Although the mainstream is celebrating the "sweep" of wins from out-of-rehab songstress Amy Winehouse, some other major wins during last night's Grammy Awards are going virtually unnoticed.Not if I have anything to do with it.
Kudos to Herbie Hancock for winning the coveted "Album of the Year" award for his remarkable homage to the musical tapestry of folk singer Joni Mitchell. The win marks the first time in 43 years since a jazz project walked away with the night's biggest award.
Elsewhere, groundbreaking gospel quartet The Clark Sisters were honored for the first time by the Recording Academy.
And what an honor it was: the Detroit native sanctified soul singing siblings (comprised of Karen Clark Sheard, Dorinda Clark Cole, Jacky Clark-Chisholm and Twinkie Clark (not shown)) won three awards; Best Gospel Performance, Best Gospel Song and Best Traditional Gospel Album for their latest #1 CD 'Live – One Last Time.'
Clark-Sheard, a vocal acrobat, was the lead writer on the group's current hit single 'Blessed & Highly Favored,' which won two of the awards.
The gospel pioneers -- whose 1979 song 'You Brought the Sunshine' was one of the first gospel to cross over to secular radio stations -- capped off the evening with a joy-jumping, foot-stomping performance with Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, BeBe Winans, Trinitee 5:7 and Israel and New Breed.
Bishop T.D. Jakes, who is releasing a new Clark Sisters project via the Dexterity Records/Rhino label tomorrow, issued a statement congratulating the group on the first ever Grammy wins of their 35-year professional recording career.
"I was thrilled to hear that the Clark sisters won 3 Grammy awards tonight. But I was not surprised. They continue to provide the music that uplifts the soul and blesses the hearts of millions!"
Patti Austin also finally was honored in a way that is momentous to her tremendous vocal talent.
The powerhouse chanteuse -- who will blow Winehouse into a wine house with one good belt – won the Best Jazz Vocal Album award for her sublime collection, 'Avant Gershwin. It was her ninth time being nominated in the category and the first time winning.
"I was sitting there and when they said Avant. I thought 'who is that?,' she shared. "What fun to have worked for this. A conscious decision to go after it. It does not define me. I do understand that that's the way the world perceives you. I enjoyed going after it ...There is a bit of superficiality to it but it's fun."Most popular for her smooth jazz staple 'Baby Come to Me,' Austin stated: "Jazz lives and people love it ...they just need the opportunity to hear it. They will pay for it...it just needs to be made important on a media level and the Grammy's certainly help that along."
Singer/songwriter Siedah Garrett also won her first Grammy Award for the stirring soul track 'Love You I Do,' which Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson belted out in the 'Dreamgirls' film (and on the soundtrack).
Garrett, a former singer with The Brand New Heavies, previously collaborated with Michael Jackson on 'Man in the Mirror' and 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You,' and also Temptations front-an Dennis Edwards on the 1984 smash 'Don't Look Any Further.'
"Anybody that knows me will tell you that I don't do anything half way. If I'm in-I'm in," Garrett said
Comments: (21)
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By: KekeDillard on 2/12/2008 2:30AM
I was kinda surprised at how many Ms. Winehouse took home. Didn't think her album was THAT great.
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By: dimples on 2/12/2008 6:57AM
Kiki give credit where it's due her album was one of the best to hit the airways in a long time alot better than some of the songs we hear everyday I think she deserved them
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By: Cecil Jones on 2/12/2008 9:27AM
I love music and we all must admit that the music industry didn't have a geat year. Timbaland had a steroidal rage before the show aired. Kanye carved letters in his head and he cried about winning 4 Grammys? How many would he need to stop him from crying for his lost mother? Mariah, Whitney, Michael Jackson, Ruben and so many other talented people weren't even a part of the process. It was a bad year for the business. Prince and the Time showed up and almost walked away with everything. When they left so did the crowd. Isn't it sad that a 68 year old woman was the highlight? Speaking of Ruben, didn't Fantasia look a lot like Ruben from a distance? Get over it! If I can say Yoko Ono looked like the Monopoly Billionaire, then giving Fantasia a little love isn't wrong. It's motivation to have a better year. Gospel is also it's own reward.
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By: Nadine on 2/12/2008 1:54PM
I am glad Ms. Garrett won a Grammy. I have been a fan for years! Go Siedah!
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By: Ms. Unique on 2/12/2008 3:05PM
I agree with Natile Cole about Amy Winehouse winning those Grammy's. I think she is a good singer but, this was not the time for her to win all of those Grammy's. I am not sure if she is out of rehab or still going through but, she needs to get herself together first. People look up to her and will think it's OK to be on drugs, to drink, do whatever, and be rewarded? She is sending the wrong message to everybody like, she's been in rehab, but you can still be popular, people will still accept you, and it's normal. I don't think by her winning the awards is helping her one bit. She is gong to keep on doing it, people are still going to applaud for her singing, continue to buy her music, and forget about the problems she still has?
When she performed in Britain that night and was telecast; she was performing weird and kept lifting her dress. I was like, "I hope she doesn't do something stupid on TV", this is LIVE! When she performed that "Rehab" song, I couldn't believe she did that song? She shouldn't have sung that song because, she just got out or still going through rehab. She should have chosen another song.
There were others that deserved that award and I thought that it wasn't fare? I feel that she needs to take a BIG break from the MUSIC SCENE, get away from any bad influences in her life, and go to a place AWAY from everybody, where she can recover to get better. In my opinion, she has a long way to recovery. It takes time and nothing happen overnight. Anything is possible! She has to be willingly to continue to get the help that she needs.
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By: Jessie on 2/12/2008 4:20PM
Amy Whinehouse didnt nominate herself for these awards, the Academy's voting members did. Somebody out there thought it was a great album. Although her personal life isnt in the greatest shape, it just goes to show that in this country, when you mess up...you move up!
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By: Ms. Unique on 2/12/2008 4:59PM
I feel, that Amy Winehouse shouldn't have performed at the Grammy's. So, she was nominated by the Academy's voting members, she shouldn't have been televised by satellite. They did say at the beginning that Amy couldn't be there to accept her award. It didn't look good by her, singing that song she was nominated for. She shouldn't have gotten that attention being live that night. Let her recover, then start allowing her to be televised or on TV shows.
Give her a chance to recover before making appearances on TV. I'm sure they could have filled her spot with, other good artist that was sitting in the audience of the night of that show. To name one, "Chris Brown". He is so talented and handsome.
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By: Ms. "Tell it Like it IZ" on 2/12/2008 5:14PM
To Cecil Jones # 3. Who cares what music you love. You are the most insensitive perosn on these blogs. You made a comment about Kayne West and said; "Kanye carved letters in his head and he cried about winning 4 Grammys? How many would he need to stop him from crying for his lost mother"?
He is in pain and by singing the song he wrote for her; the Grammy's, Fame, ect... didn't mean anything to him. If you listened to the song you would have
understood and have some compassion. You don't! Kayne, wasn't thinking about how many Grammy's he was going to get that night! Your comment was in "POOR TASTE IN WORDS" and "IGNORANT"!
It was an emotional night for him. It's best that you keep your ignorant comments to yourself "BOO", "BOO"! I am sure the people that comment on here feel the same!
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By: Ipress on 2/12/2008 5:34PM
#3 Cecil... once again, I agree with you. This year's music pretty much sucked. I would like for them to put the spot light more on Gospel and Jazz than anything else. Amy Whinehouse got WAAAAYYY more than she deserved. But Tina was 'da bomb' I enjoyed her performance.
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By: "Dime Piece" on 2/12/2008 7:31PM
This comment is for Cecil Jones #3. I totally agree with Ms. "Tell it Like it IZ". You are very INSENSITIVE AND IGNORANT,to make a comment about Kayne. He is in pain and wasn't worried about any Grammy's at that time. He just wanted to sing his song he wrote for her. Show some comassion.
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