Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile and John Legend took to the stage to carry out renditions of basic Motown tunes on the annual Particular person Of The 12 months gala final Friday (February 3), as held by The Recording Academy‘s business nonprofit MusicCares.
Legend sung The Jackson 5‘s 1970 observe ‘I’ll Be There’, whereas Crow sung their 1969 hit ‘I Need You Again’. For her elements, Carlile carried out Smokey Robinson & The Miracles‘ 1965 hit ‘The Tracks Of My Tears’. Robinson himself was honoured as one of many occasion’s titular Individuals Of The 12 months, alongside Motown Data founder Berry Gordy.
In an announcement shared within the weeks main as much as the occasion, Robinson mentioned that he was “so excited” for the gala performances. “These artists are my pals, and I not solely love them, however I’m honored that they are going to be performing my music, together with hits from the Motown catalogue,” he mentioned.
Elsewhere in the course of the evening, Chloe x Halle lined ‘Child Love’ by The Supremes, whereas Dionne Warwick lined ‘My Man’ by Mary Wells and Mumford & Sons lined ‘Cash (That’s What I Need)’ by Barrett Robust. The Doobie Brothers‘ Michael McDonald lined ‘Lonely Teardrops’ by Jackie Wilson, whereas Trombone Shorty lined ‘Shotgun’ by Junior Walker & The All Stars.
A couple of artists joined forces for his or her tributes, too. Valerie Simpson and Jimmie Allen linked as much as sing ‘Ain’t No Mountain Excessive Sufficient’ (greatest recognized by way of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s 1967 rendition, or Diana Ross‘ 1970 take), whereas actress Rita Wilson and Sebastián Yatra took on the duet of ‘It Takes Two’ by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston. A quadrant of Greatest New Artist nominees at this 12 months’s Grammys – Samara Pleasure, Molly Tuttle, Domi and JD Beck – additionally teamed up for a medley of Motown hits.
The Isley Brothers delivered a 4 Tops medley, together with renditions of ‘Child I Want Your Loving’, ‘It’s The Identical Outdated Track’, ‘Attain Out (I’ll Be There)’ and ‘I Can’t Assist Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)’. Additionally they carried out their very own 1966 tune, ‘This Outdated Coronary heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)’.
Different acts who carried out their very own materials included The Temptations (who delivered renditions of ‘My Lady’ and ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’) and Stevie Surprise (‘I’ll Strive One thing New’ and ‘The Tears Of A Clown’). “It’s greater than a pleasure to be right here,” Surprise mentioned earlier than his mini-set, “as a result of had been it not for the 2 individuals which are right here that we’re recognising, I wouldn’t be right here.”
Take a look at some footage from the evening under:
Dionne Warwick @dionnewarwick pays tribute to @smokeyrobinson & Berry Gordy @MusiCares #dionnewarwick #MusiCares #GRAMMYs #smokeyrobinson #berrygordy pic.twitter.com/cqmXt3aY9j
— Jennifer Su (Jen Su) (@jennifer_su) February 4, 2023
Sway with the legendary #FourTops at @MusiCares #LA pic.twitter.com/51p9rjTHBw
— Ann Elizabeth Donlan (@RedSky_at_Night) February 4, 2023
This must be one of the crucial particular moments I’ve ever witnessed in music. @smokeyrobinson wrote essentially the most lovely tune for his expensive pal #BerryGordy to honor their 6 many years lengthy friendship and sang it to him tonight at @MusiCares.
I cried my faux eyelashes off. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/wGxi0iM2Rk
— Cassie DiLaura (@CassieDiLaura) February 4, 2023
2023 Greatest New Artist nominee Samara Pleasure (@SamaraJoy99) simply blew the roof off the MusiCares tribute with “Ain’t That Peculiar” pic.twitter.com/qhkjIMJrLR
— Andrew Hampp (@ahampp) February 4, 2023
@LionelRichie shares a young second about his friendship with Berry Gordy and @smokeyrobinson throughout a @motown extravaganza at @MusiCares. pic.twitter.com/pU1gdzz2Q0
— Ann Elizabeth Donlan (@RedSky_at_Night) February 4, 2023
At #Musicares with @brandicarlile #LA pic.twitter.com/xiEtrOskMU
— Ann Elizabeth Donlan (@RedSky_at_Night) February 4, 2023
The Smokey & Berry tribute at MusiCares simply opened with The Temptations 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/20YkwINy1H
— Andrew Hampp (@ahampp) February 4, 2023
Chloe x Halle masking “Child Love” for his or her #MusiCares Individuals of the 12 months tribute pic.twitter.com/qfhAQLEofR
— Chloe x Halle Now | #PRAYITAWAY 🙏🏾🫀 (@cxhnow) February 4, 2023
MusiCares beforehand honoured Joni Mitchell as its 2022 Particular person Of The 12 months, whereas Aerosmith had been celebrated with the title in 2020, and Dolly Parton in 2019. Final 12 months’s ceremony was notably notable, because it noticed Mitchell ship her first public efficiency in 9 years when she joined Carlile, Beck, Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Stills, Jon Batiste and extra to sing her 1970 classics ‘Massive Yellow Taxi’ and ‘The Circle Recreation’.
Robinson, in the meantime, not too long ago introduced his first album of latest materials in over a decade, ‘Gasms’. The nine-track album will arrive independently on April 28, and has been previewed with lead single ‘If We Don’t Have Every Different’.
