The Grammy Awards season is fast approaching prompting CBS to broadcast two new two-hour specials focusing on both Song of the Year winners plus the most iconic Grammy moments showcasing performances of the past. The programs will be aired on CBS channel before the New Years as a means to continue celebration of all time honored artists. The specials also come just before many are gearing up for all awards season programming on multiple channels.
Ken Ehrlich the Legendary Grammy Producer Returns with Special Grammy Commemorative Broadcasts
Ken Ehrlich produced both “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs” and “Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments” highlighting iconic duets as well as personal achievements for songs. Ken Ehrlich offers extensive insight as the creative mind behind almost every single Grammys telecast spanning 1980 to 2020. Ken Ehrlich also interviewed multiple influential artists for these shows and compiled clips showcasing Grammy events and stories . Some artists featured in these retrospectives include Billie Eilish, Finneas, Joni Mitchell, and Elton John demonstrating diversity in music across many genres and era. The Grammy shows feature all time most beloved musicians which make shows more interesting to a larger set of audience.
CBS Broadcasting Trio of Specials by Ken Ehrlich During Christmas and New Years Week Including Andrea Bocelli Feature
These twin Grammy programs which will be shown across the weekend are the last two in a trio of broadcasts made by Ken Ehrlich in the course of a single week as the Andrea Bocelli Christmas show broadcast on Christmas Eve making him exceptionally prolific. Ken Ehrlich previously produced three specials back during Thanksgiving of 1999 when he created similar formats focusing on Ricky Martin Shania Twain and Celine Dion which demonstrates his commitment to providing multiple specials to network audiences. In the 1999 productions Ehrlich’s team also broadcast from Liberty State Park by the Twin Towers. Andrea Bocelli’s recent special that was created in roughly three weeks showcases the capacity for Ken Ehrlich to work with great efficiency . The fast production schedule demonstrates Ehrlich's abilities to create well crafted narratives in short amounts of time despite being booked solid already.
'Grammy Greats: Stories Behind the Songs' Explores Significance of Song of the Year with Variety of Talent
“Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs” premiers Friday night with Gayle King and Mickey Guyton cohosting and it focuses mainly on personal songwriting histories of several legendary artists. Ken Ehrlich started these segments by collecting several musician’s interviews this summer during in-person meetings with St Vincent Sting and John Mayer to name a few which demonstrates the breadth of material gathered by the producer. Dua Lipa Lady A and Keith Urban interviews are included which showcase some artists also featured with recorded footage. This show featuring so many legendary artists makes many people anticipate to what kind of amazing songs they will cover during broadcast period. Ken Ehrlich has had great experiences at past Grammy telecasts that include several amazing collaborations that have made strong impressions on music lovers globally.
Ken Ehrlich's Passion for Songwriting and Unique Perspective on Music History and Culture
Ken Ehrlich has conveyed to Variety his specific passion for the art of songwriting expressing that his appreciation of music started by engaging with all time favorites such as Elvis Presley plus the doo-wop classics that all shaped his music preference in his earlier years of childhood. He enjoyed 1960’s songwriters that shaped pop culture while in college and early 70’s classics which had such influential lyrics. Ken Ehrlich also told Variety his son recently asked if he would sing Sweet Baby James which he verified by remembering fondly those memories adding the shows ability to reach an older demographic audience that values musical lyrics. Ken Ehrlich explained all songs within the series were picked carefully highlighting that personal experience for songwriting created these moments of strong shared experience.
Highlights of Song Stories: Emotional Journeys Behind Grammy-Winning Tracks and Personal Anecdotes
The show features the emotional background of Luther Vandross and Richard Marx's “Dance With My Father” in which Richard Marx described the history that makes this specific story even more meaningful with very personal family moments and the death of both Luther’s and his father shortly after the collaboration. The personal stories surrounding popular songs are shown such as Billie Eilish's “What Was I Made For?” or even John Mayer's “Daughters” or Alicia Keys' “Fallin’”. Bonnie Raitt's song "Just Like That" a surprise Song of The Year winner from 2023 also offers a specific angle to a Grammy-winning tune not yet known by public.
Ken Ehrlich also expressed that music extends beyond just words combined with sound highlighting his deep care for creative endeavors. Bonnie Raitt was noted by Ken Ehrlich with a fond recollection back to a Sound Stage performance they shared together back in 1975 also praising Bonnie Raitt performance at Kennedy Center Honors broadcast recently. Brandi Carlile also had inclusion into show even if she did not achieve a Grammy for the Song of the Year and it included analysis of songs by various artists offering an interesting insight with unique commentary from very well respected figures. This commentary from many unique viewpoints helps showcase several angles from the view of musicians both in the past and present.
'Grammy Greats: Most Memorable Moments' Highlights Unforgettable Performances and Cultural Moments Through the Years
The "Grammy Greats: Most Memorable Moments" special broadcasts on Sunday hosted by Gayle King along with Jimmy Jam and it offers several important moments highlighting important milestones within musical and also cultural achievements. Ken Ehrlich discussed with Variety that his most important work included creation of “In Memoriam” which he claims was a new innovation using music to add more to these somber events as the first to use musicians such as Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello to add performances following a recent death. The segment highlighted an amazing performance tribute that was created for Joe Strummer who passed back in 2003 that featured some legendary musicians who continue to work within the musical scene still. The memorial music additions from Ken Ehrlich brought a new experience that continued to inspire musicians on future Grammy events showcasing different styles.
Memorable Grammy Performances Including Dua Lipa and St. Vincent's Performance Along with History of Hip-Hop Recognition
The show highlights an iconic medley performance featuring Dua Lipa plus St Vincent showcasing talent with both women offering analysis with candid interviews which add layers to production and storytelling. A unique comment by Ken Ehrlich who described performance in an “sapphic” tone shows how this performance was meant to push certain traditional cultural perspectives through music and dance. A retrospective showing how hip-hop gradually earned recognition at the Grammys is presented after slow starts for certain genres where the Grammys would not nominate appropriate artists . Ken Ehrlich notes the year they managed to create a mash-up for TI , MIA , Jay Z and Kanye in 2009 which he said he really enjoyed. Ken Ehrlich also credits Harvey Mason Jr for moving forward the push to incorporate more talent within that particular genre as years passed. A retrospective of 2023 show with many important Hip-hop artists offers audiences even more engagement into diverse categories within musical scene.
Unique Collaboration of Prince with Beyoncé and Ken Ehrlich's Enduring Love for Music in Every Form
A Beyoncé and Prince collaboration showcases talent from across different decades. Prince sought to work with Beyoncé and suggested a performance leading to her inclusion at a time where she questioned being involved at this particular event. Prince an often complicated creative personality showcased his unique personality with Ken Ehrlich over many previous discussions where Prince would usually make jokes when discussing collaborating during events. Ken Ehrlich's story of Prince offers important views of a very private and misunderstood artist that people should know about in modern day settings showing all those involved his creative legacy. Despite being a seasoned show producer Ehrlich noted that connecting with artists of all ages was one of the strongest forces connecting both himself and others together proving that the love for music creates these memorable relationships . He added this through describing a meeting with his cousin’s son highlighting these amazing human connections and how sharing mutual interests such as musical taste has more connections than political and traditional demographic limitations .
Ken Ehrlich fondly described memories from working within the shipping department during his youth at the textile plant his father owned when working in Cleveland that connected him to black musicians of that era. He cites specifically working with black laborers Cliff plus Richard who would often listen to local blues radio and that exposed him to different kinds of music at a young age and also inspired his tastes in music as time went on as it introduced him to black music by groups such as Little Richard Chuck Berry Motown as he grew and continues his love for art through song to this current time.
Ken Ehrlich's Reflects on his Grammy Work and the Desire to Continue Showcasing the Many Untold Stories
Ken Ehrlich acknowledged both retrospectives offered similar sensations akin to creating his 2007 memoir At the Grammys! looking back over his career spanning multiple different broadcast collaborations with legendary musicians. He also stated that his recent productivity across four broadcast collaborations during the year that showcased Elton John alongside the three Grammy broadcasts have demonstrated his continued ability to create shows at a rapid pace even with age. Ken Ehrlich suggested that should these programs get the viewership the creators are hoping the Academy and CBS may possibly approve additional content production as this producer continues exploring other formats beyond the Song of the Year show or Moment show which have also proven to be successful collaborations. Ken Ehrlich also expressed there is so much great undiscovered material with many unforgettable moments that he hopes may get a larger platform in future . There exists so much music material and talent yet untold stories from decades that deserve exposure with new modern platforms for streaming according to many of the producers views.