2006 Grammy Winners

[Bright Moments]

hey guys, how could you leave out les paul?!!!

Ailing guitarist Les Paul, aged 90, wins Grammys

Wed Feb 8, 2006 8:26 PM ET

By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Electric guitar innovator Les Paul won two Grammy Awards on Wednesday for an all-star album marking his 90th birthday, but he was unable to pick them up in person because he is hospitalized with pneumonia.

Paul, whose name has adorned a brand of guitars used by rock stars since the 1950s, won his trophies in the pop instrumental performance category for the track "Caravan," and in the rock instrumental performance category for the track "69 Freedom Special," credited to Les Paul and Friends.

The tracks come from the album "Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played," his first release since 1978's "Chester & Lester" with late Nashille icon Chet Atkins. That album marked the only other time he won a Grammy. The new CD features such guitarists as Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons and Keith Richards accompanying Paul on classic rock and R&B songs.

Paul has been hospitalized near his New Jersey home since Friday, a spokeswoman for his Capitol Records label said. In a radio interview on Monday, he sounded chipper and vowed he would get better.

Ill-health forced him to pull out of an all-star tribute concert in Los Angeles on Tuesday, featuring the likes of former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, and bluesmen Buddy Guy and Hubert Sumlin. But he appeared via satellite feed.

At 90, Paul is not the oldest winner in the Grammys' 48-year history. That honor goes to Elizabeth Cotten, who was 94 when she won the award for ethnic or traditional folk recording in 1985, according to a Grammys spokeswoman.

Paul has been a dominant force in the music business since World War Two. He and wife Mary Ford enjoyed a string of hits in the 1940s and '50s with such million-sellers as "Mockin' Bird Hill" and "How High the Moon."

A passionate tinkerer, he created one of the first solid-body electric guitars in 1941, and went on to pioneer multi-track recording. He played a key role in the birth of rock 'n' roll in the early 1950s when he teamed up with Gibson Guitar Corp. to help design a sleek model that bears his name. An instant success, its basic structure has barely changed over the decades.

Despite arthritis and hearing problems, Paul remains an indefatigable musician. He holds court every week at Iridium, a New York jazz club, often trading licks with youngsters who want to prove their mettle.

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

[7/4]

7/4: "I like Gwen better when she sounds like a chipmonk."

Who is Gwen?

The woman who sang with Herbie. Gwen Stefani from the band No Doubt, now on a solo thing. She used to sing in a high alto/soprano, now she's singing with this r&b voice.

I was not watching since I was working but heard it and it's Christina Aguamalaria that was singing w/ HH - since she's on his newer album ...

Stefani is preggers now ... she was in "The Aviator" and has legs that you shoulod all know about!!!! I think she might have an inseam of about five feet. and her shit is bananas ... B.A.N.A.N.A.YES.! my daughter loves her so the room posters are just fine!

oops!

Yes, nice legs!

Now what about Sam Moore blowing the lyrics to Wilson Pickett . sheesh!

I was wondering about that...

happy to report I had never heard that U2 "song of the year"! Yay for me!

I also have never heard it.

[catesta]

Rarely does one see so much mediocrity assembled in one show. From what I have seen, so far, this has got to be the most embarrassing Grammy show. Now we know what all that payola has bought.

BTW, who was that woman screaming with Bono? She was outrageously awful. And the audience screams with delight--what are these people smoking?

I didn't see any of the show, but heard the awful clips on the radio this morning.

That was Mary J Blige doing her screaming act with Bono. I think she is supposed to be playing Nina Simone in a future movie.

[Big Al]

Now Herbie Hancock is accompanying a total destruction of Leon Russell's "A Song for You." This poor woman is simply clueless and Herbie is aiding and abetting. Horrible, and the crowd loves it! Well, at least the hired audience does.

The sad thing was, it was a step up for her as that was better than anything else she'd previously done (no real challenge there), and a giant step DOWN for him (can't beieve this is the same man who penned "Dolphin Dance")....

[Michael Weiss]

Without giving an opinion about what he was doing there with Christina A, and which one is playing up or down to who, from purely a musician's point of view, you gotta admit, if you could hear him, through Christina's wailing, Herbie WAS playing his ass off. I know it's hard, but you have to be willing to tune out all the bullshit, listen close and zero in on what Herbie was actually playing.

Edited February 9, 2006 by Michael Weiss

[sheldonm]

I think I made the same post last year as this upcoming one...

Does Pat Metheny win a Grammy every year?

.....YES!

[Soulstation1]

KW didn't say/do anything crazy??

[Larry Kart]

BEST ALBUM NOTES

"The Complete Library Of Congress Recordings By Alan Lomax," John

Szwed, album notes writer (Jelly Roll Morton) (Winner)

BEST HISTORICAL ALBUM

"The Complete Library Of Congress Recordings By Alan Lomax," Jeffrey

Greenberg & Anna Lomax Wood, compilation producers; Adam Ayan & Steve

Rosenthal, mastering engineers (Jelly Roll Morton) (Winner)

1) Could have been worse, but no

2) For screwing up the sound quality, emphatically no

[sheldonm]

...how are the musicians/performers/hacks nominated and winner chosen? Peers....fans.....???

m!

[Chuck Nessa]

...how are the musicians/performers/hacks nominated and winner chosen? Peers....fans.....???

m!

All done by NARAS - committees choose the nominees and the membership votes.

[catesta]

KW didn't say/do anything crazy??

Other than shitty performance with Jamie Foxx.

Sorry.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

KW didn't say/do anything crazy??

Other than shitty performance with Jamie Foxx.

Sorry.

damn straight! i felt kinda bad for Jamie being dressed like he should have been high steppin' his way to dot the "i" down in Columbus.

I do try my best to sing that annoyingly godawful song in the worstest godawfullestest annoyingest way whenever it comes on the radio just to piss off my girls. it worked like a charm when they liked that Avril Livigne song that made for an easy lyric change to "constipation".

[ValerieB]

Now Herbie Hancock is accompanying a total destruction of Leon Russell's "A Song for You." This poor woman is simply clueless and Herbie is aiding and abetting. Horrible, and the crowd loves it! Well, at least the hired audience does.

where was donny hathaway when we really needed him?!? of course, we always need him.

[ValerieB]

Did Wayne show up to collect his statuette?

Bertrand.

i don't believe so.

[Kari S]

SOME THOUGHTS

1. SHE TAKE MY MONEY, WHEN I'M IN NEED! Anyone else feel that the Foxx 'Ray' skit is going a bit over already? Also, Kanye should be hanged for sampling both "Diamonds Are Forever" and Curtis' "Move On Up". Talk about a safe choice! The same goes for Madonna and her Abba.

2. John Legend is da sh*t, say what you say.

3. Chris Martin sang so badly this time it made my ears bleed.

4. Why is Mary J. Blige STILL doing music and getting paid millions to be in the music biz?? What the hell was that??

5. Christina Aquarama and Herbie. No, no, no. That b*tch wouldn't sing a SINGLE clear note without all that weird yodeling. Talk about butchering a song.

6. Linkin Park's awful version of Paul's "Yesterday" would've been a disaster anyway, but then Paul himself had to be dragged down there to do some karaoke. Oh why...

7. The Sly thing we've already covered...

I'm surprised to say this, but Mariah Carey's performance and the last New Orleans thing were probably the best of the bunch, and that's saying a lot. Oh yeah, and Paul's "Helter Skelter" was pretty cool too.

Edited February 9, 2006 by Kari S

[ValerieB]

Without giving an opinion about what he was doing there with Christina A, and which one is playing up or down to who, from purely a musician's point of view, you gotta admit, if you could hear him, through Christina's wailing, Herbie WAS playing his ass off. I know it's hard, but you have to be willing to tune out all the bullshit, listen close and zero in on what Herbie was actually playing.

he was playing his ass off but definitely could have done without that setting!

[Indestructible!]

As Public Enemy (rightly) once said:

"Who gives a fuck about a god-damned Grammy?"

Cheers,

Shane

[ValerieB]

As Public Enemy (rightly) once said:

"Who gives a fuck about a god-damned Grammy?"

Cheers,

Shane

rhetorical question: and where is he today?!?

[Christiern]

As Public Enemy (rightly) once said:

"Who gives a fuck about a god-damned Grammy?"

Cheers,

Shane

I think the same could, arguably, be said of Public Enemy.

It was good to see Ronnie Gilbert looking well. One wonders what the people in the audience--those with an ear for music--thought of the crap that took up 99% of the show? As I said before, the recent news that payola is alive and rampant explains why so much mediocrity has been allowed to float to the top.

I don't care what you say about Herbie's playing last night, his musical integrity was certainly nowhere in evidence.

[catesta]

As Public Enemy (rightly) once said:

"Who gives a fuck about a god-damned Grammy?"

Cheers,

Shane

rhetorical question: and where is he today?!?

The same place Kanye West and some of the other recipients from lastnight will be in a couple of years.

Although Chuck D still gets respect.

[RDK]

Safe choice maybe, but was glad to hear about U2's win. Thought Bomb was one of the better mainstream albums of last year.

[Indestructible!]

As Public Enemy (rightly) once said:

"Who gives a fuck about a god-damned Grammy?"

Cheers,

Shane

I think the same could, arguably, be said of Public Enemy.

It was good to see Ronnie Gilbert looking well. One wonders what the people in the audience--those with an ear for music--thought of the crap that took up 99% of the show? As I said before, the recent news that payola is alive and rampant explains why so much mediocrity has been allowed to float to the top.

I don't care what you say about Herbie's playing last night, his musical integrity was certainly nowhere in evidence.

In agreement with you on all fronts, Chris! (Well, except on the Public Enemy thing!)

My question to those who've been on this mortal coil longer than I have... Have the Grammy's ever really meant anything to anyone other than those in the pop music world? The Grammy's have always been a joke to me, and most of the people I know that don't listen to pop music...

Cheers,

Shane

[Adam]

I concur with Shane. I never watch them; they've always been a joke, and everyone knows that worthy people hardly ever (almost wrote "never") get nominated, let alone win. The practice of mixing old acts with new acts is what they've been doing for a couple of years, and as far as I've heard (since I don't watch) they always make a comedy of errors.

[Rooster_Ties]

I never miss the Grammys -- but I almost always tape 'em, and play it back later. ZAP - and suddenly a 3½ hour show turns into less than one hour of actual viewing time. Some years I could easily skim through the whole thing in like 40 minutes.

I will say this - one of the best things this year was Helter Skelter. Paul did it at Live8 - and it really does work pretty well. As I told my wife: among all the things McCartney could have done, that was certainly the coolest thing he could have chosen.

That said -- like everyone else here, I thought this year was pretty snoozy. Somebody drag up the thread for last year's Grammys. I seem to remember they were a bit better than some other recent years. Not this year, though. No way.

[Christiern]

My question to those who've been on this mortal coil longer than I have... Have the Grammy's ever really meant anything to anyone other than those in the pop music world? The Grammy's have always been a joke to me, and most of the people I know that don't listen to pop music...

Cheers,

Shane

Industry awards are, in the main, a joke. In the case of the entertainment industry, what originally probably is created to honor achievement quickly soon becomes little more than a source of income, and it is all centered around the annual TV show. I think the Oscars can still lure people into theaters, but I don't see Grammys selling records or attracting people to concerts or clubs.

As I have said before, on an old thread that dealt with this topic, what these trophies do for you depends largely on how you work them. When a friend of mine was awarded a Tony for a Broadway musical, he immediately hired a PR person to exploit it. The Tony functioned as an excuse for media exposure and that, in turn, brought more work. One job alone paid for the PR person. The rest of the show's Tony winners did nothing but sit around and wait for their award to attract people--that usually doesn't work. These things are quickly forgotten, so one has to milk them while they're hot.

I have a couple of Grammys collecting dust in a corner. They never did anything for my career, but they might have if I hadn't simply brought them home and made them a part of the knick-knack inventory.

The pop music world, being largely based on hype (especially in recent years), undoubtedly reaps Grammy benefits, even if it is all a joke. I think the awards are more apt to have an influence on the media and bookers than on the consumers.

One thing is certain, the awards should not be seen as a measure of talent.