Kokomo Tribune Entertainment NOW
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1496507
Entertainment Now | April 8 - 14, 2023 By Sarah Passingham TV Media O ne of the most legend- ary acts in American music history cele- brates 60 years of hits with a two-hour tribute, "A Grammy Salute to The Beach Boys," airing Sunday, April 9, on CBS and Paramount+. A star- studded list of performers plays Beach Boys No. 1s and beloved tracks to their honored guests, band members Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks and Bruce Johnston at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Drew Carey ("The Price Is Right"), Tom Hanks ("A Man Called Otto," 2022), Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Jimmy Jam and Elton John, producer and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., iconic rock 'n' roller Bruce Springsteen and honorary Beach Boy John Sta- mos ("Big Shot") all make ap- pearances in the concert special. Recipients of the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, The Beach Boys defined the "California sound" of the 1960s with early songs and al- bums focused lyrically on themes of surfing, cars and oth- er teenaged pursuits, sonically appealing to the newly market- able youth class who were driv- ing culture and rebelling against their parents' tastes. "Surfin' U.S.A.," "409," "In My Room" and "Don't Worry Baby" high- light what the band became known for — songs about the joy and melancholic loneliness of being young with beautifully layered harmonies arranged deftly by Wilson. In a news release for the spe- cial, CBS sums up the impact of The Beach Boys, saying, "Their music came to represent Califor- nia culture and provide fans around the world with a pass- port to experience love, youthful exuberance and surf culture." They differed from other surf rock bands at the time that had a more guitar-centric sound, and they also weren't trying to out- pace the British Invasion. The band solidified their sta- tus as innovative artists bridg- ing pop and rock in the mid-'60s with more complex production and grown-up lyrics. The pinna- cle of The Beach Boys' discogra- phy and the album that com- pletes every best-of-all-time list, "Pet Sounds," was released in 1966 and pioneered several as- pects of music that seem com- monplace today but were cut- ting edge at the time. Wilson used session musi- cians to emulate Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, determined to make "Pet Sounds" a cohesive, whole-album concept meant to be listened to all the way through, as opposed to a single- focused compilation. He suc- ceeded in making an album that fellow artists, music producers and fans alike revere as a cher- ished favorite across genera- tions. Nearly half of the album's tracklist will be performed for "A Grammy Salute to The Beach Boys," with recording artist Beck bringing the maritime-themed hit "Sloop John B." to the stage, Brandi Carlile and John Legend teaming up to perform "God Only Knows," Charlie Puth stag- ing his rendition of "Wouldn't It Be Nice," Mumford & Sons per- forming "I Know There's An An- swer," LeAnn Rimes is fittingly tasked with "Caroline, No" and St. Vincent performing "You Still Believe In Me." The Grammy Awards has a knack for assembling musicians from every genre for its artist tributes during the annual cere- mony, and this special is no ex- ception. Rock, pop, country, R&B, folk and alternative artists have come together to honor The Beach Boys. Hanson and Pentatonix do Beach Boys har- monies justice on "Barbara Ann" and "Heroes and Villains," respectively, while Weezer natu- rally take on "California Girls." Jim James joins Beck to perform "Good Vibrations," a tricky tune to cover, and does double duty with his band, My Morning Jack- et, to perform "I Get Around." Some softer songs in The Beach Boys roster also get their time in the California sun, with artists known for their piano ar- rangements covering ballads. Norah Jones performs "The Warmth of the Sun," John Leg- end takes on "Sail on Sailor," and Michael McDonald and Take 6 perform "Don't Worry Baby." Carlile also covers the indul- gently mournful "In My Room" solo, while Lady A perform the slow-dance staple, "Surfer Girl." Most people tuning in to a night of The Beach Boys want to get up on their feet, and cover- ing their groove-inducing hits are Fall Out Boy with "Do You Wanna Dance?," Foster the Peo- ple with "Do It Again," Little Big Town with "Help Me Rhonda," Andy Grammer with "Darlin'," and Luke Spiller and Taylor Momsen covering a medley of "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Fun, Fun, Fun." While it's no small task to dis- til a phenomenal six decades of influence in the music industry into a two-hour special, the Re- cording Academy has mastered it. Over the years, they've hon- ored other titans of music with "Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Si- mon" in December 2022, "Stay- in' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees" in 2017, "The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to The Beatles" in 2014, and their regular "Grammy Salute to Mu- sic Legends" specials. Catch a wave and tune in to "A Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys," airing Sunday, April 9, on CBS. The special streams live and on-demand on Paramount+. John Stamos in "A Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys" Good vibrations: Musicians honor 60 years of The Beach Boys 2 | Cover story Grindstone Charlie's 1 x 4" Moore's Home Health 5 x 2"