When I volunteered to live-blog the awards shows this year, I could never have imagined I would be writing this round-up in memoriam of Whitney Houston for Grammy night. Via Spin Magazine, Whitney Houston’s Four-Decade History at the Grammy Awards:
Click to go to Spin Mag... Whitney Houston at her first Grammy Awards in 1986. (Photo: Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images)
On February 25, 1986, a 22-year-old Whitney Houston made her first appearance at the Grammy Awards. She’d picked up three nominations for her debut album, 1985’s Whitney Houston, and “Saving All My Love for You” beat tracks by Madonna, Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, and Linda Ronstadt to win Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She took the stage that night in a ruffled red dress with a wall of hair sprayed to attention atop her head, and blew the doors off the Shrine Auditorium as her mother, Cissy Houston, cheered her on. One of our generation’s hugest voices made a stunning debut at Music’s Biggest Night.
It wasn’t scandalous by tabloid standards, but it was a rebellious act for the young women at the Mount Saint Dominic Academy, a small all-girls Catholic high school in New Jersey. Whitney Houston, class of 1981, sometimes wore mismatched socks and rolled up her sleeves.
The mischievous gospel singer would then push the maroon-colored dress code just a bit further. She would “roll up her little skirt, just a little bit above the knees, and wouldn’t care if she got a detention,” said Dr. Maria Pane, who lives in Lutherville and sat next to Houston in high school home room.
A day after the 48-year-old Houston’s unexpected death on Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif., left the music world in mourning, Pane fondly recalled her old school days in Caldwell, N.J., and the unpretentious Houston, whom she described as an “ordinary high school girl, just like all of us.”
1979: Whitney juggled singing with her studies at a Catholic girls school in New Jersey Getty 1979: Whitney spent her teen years accompanying mum Cissy on nightclub tours, occasionally joining her on stage Getty
Secondly–before I turn this over to the comment section for some Grammy live-blogging/OPEN thread–I’d like to leave you with Whitney’s Grammy debut in 1986…
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Thank you Wonk, a big thank you…for doing this post…most of my high school memories have a song sung by Whitney Houston as part of the soundtrack. It is so sad that she is gone, I feel for her daughter, she is having a difficult time with it.
Won’t be joining the live blog – I stopped watching the grammys many years ago. Just not my kind of music any longer. But if Adam Levine is on, please drool for me. Fell in love/lust for him (although I’m old enough to be his granny) on The Voice last year.
I’m so sad. I used to sing the Greatest Love of All to my siblings and then my own children at bedtime. It was, in a small way, a personal anthem to me. It reminded me to not put people on pedestals and to believe in my own abilities. She was the 80’s generation’s Katy Perry.
I’m so sorry she was unable to conquer her own personal demons.
I hope she is at peace now and her family(particularly her oh so young daughter) can come to terms with her loss.
I know that this one never made it past 70 but the line where she asks God to take her away from the battle reverberated for me when I heard it. It’s right back to her spiritual roots.
It’s really painful to watch and listen to these early tapes–the phenomenal voice, the energy and exuberance, and then to see what happened after 2000. That’s not simply age. It’s as if the light was extinguished. The voice disappeared and you knew this was the beginning of a long descent. You can see the pain, the on-going destruction in those photographs.
Sad but too often predictable. The more talented the artist, the more difficult the path. Everyone wants a piece. Add drugs to the mix, and you’re on your way in one direction: down. It’s insidious. Have a number of relatives [not performing artists] that have gone this route. Not pretty.
Karl Lagerfeld has had so much “work done”, he resembles something out of a horror film. Putting on a few pounds might make him look at least semi-human. Maybe.
Moving speech by Dave. They recorded the song in his garage. “…it’s not about what goes on in a computer, it’s about what goes on here (pointing to his heart)…”
I saw him in concert a few years ago. It was the best concert I have ever seen. I’ve seen plenty of rock legends in concert, but nobody puts on a show and holds forth with the audience like Sir Paul.
Meanwhile, British comedian Alan Carr has now weighed in on the controversy which began when fashion mogul Karl Lagerfeld labelled Adele ‘too fat’.
Despite Lagerfeld having since apologised for his comments, Carr called the Chanel boss a ‘vile old queen’ for the remark.
He said: ‘Adele is beautiful – leave her alone. Lagerfeld is a vile old queen. If I see him I’d rip his grey hair off the top of his prune face.’
The Sky Dancing banner headline uses a snippet from a work by artist Tashi Mannox called 'Rainbow Study'. The work is described as a" study of typical Tibetan rainbow clouds, that feature in Thanka painting, temple decoration and silk brocades". dakinikat was immediately drawn to the image when trying to find stylized Tibetan Clouds to represent Sky Dancing. It is probably because Tashi's practice is similar to her own. His updated take on the clouds that fill the collection of traditional thankas is quite special.
You can find his work at his website by clicking on his logo below. He is also a calligraphy artist that uses important vajrayana syllables. We encourage you to visit his on line studio.
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Thank you Wonk, a big thank you…for doing this post…most of my high school memories have a song sung by Whitney Houston as part of the soundtrack. It is so sad that she is gone, I feel for her daughter, she is having a difficult time with it.
it’s surreal/unreal that she is gone… LL Cool J opened by playing a clip of Whitney’s Grammy performance of “I will always love you…”
Did not compute that she is gone… she’s so full of life and levity and sparkle…
It’s sad & tragic, especially for her daughter.
Won’t be joining the live blog – I stopped watching the grammys many years ago. Just not my kind of music any longer. But if Adam Levine is on, please drool for me. Fell in love/lust for him (although I’m old enough to be his granny) on The Voice last year.
I’ll be back for the Oscars.
I can’t even bring myself to liveblog this yet… it’s really sad…
Watching LL Cool J trying to lift everybody’s spirits… making me cry…
ps I love Adam Levine too!
I’m so sad. I used to sing the Greatest Love of All to my siblings and then my own children at bedtime. It was, in a small way, a personal anthem to me. It reminded me to not put people on pedestals and to believe in my own abilities. She was the 80’s generation’s Katy Perry.
I’m so sorry she was unable to conquer her own personal demons.
I hope she is at peace now and her family(particularly her oh so young daughter) can come to terms with her loss.
I know that this one never made it past 70 but the line where she asks God to take her away from the battle reverberated for me when I heard it. It’s right back to her spiritual roots.
I Look to You
It’s really painful to watch and listen to these early tapes–the phenomenal voice, the energy and exuberance, and then to see what happened after 2000. That’s not simply age. It’s as if the light was extinguished. The voice disappeared and you knew this was the beginning of a long descent. You can see the pain, the on-going destruction in those photographs.
Sad but too often predictable. The more talented the artist, the more difficult the path. Everyone wants a piece. Add drugs to the mix, and you’re on your way in one direction: down. It’s insidious. Have a number of relatives [not performing artists] that have gone this route. Not pretty.
Good round up, Wonk.
Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt just finished singing “Sunday Kind of Love” (one of my favorite Etta James tunes…) in memory of Etta.
Amazing!
Adele takes the Grammy for best pop solo performance “Someone Like You”
Take that Karl Lagerfeld (he recently called her fat.)
Good for Adele!
Karl Lagerfeld has had so much “work done”, he resembles something out of a horror film. Putting on a few pounds might make him look at least semi-human. Maybe.
*snort*
Great to see/hear from you, Beata!
Oh no… Chris Brown…
he’s talented, but I can’t stand him.
Ditto, I could barely stand looking at him.
REBA is presenting! Love Reba.
or rather Reba just introduced… Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean “Don’t You Wanna Stay” live performance…
Tenacious D/Jack Black… LOL…
introducing one of my favorite bands! Foo Fighters!
yes on all accounts!!!
I love Dave Grohl.
Me too!
Ever since he drummed for Nirvana, I’ve had a crush on him.
Awesome!
The Colour and the Shape is still one of my all time fave albums ever…track for track.
Whenever Dave sings “weren’t you adored,” I melt without fail…
Word.
Or what about the acoustic version of Everlong?
Thanks for blogging this, Wonk. I’m too old and uncool to know who most of these artists are!
Will be back to read the thread later. I’m off to watch Downton Abbey…
“Dear Olden Times,
You’re boring.
Love,
Everyone”
I Love that “Dear olden times” SNL parody. Love!
Rihanna and Coldplay!!!!!! YAY!
Oh triple-yay!
Ri-Ri opening with We Found Love in a Hopeless Place (my fave radio-play song at the moment) with Chris Martin on piano I think…
Now Chris/Coldplay and Rihanna performing Princess of China. Sweet.
OH yes!!! Coldplay–Paradise!!!!!
I want to dance.
This is why I watch the Grammys.
My ears and eyes are in an earthly nirvana-esque state 😉
I love Nirvana and the Foo
Abby from NCIS!
I love her!
For the Grammy Win: WALK by the Foo Fighters!!!!!!
Out there, fighting foo wherever he goes!
Moving speech by Dave. They recorded the song in his garage. “…it’s not about what goes on in a computer, it’s about what goes on here (pointing to his heart)…”
Oh dear… Ryan Seacrest???? Why did he get invited to present/introduce/whatever… Blergh
I can’t stand that misogynist homophobe.
Maroon 5 kicking off celebration of the Beach Boys… neat!
Hey Connie, it’s Adam Levine!
🙂
They really did a nice job on the Beach Boys stuff.
I was hoping for Surfin’ USA
The Beach Boys!
Sophie, you might get your Surfin USA after all…
Wonk, I bought the 45 when it came out.
Holy Sh!t!
Well, good on ’em I guess, but it’s a little sad. They’re at half speed.
Okay, the youngsters have joined them.
Ok seeing John Legend smiling to theBeach Boys live… I’m squeeing.
As Robin Tyler used to ask, when are they going to be Beach Men?
STEVIE WONDER playing the harmonica!
introducing Sir Paul….
Stevie Wonder introducing Sir Paul?
Paul!!!
I saw him in concert a few years ago. It was the best concert I have ever seen. I’ve seen plenty of rock legends in concert, but nobody puts on a show and holds forth with the audience like Sir Paul.
Lol… is it wrong that I wish he would sing his Ever Present Past instead…?
it’s such a peppy song!
Great, great song.
Foo Fighters’ Facebook status:
Chris Brown wins… meh…
I don’t know who this opening act for Taylor Swift is, but they are awesome.
The Civil Wars. yes! Incredible!
Standing O for Taylor Swift was kinda nice.
oh my goodness what is this movie preview… Project X… playing “Evrrrrybody in the Club get TIPSY” that song is kinda outdated.
Am I the only person who can’t stand Neil Patrick Harris?
nope
Woohoo!! Adele wins again! Song of the year!
Rolling in the Deep
Adele racks up another Grammy for Rollin In the Deep… 🙂
Whooo hooooo
Katy Perry!!!!!
oh no she’s starting out her performance with the Alien song… LOL
not crazy about Katy’s performance tonight, but I liked her blue hair
Country Album… Lady Antebellum wins! GOOD!
Gwyneth Paltrow introduces Adele…
And Adele ROCKS!!!
Yep. Tonight is her night. Sing it girl!
Hope that crow is tasty, Karl Lagerfield. Adele is the Belle of the Grammy Ball! She got a standing O.
From a Daily Mail article…
Wow..I haven’t heard Gentle on My Mind in a hundred years
Speaking of 100 years—Glen his self is on!
heh 🙂
Ok, no offense to the country fans, but I get enough of this in Texas… Lol… I’m gonna go take a snack break.
Glenn is singing Rhinestone Cowboy.
I am impressed he can remember all the words.
Yeah, it’s really a nice performance.
I heard/saw it from the kitchen… it was really nice!
Tony Bennet!!! Wow–all the old folks are out tonight…I wish he’d do my favorite of his: I wanna be around.
Love, love, love Tony B.
Carrie Underwood and Tony Bennett singing “It Had To Be You”
I’m not normally a *huge* Carrie fan but that duet with Tony Bennett was SWEET!
Bon Iver wins for Best New Artist, gets the “hurry up” music played on him during his speech.
Jennifer Hudson singing “I Will Always Love You”…
she looks/sounds stunning.
getting misty-eyed
Me too.
Thank goodness Chris Brown is done and Dave Grohl is up.
Not sure what that was all about.
I’m male so I hate awards shows.
SNL parodies Clint Eastwood Super Bowl ad
They did three parody ads and they’re hilarious.
Oh, I’d better tell my husband to stop watching. He’s so uncool.
I think it’s more personality than gender — I’ve never seen the attraction, but then I dislike most popular music, which I find inane. (Ducks)
Nicki Minaj–Wild stuff!
I can’t help it, I love Nicki… LOL.
I fell asleep and just woke up. This was the first tweet I saw:
https://twitter.com/#!/lizzwinstead/status/168908796062728194
something must have happened…
It might have been a reference to the Nicki Minaj performance. It was pretty out there.
Nicky Minaj taking a Roman Holiday. I wonder what the Catholic church thinks about this?
Roman Zolanski is her alter.
And the priest was there to exorcise?
Adele takes record of the year!!!
Adele wins Record of the Year. Yay!
Diana Ross to present Album of the Year.
Adele.
And Album of the Year!
Adele takes Record of the Year ♥ and Diana Ross + LL Cool J presenting Album of the year… ♥ to ADELE!! Belle of the Grammy Ball!
Jennifer Hudson performing I Will Always Love You… perfect send-off to Whitney…
It was the best moment of the show. I’m so glad I watched.
Sir Paul closing the night…. “you got to carry that weight…”
A lot of legends on that stage.
They are having way too much fun–lovin’ it!
Paul’s playing guitar rather than his bass.
That was fabulous. Thanks Sky Dancers for hosting a live blog of the Grammy’s.
Hugs to all. Good night!
Night all… thanks for the Grammys chat!
This is a magnificent and heartfelt tribute to Whitney. Many thanks.