LOS ANGELES -- Last year, the annual Pre-Grammy Gala thrown by Clive Davis at the Beverly Hilton was shrouded in the shock of Whitney Houston’s death.
This year, as celebrities from Joan Rivers to Dave Grohl came out to party during music’s second biggest night (the first, obviously, is tonight’s Grammys), the mood was jovial, but the memory of Houston drowning in her hotel bathtub hours before the 2012 event hasn’t disappeared.
“When you think of the Grammys, you think of Whitney Houston. No one sounded like her. She had God’s voice,” said Hoda Kotb on the red carpet.
Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men later echoed the sentiment, saying, “Whitney is one of the greatest vocalists ever to have lived…and she was gone too soon.”
Shortly after the start of the gala, which this year honored L.A. Reid, who, along with Babyface, helped shape the Atlanta sound with the creation of LaFace Records in the early ‘90s, Davis took the podium to honor Houston’s memory.
He called her “a great love of my life,” before noting that it is still “almost not believable” that she is gone.
“I’ve been entrusted to be the keeper of the flame and remind you why she was so special,” Davis said.
He then acknowledged Houston’s brother, Gary, and sister-in-law, Pat, both in the audience. “They turned out to be a tower of strength to Whitney,” Davis said.
But while Houston’s shadow will always lurk in the corners of Davis’ big-name bash, this night belonged to Reid – and music in general.
Patti Smith – called a “true Renaissance woman” by a smitten Davis – performed a handful of songs, including “Power to the People.”
Usher, who didn’t make an appearance on the red carpet before the gala, showed up to fete Reid with a medley of LaFace-era songs, while Gladys Knight and Jennifer Hudson shared the stage near the end of the event.
In the hours before the gala began, the red carpet was a whirlwind of activity. Most celebs only paused for a photo op, but I did catch a few minutes with some of them, including Atlanta’s Janelle Monae (who factors into some of fun.’s nominations Sunday) and Akon, as well as San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick (who found himself in the grip of an amorous Kathy Griffin) and Grammy king Neil Portnow, who explained why that much-discussed memo about the Grammy dress-code is hardly worth the tizzy it caused.
Here’s what they had to say:
- "Today" show star Kotb talked about her love of country music and, as proof, swiftly called up Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" on her smartphone as one of her new favorite songs.
When asked if she had discovered any new music to use in her “playlist” feature on the show, she joked, “You mean for [co-host] Kathie Lee [Gifford] to hate? She only likes her own music and ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow”…songs like that.”
Kotb was at the event because she knew Davis from his visits to the show and, she said, “I’m such a huge fan of music.”
- Portnow said of that much-ballyhooed dress code memo: "I find it amusing because this is the same memo that's gone out every year for a decade because all major broadcast networks are regulated by the FCC and they have to inform us, as they do every show, what is acceptable and what isn't."
When asked why the memo sparked such interest this year, Portnow said, “That specific piece of paper became available and everyone thinks they discovered something new and they really haven’t.”
- One Republic's Ryan Tedder spoke excitedly about their new album, "Native," coming March 26. "We timed it perfectly for spring breakers. [They can buy it] in between buying shots and Red Bull."
Tedder also said he’d love to collaborate with Bono and Emeli Sande.
- Already-future-hall-of-famer Kaepernick – joined at times on the carpet by fellow jock Ryan Lochte -- laughed sheepishly when I ribbed him about keeping the Falcons out of the Super Bowl. But he was happy to talk about the music on his iPod – Trinidad James and Atlanta's 2 Chainz.
Kaepernick said he’s a rap fan thanks to his brother, who listened to it regularly while both were growing up.
The striking QB also mentioned that he met Usher – he’s a big fan – at the NFC Championship Game and that Mr. “Climax” said he wants to race him.
“I’m still looking forward to that,” Kaepernick said.
- Boyz II Men's Stockman is gearing up for the upcoming "Package" tour with New Kids on the Block and 98 Degrees.
“Me and Donnie [Wahlberg] already talked about the Waffle House parties we’re gonna have,” he said
Stockman wouldn’t confirm whether all three acts will perform together during the show. “You gotta buy tickets,” he said with a smile.
- Akon was asked if the thought it was fair that Nas, up for a Best Rap Album Grammy, had yet to win one.
“He’s won a Grammy, just not a physical statue. I don’t think a trophy should define what you’ve accomplished in your genre. It’s like Charles Barkley and that ring; he never got it, but he’s still a legend.”
Akon also said that he never did give away his car – a contest that was created on his website two years ago. "They stopped us because they said it was sort of a lottery. I just wanted to give my car away!" he said.
His new album, “Stadium,” arrives in June. And don’t worry; he isn’t planning to leave Atlanta anytime soon.
“I’m not going anywhere. You know ATL is my home.”
- The always luminous Janelle Monae said that she had no idea that fun.'s "We Are Young" would turn into the smash of 2012.
“I knew that I loved the song, I loved Nate’s [Ruess] voice and the music and I don’t do a lot of collaborations. When I saw what it was doing on the chart I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ I’m honored that they wanted me to be part of the journey.”
Monae said the guys sought her out because they were fans of her “ArchAndroid” album. “They reached out to me and said we want your touch on the song,” she said.
Look for her next album, “The Electric Lady, sometime this year. Monae described it as, “Universal stories told in unforgettable ways. It will be more revealing. It was hard because I’m a private person and I had to think, ‘What do I want to reveal this time around?’ I really wanted to dig deep.”
She said she gathered inspiration from, “Community, being in touch with people. I took some time to do regular things, talking to young girls, keeping in touch with people struggling and knowing about the gun violence going on; going out and looking at certain things I want to see change and knowing that as an artist I can write about it and bring awareness to it and I can speak about it from the future and everyone in the present will understand it.”
Monae also spoke of her love of Atlanta.
“That’s where I decided I wanted to be an independent artist and was selling CDs out of my boarding house. I love Atlanta.”
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