SANTA MONICA–In collaboration with PBS’ “Great Performances” series, the Recording Academy presents “Grammy Salute To Music Legends,” the fourth annual all-star concert offering a primetime spotlight for the Academy’s 2019 Special Merit Awards recipients.
Recorded in May at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, the event premieres nationwide Friday, Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), and the PBS Video app.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Black Sabbath, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam and Dave, and Dionne Warwick. Lou Adler, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, and Johnny Mandel are Trustees Award honorees; and Saul Walker is the Technical Grammy Award recipient. Also being honored is Jeffery Redding, this year’s recipient of the Music Educator Award, which is presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum.
Led by Grammy-nominated industry icon Greg Phillinganes as musical director and hosted by past Grammy nominee Sheila E, the celebration and tribute concert features rare performances by honorees and never-before-seen renditions of their classic songs by those they’ve inspired.
Performance List
Dionne Warwick
“Walk On By” (performed by Johnny Mathis)
“What The World Needs Now” (performed by Dionne Warwick)
Sam & Dave
Medley: “Hold On, I’m Comin'”/”Soul Man” (performed by Sam Moore and Garth Brooks)
“I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down” (performed by Sam Moore)
Lou Adler
“I Feel The Earth Move”/”It’s Too Late” (performed by Jessie Mueller)
Julio Iglesias
“Caruso” (performed by Julio Iglesias)
Ashford & Simpson
Medley: “You’re All I Need To Get By”/”Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (performed by Valerie Simpson and Kenny Lattimore)
Johnny Mandel
“How Do You Keep The Music Playing” (performed by Patti Austin and Greg Phillinganes)
Medley: “The Shadow Of Your Smile”/”Suicide Is Painless” (performed by Patti Austin)
Black Sabbath
Medley: “War Pigs”/ Paranoid” (performed by Rival Sons)
Donny Hathaway
“A Song For You” (performed by Lalah Hathaway)
“Where Is The Love” (performed by Lalah Hathaway and Kenya Hathaway)
Billy Eckstine
“Everything I Have Is Yours” (performed by Gregory Porter)
“Dedicated To You” (performed by Gregory Porter and Patti Austin)
George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic
Medley: “One Nation Under A Groove”/”Mothership Connection”/”Flash Light” (performed by George Clinton, William “Bootsy” Collins, Sativa, Eddie M, Sheila E., and Snoop Dogg)
A production of THIRTEEN LLC for WNET, “Grammy Salute To Music Legends” on “Great Performances” is written by David Wild and directed for television by David Horn, with Mitch Owgang as producer, and David Horn and Neil Portnow as executive producers.