the truth that all these tales behing the songs are so private, and I had such an involvement with each the writers and the performers, it could solely be pure. And the songs that we picked for this present have been just about handpicked, to be trustworthy with you. There have been a couple of those that simply didn’t need to sit down for interviews, however I used to be truly pleasantly stunned at the entire ones that did.
I really like studying about songs. I really like speaking to artists about songs. I can’t let you know the variety of occasions I’ve sat with Elton, after which this 12 months Bernie (Taupin) due to the Gershwin present — it simply gave me a complete new purpose to get chills down my backbone, listening to them discuss these songs, and Bernie particularly speaking in regards to the lyrics of those songs. It’s simply issues I by no means knew. I imply, we learn all these books, however there’s one thing totally different about simply truly listening to them discuss ’em.
I really like the Luther Vandross/Richard Marx phase (about “Dance With My Father”); there was simply such love and sincerity there. I proceed to cite the final line of that phase, which is “He was greater than only a nice artist. He was my pal,” and he cries… I liked speaking to Billie and Finneas about “What Was I Made For?” There’s simply such a throughline there. It began with “What a Idiot Believes,” which was my first Grammy present, in 1980. After which we’ve Mayer speaking about “Daughters,” and Alicia (Keys’) “Fallin’”… I can’t think about there are lots of individuals which are going to tune the present in that aren’t gonna know each track that I did a bit about. These songs are ubiquitous. They’re really a part of our DNA.
Truly, Bonnie Raitt’s track, “Simply Like That,” which received in 2023, not everybody will know; it wasn’t carried out on the telecast that 12 months.
Folks nonetheless typically surprise what the distinction is between Report of the Yr and Music of the Yr on the Grammys. However for the reason that latter is absolutely speculated to be targeted on the songwriting and never the manufacturing, it does enable for some nominees sometimes that weren’t large hits — like Bonnie’s track, which was an actual shock as a winner. A dramatic ballad about an organ transplant might be by no means going to win Report, however someway it prevailed in Music.
That was a pleasure for me, to construct that phase and string out of the story of that track, which was so emotional and lived on so many planes. I imply, even the payoff of getting Dr. (Jill) Biden current her with the award, after which as Bonnie says within the story, three months later — I don’t know whether or not it was coincidental or not — (President Joe) Biden handed a transplant legislation. It simply once more continues to show to me the ability of music, that it’s not only a bunch of phrases and music. By the best way, nothing mistaken with that (extra ephemeral pop) both, however when it goes past…
I did a “Sound Stage” with Bonnie Raitt in 1975. I’ve been in love along with her in each means since that point. I didn’t do the present however I truly was very proud of what they did for her on the Kennedy Heart Honors present that simply ran.
You’ve got Brandi Carlile on the present, speaking about a number of the historic winners, regardless that she has not but received Music of the Yr herself.
Brandi Carlile has a minimum of two or three songs that in my thoughts are pretty much as good or higher as any track that did win. I imply, “The Story” is one in all my favourite songs of all time, and “The Joke” is a tremendous track. I included her within the present as a result of I wished to listen to her perspective about songs. It wasn’t simply that she’s a terrific author, however she not solely is self-analytical, however is analytical when it comes to having the ability to discuss different music in an clever however emotional means.
I really like her a lot. Each technology, I picked two or three (favorites), and she or he’s positively this one. I don’t know anyone like her. And I don’t need to say I found her. Elton and I discovered her about the identical time, with “The Story,” as a result of I bear in mind sitting in New Orleans with him and we’d discuss new individuals. That’s all he cared about. So rapidly, Brandi Carlile — we nearly stated it on the similar time, and we each stated, we love this lady. After which he informed me about how the label actually fucked that up and didn’t advertise, they didn’t assume she was something, and so they dropped her. I feel she talks about it on the present, the journey from “The Story” to “The Joke” after which past that to “Proper on Time.”
The story of “Dance With My Father” received’t be acquainted to everybody. Richard Marx wrote it on the behest of Luther Vandross, who had the title and wished one thing to commemorate his father, and Marx had his personal grief points… after which inside days of the blending, Vandross had a stroke. So Celine ended up singing it on the present, after dropping her personal dad.
I’ve recognized Richard Marx over time — by no means carefully, however I assumed he was a reasonably good author. It was a compelling means that he informed that story. We went to Evening Fowl Studios, within the basement of no matter that lodge is, and I interviewed him there in a darkish room with a piano. And I feel it most likely was the vibe of that room — that studio mixed with the historical past I’ve with Luther and simply how emotionally concerned Richard received in telling the story. It doesn’t at all times translate on tape, or no matter we use now digitally, however that specific half-hour that I spent with him whereas he talked about that story and the irony of dropping his father after which writing that track and Luther telling his story about his father… I imply, it was similar to, God, once more, does life imitate artwork or does artwork imitate life? And having Celine sing it in a means that was significant for her too is form of the cherry on prime of the entire story. Luther had the stroke and couldn’t carry out, and I’m fairly positive it was me that stated, “Let me see if I can get Celine.” And her father had handed away, so she agreed to do it.
There have been occasions once I was taping these interviews with them the place they stored eager to say “you,” and I stored saying, “No, don’t say ‘you,’ simply say ‘producers.’” I didn’t need us to look too self-aggrandizing.
Having talked in regards to the Music of the Yr present, let’s discuss in regards to the Grammy Moments particular. Did you may have something in that one which felt most particular so that you can highlight?
We did a phase about In Memoriam. I do know it’s most likely morbid to take credit score for In Memoriam, however the fact of the matter is, we invented the concept of placing music within the In Memoriam. And it goes again to the Conflict tribute that we did (in 2003, after Joe Strummer’s dying). Earlier than that, the reality is, there wasn’t time, or we didn’t assume there was curiosity on behalf of a broad, normal viewers. I by no means wished to do an In Memoriam phase. Particularly in these days— I feel once I first began doing the present, it was two hours. After which shortly after, I feel the twenty fifth anniversary, which was 1984, I feel that was the primary three-hour present. After which it stayed at three, after which it went to three-and-a-half. Lots of people assume it’s too lengthy, and there have been years that I assumed it was too lengthy myself. However I at all times felt that doing a memorial phase was going to take up helpful time that I could possibly be devoting to one thing else.
So the one purpose I agreed to do it that first time, in 2003, for the Conflict, was as a result of I may musicalize it, and it gave me a very good excuse to place Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl and Little Steven collectively on a stage. It was spectacular, after which I preferred it and stated, “OK, we gotta hold doing it.” I bear in mind those that lots of people don’t bear in mind, like once we did Warren Zevon with “Maintain Me in Your Coronary heart” and I put collectively a bunch of singer-songwriters. Then one 12 months I had Bonnie and Billy Preston saluting Ray Charles, and there was one other 12 months I had Bonnie and Alicia doing Etta James. So it was fertile, and I liked doing that phase (for the brand new particular).
It’s enjoyable that you’ve got each Dua Lipa and St. Vincent speaking about their smoldering medley of “Masseduction”/”One Kiss”, which was on the present proper earlier than Dua grew to become actually large.
I really like Annie Clark, and her staff had been after me to try to do one thing with St. Vincent, and I wished to place her on the present however I didn’t have any purpose. After which, most likely per week or 10 days earlier than the present, rapidly Dua Lipa got here on my radar. It was like, why don’t I put these two individuals collectively? It actually could possibly be attention-grabbing. No person had a clue about what it was gonna be, which was nice as a result of there wasn’t time to consider it. I don’t assume they began rehearsing till Monday of Grammy week. And out of it got here this pretty little form of… How do I say this and never get myself in hassle? I feel “homoerotic” is the mistaken phrase. After I was a child and I used to learn illicit literature, it was “sapphic.” And there was nothing mistaken with that, you recognize? I imply, God is aware of once I did that in 2019, overlook about whether or not the world was prepared for it; it was overdue. I’ll take the hit for the Grammy present for not at all times being essentially the most superior or forward-thinking, however I attempted, you recognize; there have been occasions.
Hip-hop wasn’t at all times an enormous a part of the Grammys within the genres early years, however there’s a phase on the Moments present dedicated to the way it’s turn out to be a much bigger piece of the pie.
(In earlier years) I don’t need to say I used to be proof against hip-hop and rap, however the Grammys for a very long time by no means nominated the correct artists anyway, so I used to be caught doing Digable Planets. However finally I started to embrace it. When Harvey (Mason Jr.) got here in, particularly, it grew to become quite a bit simpler to do, after which we did do a number of the nice issues, and Jesse Collins had quite a bit to do with it too and had some actually good concepts. That 12 months that we did the T.I. and MIA and Jay and Kanye, in 2009, it was nice enjoyable…. And this present with that epic 15-minute phase that they did on the showlast 12 months, which was rather well executed. It was a mishmosh, it was a melange, but it surely was good.
Prince and Beyonce performing collectively is without doubt one of the final Grammy moments, so it was a pure to incorporate that.
I’m glad we did a Prince piece, as a result of he has a really restricted however very impactful Grammy historical past. He had offered a couple of occasions the place I had him on, but when you consider it, not a lot earlier than “Child I’m a Star” with him and Beyonce. Yearly I’d name the man and the very first thing out of his mouth was, “Do you may have $3 million?” I’d say, “No.” “Nicely, name me subsequent 12 months.” However for the Beyonce phase, he truly known as me, and stated, “Hey, I wanna be with Beyonce. Are you able to do something? I’ve this nice thought.” And that was once I went to Matthew Knowles, after which wound up with Tina at this studio whereas Beyonce did a photograph shoot, and convincing first her mom that she ought to do that, as a result of she didn’t need to do it. She was up for “Dangerously in Love” that 12 months and stated, “Why do I have to carry out with Prince?” (as an alternative of getting a solo slot, although she ultimaely received each). However Prince for me was at all times… it was a quest. He was extremely enigmatic. I actually was keen on him. He would try to be humorous with you, you recognize? Sly is a greater phrase — that’s what he was. So I attempted to present that phase just a little little bit of who he was.
Do you are feeling such as you nonetheless care about music as a lot as you ever did?
It’s not for me to say that I’m related, however the actuality is that I’ve pretty much as good a time speaking to 23-year-old youngsters or 19-year-old youngsters as I do 50-year-old individuals. It’s as a result of, for me, the widespread language is music. I’ve the son of a cousin who’s 21 and got here to the sweetening session for the Bocelli present, and after we completed the session, I stated, you wanna go to lunch? And we go to lunch, and this 21-year-old child and I had the perfect dialog that I’ve had with anyone within the final month. He’s in a band and he likes to gig and he performs round city. We shouldn’t have that a lot in widespread, however we fucking do. I used to be that means once I was 21 years outdated, and I nonetheless do this now that I’m 80. I don’t assume I may discuss politics essentially with a 21-year-old child — though I most likely may. However, you recognize, I simply discover people who find themselves attention-grabbing.
You’re nonetheless in contact with the spirit of the age once you fell in love with music.
I’ve at all times been drawn to African American artists. I simply have been proper from the start. That goes again to the doo-wop teams and it goes again to Chuck Berry and Little Richard and the Motown years, the music that I actually grew up on. I’ll have informed you the story… After I was a child, I labored for my dad who owned a textile plant in Cleveland, Ohio. He had all African American workers and I labored with them within the delivery division, in some brutal summers within the ‘50s when there was no air con. I labored there from the time I used to be about 12 or 13 until I went to varsity, anyway. And there have been these two radio stations in Cleveland we listened to within the delivery division with my two associates, Cliff and Richard — to not be confused with Cliff Richard. Cliff had a toothpick, and Richard had a gold tooth, and so they had doo-rags and so they have been my bosses on the delivery division. And that’s the place I first heard blues, and that was the music I grew up on. I additionally grew up listening to the white variations of every part by the Pat Boones and all of these individuals. However I liked Black music.
You wrote a private historical past of your Grammy experiences as a e book in 2007 (“On the Grammys!: Behind the Scenes at Music’s Largest Evening”). Did doing these specials provide you with the same sensation, trying again?
To be trustworthy, in fact it did, however I don’t need to admit that, as a result of each from time to time I’m in a room with individuals which are speaking about historical historical past and I really feel sorry for them. We did 4 reveals this 12 months, together with Elton and these three Grammy-branded reveals, which isn’t unhealthy for an outdated man.
There are 4 normal classes on the Grammys, with Music of the Yr clearly being only one. Do you assume you and the Academy would possibly hit the opposite three?
I feel there’s a thought, each on the Academy and the community, a minimum of for the following couple years when the Grammys change networks, that if individuals do watch these couple of reveals, we’ll do a couple of extra. And I wouldn’t thoughts that in any respect. I take pleasure in doing them and so they’re quite a bit simpler to do than a three-and-a-half-hour stay present.
The one factor I considered… and I didn’t look it up… There’s numerous duplication between Report and Album of the Yr, so frankly I’d should perform a little little bit of a studyto see how a lot the identical names are gonna pop up in each these classes.
Truly once we have been fascinated with these reveals, I regarded just a little bit at nation and I regarded just a little bit at R&B and I assumed, hey, there’s some actually nice performances that have been simply traditional, that I’d like to revisit, that didn’t win the album or document or track of the 12 months, however have been nonetheless nice. When individuals watch ’em, are they as accessible as this present was, or a Report or Album present can be? Possibly, possibly not, however I feel they could possibly be fascinating reveals. I’d like to dig into these catalogs, as a result of there’s a lot stuff that we did on that present that no one ever sees, and nobody most likely ever will, except they work out a solution to someway market them. However lots of Grammy’s best performances are simply undiscovered at this level. I consider a efficiency we did with Bonnie and Bruce and Allen Toussaint and Dr. John doing “Sure, we Can Can,” the 12 months after Katrina — God, it was unbelievable. So there’s all of that stuff that’s simply sitting there. Possibly it’s not so good as I feel it was, however they’re really memorable performances. I’d like to assume that as broad because the panorama is now with all these streaming companies, there’s received to be a spot for these reveals.
