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In Memoriam (2023): The Recording Academy Remembers The Music People We Lost
Take a moment to salute the members of the music community we lost in 2022-2024.
Below is a tribute to the luminaries and esteemed professionals from the music community we lost between Dec. 5, 2022, through Jan. 26, 2024.
During the 2024 GRAMMYs broadcast, the Recording Academy's In Memoriam segment featured performances by several masterful musicians. Annie Lennox was joined by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman to honor Sinéad O’Connor. Stevie Wonder took the stage to pay homage to the legendary Tony Bennett, Jon Batiste honored the "Godfather of Black Music" Clarence Avant and Fantasia Barrino paid tribute to the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, Tina Turner. The performances were set against a video homage of several of the distinguished figures on this list. Every individual who passed away before the publication date has also been respectfully commemorated in the official 2024 GRAMMYs program book.
The Recording Academy offers its profound respect and appreciation for the unique gifts and enduring contributions these individuals have bestowed upon our culture and collective spirit.
Abe Stoklasa
Adam Johnstone
Aérea Negrot
Akbar Golpayegani
Alan Arkin
Alan Niederland
Alan Rankine
Alan Warner
Alan Moore Stowell
Alba 'Albita' Eagan
Algy Ward
Alice Parker
Allen Becker
Alton Wade Kelley
Amos Ettinger
Amp Fiddler
Amparo Rubín
Ana Clara Benevides Machado
Andrew Penhallow
Andrew Speight
Andy Rourke
Angela Zilia
Angelo Bruschini
Anita Kerr
Anne Hart
Annie Nightingale
Anthony Topham
Anthony John Heyes
Anup Ghoshal
Arie Levanon
Arif Cooper
Arthur Ward Eller
Audie Blaylock
August 08
Axali Doëseb
B. Sasikumar
Barbara Bryne
Barrett Strong
Baxter Black
Beeyar Prasad
Ben Lipitz
Benito Castro
Benjamin Zephaniah
Berit Lindholm
Bernie Marsden
Betta St. John
Betty Price
Beytocan
Bhavani Shankar
Bhavatharini Raja
Big Pokey
Big Scarr
John Nelson "Big John" Trimble Jr.
William "Bill" Castle
Bill Humble
Bill Lee
Bill Mayne
Bill Saluga
Bill Zehme
Bill Hayes
Billy Smith
Billy White Jr.
Billy "The Kid" Emerson
Bilqees Khanum
Bishop Carlton Pearson
Blair Tindall
Blas Durán
Blayne Tucker
Bob Burwell
Bob Feldman
Bob Jones
Bob Mummert
Bob Nalbandian
Bob Rice
Bob Siggins
Bob "Norton" Thompson
Bobbi Staff
Bobby Caldwell
Bobby Casey
Bobby Eli
Bobby Schiffman
Bonny Beverley
Brad Houser
Brad Thomson
Bram Inscore
Brandon Marcel Williams
Brett Radin
Brian McBride
Brian "Brizz" Gillis
Bridgette Wimberly
Broderick Smith
Bruce Guthro
Brucene Harrison
Bruno Ducol
Buddy McNeill
Burt Bacharach
C-Knight
C.J. Harris
Calton Coffie
Calton Coffie
Calvin Newton
Canelita Medina
Canisso Canisso
Care Failure
Carl Pagter
Carl Tovey
Carla Bley
Carlee Ann Vaughn
Carlin Glynn
Carline Smith Wilhite
Carlos Fonseca
Carlos Lyra
Carmen Jara
Carmen Xtravaganza
Carole Cook
Catherine Christer Hennix
Cayle Sain
Cecilia Pantoja Levi
Chabelita Fuentes
Chad Allan
Chaim Topol
Charline Whillhite
Charles Gayle
Charlie Dominici
Charlie Gracie
Charlie Monk
Charlie Robison
Chas Newby
Chick Rains
Chico Novarro
Choi Sung-Bong
Chris Ford
Chris Ledesma
Chris Lee
Chris Peluso
Christy Dignam
Chuck Flood
Chuck Jackson
Chuck Morris
Charley Morris
Clarence Avant
Clarence Barlow
Claude Kahn
Clay Hart
Cliff Fish
Clifton Oliver
Clint Yeager
Cobi Narita
Coco Lee
Colette Maze
Colin Burgess
Conny Van Dyke
Costa Titch
Craig Burbidge
Craig Hayes
Curtis Fowlkes
Cynthia Haring
Dan Lardner
Daniel Bourgue
Daniel Jones
Daniel Lee Stephen Jones
Danny Kaleikini
Danny Schur
Danny Milhon
Dave Cohen
Dave Dickerson
Dave Roe
Dave Freeman
David Drozen
David LaFlamme
David McCallum
David Soul
David Lumsdaine
David Beckwith
David Jude Jolicoeur
Dedi Graucher
Del Palmer
Denis Badault
Denyse Plummer
Dev Kohli
Dick Biondi
Dickie Harrell
Dima Nova
Dino Danelli
DJ Casper
DJ Deeon
DJ Dino Calvao
Djalma Corrêa
Don Graham
Don Kissil
Don Mulkey
Don Williams
Donnie McKethan
Dorian Kweller
Dr Latozi Madosini Mpahleni
Duane Tabinski
Dusty Street
Dwight Twilley
Ed Stone
Ed "Beanpole" Efaw
Edino Krieger
Edward Sexton
Edward Walters
Edward "Kidd" Jordan
Elayne Jones
Eliud Treviño
Ellen Fitzhugh
Elliot Goldman
Eloise Wyatt Russo
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou
Enrique "Zurdo" Roizner
Eric Boehlert
Eric Shoutin' Sheridan
Eric Moyo
Eric Alan Livingston
Essra Mohawk
Fallece Marilú
Faye Fantarrow
Fito Olivares
Florence Malgoire
Fran La Maina
Francesa Cappucci
Francis Monkman
François Glorieux
Frank Harlow
Frank Kozik
Frank Solivan Sr.
Frank Woodard
Frank Ford
Frank Farian
Freddie Ross Hancock
Fuzzy Haskins
Gabriele Schnaut
Gangsta Boo
Garry Mapanzure
Garry Lee Rentfro
Gary Hobish
Gary Rossington
Gary Smith
Gary Wright
Gary Young
Gennady Gladkov
George Logan
George Maharis
George Moffett
George Newall
George Portz
George Tickner
George Yanok
Georgia Holt
Gérard Drouot
Germano Mathias
Glen "Spot" Lockett
Gloria Belle
Gloria Coates
Goa Gil
Gordy Harmon
Gordy Nichol
Grace Bumbry
Grady Hockett
Graeme Malcolm
Graham Clark
Grand Daddy I.U.
Gregory Brian Wright
Hans Poulsen
Harley Worthington
Harold Childs
Harold Killian
Harold Black
Harry Sheppard
Haydn Gwynne
Heather Dunbar
Heike Matthiesen
Heklina Heklina
Helen Thorington
Henri Duaman
Henry Grossman
Herb Deutsch
Hiroshi "Heath" Morie
Hoppy Hopkins
Horacio Malvicino
Howie Kane
Huey "Piano" Smith
Ian Bairnson
Ian Emes
Ian Tyson
Iasos
Ilanga
Inga Swenson
Ingrid Haebler
Ira Selsky
Irish Grinstead
Irma Capece Minutolo
Irv Lichtman
Isaac "Redd" Holt
Ismaïlia Touré
Ivan "Mamão" Conti
Ivan M. Tribe
J.J. Barnes
Jack Lee
Jack Pruett Jr.
Jack Sonni
Jacqueline Dark
Jaquelyne Ledent-Vilain
Jah Shaka
Jaimie Branch
Jake Marlowe
James Bowman
James Casey
James Harvey IV
James Jorden
James Lewis
James Kottak
James C. "Jimmy" LaRocca
Jamie Reid
Jamie Tiller
Jan Woods
Jane Birkin
Jannis Noya Makrigiannis
Jasmin Stavros
Javier Álvarez Fuentes
Jay Goldberg
Jay Weston
Jay Clayton
Jeff Cook
Jeff Davis
Jeff Heiman
Jeffrey Foskett
Jeremiah Green
Jerry Bradley
Jerry Dodgion
Jerry Fretwell
Jerry Kearns
Jerry Samuels
Jerry Springer
Jerry Whitehurst
Jerry Paul Arnold
Jesus Garber
Jet Black
Jim Boyer
Jim Parker
Jim Sharpley
Jim Vienneau
Jim Ladd
Jim Rae
Jo Mersa Marley
Joanna Merlin
Joaquin Romaguera
Joaquin "Jocko" Fajardo
Joe Fagin
Joe McGuire
Joey Bogan
John Albert
John Beckingham
John Cirillo
John Deyle
John Giblin
John Gosling
John Kezdy
John Lomax IV
John Marshall
John Miller
John Morris
John Regan
John Waddington
John Cutler
John Alexander
John Andrew Tartaglia
John Watson Algee
Johnny Allon
Johnny Fean
Johnny Ruffo
Jon Fausty
Jon Kennedy
Jordan Blake
José Evangelista
Joseph Koo
Joshua Culbreath
Joshua Madsen
Joss Ackland
Jovit Baldivino
Joy McKean
Joyce Bryant
Judy Massey
Julián Figueroa
Julian Sebothane Bahula
Justin Bartlett
Justin Fontaine
K. Neville Garrick
K.J. Joy
Kaija Saariaho
Karaikudi Mani
Karl Berger
Karl Tremblay
Karl F. Dieterichs
Katherine Anderson Schaffner
Kathy Chow
Keiko Okuya Jones
Keith Gattis
Keith Reid
Keith Holzman
Kelly Joe Phelps
Ken Brigham
Ken Fish
Ken Roberts
Ken Calvert
Kendall A. Minter
Kenneth Anger
Kenneth Force
Kenneth Montgomery
Kent Stax
Kevin Fleming
Kevin Lemons
Kevin "Geordie" Walker
Kihnu Virve
Kim Simmonds
Kirk Arrington
Kirstie Alley
Klee Benally
Kwame Brathwaite
Kyle Jacobs
Ladislav Jásek
Lance Reddick
Larry Chance
Larry Morris
Lasse Wellander
Laura Lynch
Lawrence "Larry" Cohn
Lázaro Valdés
Lee Berk
Lee Purkis
Lee Rauch
Leela Omchery
Lefty SM
Leiji Matsumoto
Len Chandler
Lena McLin
Lenka Hlávková
Leo D. Sullivan
Leonard Abrams
Leonard Zinn
Leroy "Black Stalin" Calliste
Les Brown Jr.
Leslie Jordan
Lewis Largent
Lewis Spartlan
Lewis Pragasam
Lily Afshar
Linda de Suza
Linda Lewis
Lisa Roy
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisandro Meza
Lisl Steiner
Liz Thiels
Lizeta Nikolaou
Lois Curtis Shepherd
Lola Mitchell "Gangta Boo"
Lola Dee
Lord Creator
Lou Deprijck
Loyal Jones
Luis Vasquez
Luke Bell
Lyn McLain
M Daud Kilau
Malini Rajurkar
Mam' Sylvia Mdunyelwa
Manana Doijashvili
Mandla 'Mampintsha' Maphumulo
Manny Martinez
Manuel Göttsching
Manuel Castillo Girón
Marc Roy
Marcel Amont
Marcel Zanini
Marek Kopelent
Margaret Josephine Nisbett
Margie Hunt
Margie Sullivan
María Jímenez
Mariana Sîrbu
Marianne Mantell
Marilyn Johnston Blankenship
Mark Adams
Mark Howard
Mark James
Mark Kuykendall
Mark Russell
Mark Sheehan
Mark Stewart
Mark Thomas
Mark Nelson
Marsha Gray Basore
Martha Owen
Martin Duffy
Martin Petzold
Martin Stevens
Mary Weiss
Mary G. Dawson
Mary Jane Thomas
Mary Turner Pattiz
Mason Ruble
Massimo Savić
Matt Alese
Matt Stewart
Maurice Bourgue
Maurice Hines
Max Morath
Mbuya Stella Chiweshe
MC Fats
Megan Terry
Melanie Safka
Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff
Merv Shiner
Michael Blackwood
Michael Keith
Michael Kupper
Michael Leon
Michael McGrath
Michael Parkinson
Michael Snow
Michael John McGann
Mick Slattery
Mikael Maglieri
Mike Reeves
Mike Brown
Mike Taylor
Mike J Rojas
Miki Liukkonen
Mildred Miller
Milo Hrnić
Minneapolis Backyard Punk Show Shooting
Misha K. Hunke
Mo Foster
Mohbad
MoneySign Suede
Monte Cazazza
Moonbin
Myles Goodwyn
Najah Salam
Nancy Van de Vate
Nashawn (Lotto) Breedlove
Neal Langford
Neela Rampogal
Neil Kulkarni
Neville Garrick
Nicholas Lloyd Webber
Niel Immelman
Nihal Nelson
Niko Everette
Nina Matviienko
Nobuyuki Idei
Nora Forster
Norby Walters
Norm Pattiz
Notis Mavroudis
O.S. Thyagarajan
Oladips
Olga Chorens
Ordy Garrison
Orlando Marin
Óscar Agudelo
Otis Barthoulameu
Otis Redding III
Özkan Ugur
Pacho El Antifeka
Pamela Blair
Pamela Chopra
Pansequito
Pat Bunch
Patricia Burda Janečková
Patrick Emery
Paul Cattermole
Paul Desenne
Paul Justman
Paul Prestopino
Paul Woseen
Paxton Whitehead
Pedro Lavirgen
Pedro Messone
Pedro Henrique
Pedro Suárez-Vértiz
Pepe Domingo Castaño
Petch Osathanugrah
Pete Brown
Pete Garner
Peter Austin
Peter Brötzmann
Peter Kowalsky
Peter Luboff
Peter McCann
Peter Solley
Peter Schickele
Phil Quartararo
Phill Niblock
Pilarín Bueno
Pluto Shervington
Polito Vega
Prabha Atre
Pt Vijay Kichlu
Qamar Gula
R.C. Harris
Ralph Gordon
Ramani Ammal
Ramla Beegum
Ramsey Lewis Jr.
Randy Bailey
Randy Meisner
Rashid Khan
Ray Cordeiro
Ray Hildebrand
Ray Pillow
Ray Shulman
Ray Sparks
Raymond Froggatt
Raymond Lumpkin
Red Paden
Rena Koumioti
Renée Geyer
Ricardo Iorio
Ricardo Drue
Richard Davis
Richard Landis
Richard Law
Richard Ross
Richard Gaddes
Rick Froberg
Rick Newman
Rickie May
Rita Hollingsworth
R.L. Boyce
Rob Laakso
Robbie Bachman
Robert Becerra
Robert Black
Robert Haimer
Robert Hicks
Robert Michaels
Robert H. Precht
Robert W. Smith
Robin Tamang
Rock Brynner
Rodney Hall
Rodriguez
Roger Sprung
Roger Whittaker
Rohana Jalil
Rolf Harris
Ron Cornett
Ron Hamilton
Ron Spears
Ron S. Peno
Ronnie Turner
Roseline Damian
Roxie Cawood Gibson
Roy Rifkind
Roy Taylor
Royal Blakeman
Royston Ellis
Russell Batiste Jr.
Russell Sherman
Ryan Siew
Sajid Khan
Sakevi Yokoyama
Sal Piro
Sam Cutler
Sanath Nandasiri
Sandra Butler Truesdale
Sandra Trehub
Sara Tavares
Sarah Schlesinger
Sarah Rice
Scott Johnson
Scott Schinder
Séamus Begley
Sean Martin
Sebastian Marino
Seóirse Bodley
Shahidul Haque Khan
Shane Yellowbird
Shaul Greenglick
Shaun Roberts
Sheila Smith
Sheldon Reynolds
Shoji Tabuchi
Silent Servant
Silvio Berlusconi
Sir David Lumsden
Sixto Diaz Rodriguez
Slim Andrews
Smokey Greene
Soňa Červená
Spot
Stainslaw Radwan
Stan Hitchcock
Stella Stevens
Stephen "tWitch" Boss
Stephen Allen Davis
Steve Harwell
Steve Riley
Steve Skold
Steve Travis
Steve Nelson
Stevie B-Zet
Stuart Margolin
Sudakshina Sarma
Sueli Costa
Sulochana Chavan
Suna Kan
Surinder Shinda
Suzanne Somers
Suzy Frank
Swarup Nayak
Sweet Charles Sherrell
Tamara Milashkina
Tapas Das
Teddy White
Teresa Taylor
Teri Bristol
Terri Nolan
Terry Hall
Terry Thacker
Terry Baucom
Teté Caturla
Thanga Darlong
Theo de Barros
Theresa Reneé Watson
Thom Bell
Thomas H. Lee
Thomasina Winslow
Thotakura Somaraju
Tim Bachman
Tim Stacy
Tim Rogers
Tim Norell
Tina Turner
TJ De Blois
Tohru Okada
Tom Langdon
Tom Leadon
Tom Verlaine
Tom Whitlock
Tom Wilkerson
Tom Mazzetta
Tony Coe
Tony McPhee
Tony Oxley
Tony Clarkin
Torben Ulrich
Toru Mitsui
Toto Cutugno
Treat Williams
Treva Chrisco
Trish Williams Warren
Troy Brammer
Tshala Muana
Vakhtang Kikabidze
Valentin Gheorghiu
Van Conner
Varnell Harris Johnson
Victor Pikayzen
Victor Rasgado
Vilayil Faseela
Vince Hill
Violeta Hemsy de Gainza
Virginia Zeani
Vivian Trimble
Vivian Williams
Vivienne Westwood
Walt Wilson
Walter Aipolani
Walter Arlen
Walter Charles
Walter Cole Darcelle XV
Walter Ulloa
Walter "Wolfman" Washington
Wayne Swinny
Wee Willie Harris
William "DJ Casper" Perry Jr.
Willie Ruff
Willis Spears
Yaacov Bergman
Yehonatan Geffen
Yitzhak Klepter
Yogesh Vaidya
Yotam Haim
Young Capone
Yukihiro Takahashi
Yuzo Toyama
Yvonne Přenosilová
Zahara
Zdenek Macal
Zita Carno
Photo: Paul Natkin/GettyImages
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Revisiting ‘Private Dancer’ At 40: How Tina Turner’s Liberation Album Remains A Musical Salvation
Released in May 1984, ‘Private Dancer’ was a musical tour de force. The record saw Tina Turner shed her assured vocal talents, exposing some fragility while adding in some sultriness too, to share a powerful tale of finally finding liberation.
“How it all came about was a miracle,” says Terry Britten, the co-writer and producer of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”
The enduring single on Turner's 1984 album Private Dancer, released 40 years ago this month, was the songstress' ultimate emancipating act. It liberated her from the strictures of a music career bound to former husband Ike Turner, and debuted a new, self-possessed persona that highlighted her own rich talents as a solo artist. Decades on, the album remains a searing testament to resilience and the power of raw, honest expression.
Private Dancer, her fifth solo outing, was the beginning of Turner's renaissance and next era. Still, some of its most powerful songs — including “What’s Love” — almost didn’t make the cut. In fact, the song’s woeful quality and halted vocals proved an obstacle for Turner.
“After all this time, I’ve realized what the problem was and why she didn’t like it: because she was so damn vulnerable in it,” Britten tells GRAMMY.com. “She’d never been that vulnerable before in a song.”
Turner had long wrestled with her public image and allowing listeners into her inner world. Despite her success in the '70s and the subsequent 1976 breakdown of her abusive marriage to Ike (which left her penniless), followed by less successful Las Vegas revue shows, Turner was wary of conceding defeat.
Her career revival was largely born after Turner had made a cameo appearance in 1982 on the synth-inspired remake of The Temptations' “Ball of Confusion.” Masterminded by pop band Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware, the song netted Turner a singles deal with Capitol Records. Her next pairing with Ware, a remake of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” was a runaway success, charting at number six in the UK and No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, in late 1983 and early 1984 respectively.
Chart success had eluded Turner for years, so by February 1984 Capitol quickly demanded a full album — with two weeks to deliver it. With Turner already on tour in the UK then, her manager, Roger Davies, raced around London seeking potential tracks. Davies had been old friends with Britten back in Australia, and reached out about available songs.
Co-written with Graham Lyle, Britten's "What’s Love” had been skipped over by British rock singer Cliff Richard. Its rumination on sexual over romantic desire awaited a new voice.
Turner's powerhouse vocals gave the track the justice it so called for. Just as her vocal prowess was put on display, "What's Love" also underscored Turner's ability to bring both fragility and sultriness to a song. The combination would soon propel Turner to worldwide domination.
In the studio, Britten leaned on Turner’s dancing background to make the meditative ballad work. Turner struggled with the song’s languid rhythm, so Britten suggested she jog on the spot. “We jogged at the mic,” he says. “Soon enough, she got it!”
Britten believes “What’s Love” showed Turner, for the first time, how empowering vulnerability could be. “She realized she could act out these songs,” he reflects. “The whole direction of her career changed in that moment.”
Released in May 1984, “What’s Love” slowly scaled the charts, competing for prime position with the likes of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and Lionel Ritchie’s “Stuck on You.” “What’s Love” ultimately landed at No. 1 in August 1984 — staying there for three weeks — and fast-tracked Turner’s forceful musical renaissance.
The arrival of Private Dancer only galvanized the transformation.
The album was a mixture of old and new, figuratively stitching together a reinvigorated yet still rock ’n’ roll Turner. There were completely new tracks and sounds, like the synth-infused “What’s Love” and spunky, pulsating “Show Some Respect” (another Britten number). Covers of the Beatles’ “Help!” and David Bowie’s “1984,” meanwhile, were reimagined with searching gospel energy and symphonic orchestral strings.
There was an emphasis on storytelling across Private Dancer, with lyrical explorations of respect, love, and desire, paired with Turner’s frayed timbre. “I Might Have Been Queen” was penned by Jeannette Obstoj and Rupert Hine in response to hearing Turner’s life story. From a youth picking cotton in Tennessee to her years as a double act with Ike, Obstoj took Turner’s trying life (and lifelong interest in Ancient Egypt) to craft an earthy narrative textured by stories of grief and self-understanding. The stomping funk result was an anthemic tribute, celebrating Turner as she sang proudly of being a “sole survivor.”
Allowed into Turner’s inner sanctum, listeners could better understand and relate to the singer’s past life — whether these were real stories or imagined tales. Songs like “Private Dancer,” seemingly about a dancer who keeps a firm psychological distance from her job as a means of self-protection, couldn’t help but be tied back to Turner’s former life as the mistreated singing partner to Ike. Turner’s coarse vocals — retelling regret with the ballad “Better Be Good to Me,” or celebrating self-confidence on “Show Some Respect” — underscored her toughness as she sang about respect and recognition.
Tina Turner’s emotional depth and lyrical confessions resonated with critics and listeners, affirming Turner as sensitive, soulful and, above all, an iconic solo artist. The success of the record at the 1985 GRAMMYs only affirmed Turner's status.
Britten, who won two gramophones for his work and joined Turner on stage to collect the GRAMMY for Record Of The Year, said that the audience — there and even at home watching — manifested her three wins that night. “In between introductions, you could hear the whole crowd going, ‘Tina! Tina! Tina!’” he says. “It was like the whole auditorium wanted her to win. In fact, they willed her to win.”
The entire musical project was a frenzied worldwide phenomenon: the confident comeback story of a 45-year-old liberated woman. Private Dancer represents a rare redemption for a female artist over 40 — a script contemporaries have taken cues from.
Madonna enjoyed a return serve with her revealing 1998 spiritual album Ray of Light, a record that saw her achieve renewed commercial success — and perhaps most important to her, critical acclaim. After the abject failure of 2001’s Glitter, Mariah Carey stormed the charts (and GRAMMYs) in 2005 with her confessional but defiant album, The Emancipation of Mimi. Janet Jackson, no longer suffering public shame after the infamous Superbowl incident and finally free to release music under her own label, returned revealing a more mature, reflective artist with 2015’s Unbreakable. Each album privileged some aspect of self-exposure and sonic difference to mount a comeback where audiences were invited in.
Publicly sharing some vulnerability while also celebrating fortitude, continues to enliven the story of Private Dancer — and the listening experience decades on. After Tina Turner's death in 2023, critics reappraised the record and the seismic impact of “What’s Love.” Some said the song was an enduring “call to action” on finding independence, while others concluded that Private Dancer alone “lifted [Turner] into the pop stratosphere.”
The record represents one of history’s greatest musical comebacks. Its emotional depth, paired with a tough if sometimes frayed sound, gave listeners a deeply resonant tale about overcoming.
“She gave me such trust,” Britten says of recording with Turner. “I can’t tell you what a moving experience it was.” With Private Dancer, Turner entrusted listeners with her own vulnerable admissions, many of which continue to resonate and inspire today.
Remembering The Artistry Of Tina Turner, "The Epitome Of Power And Passion"
Photo: Jathan Campbell
list
How Much Is A GRAMMY Worth? 7 Facts To Know About The GRAMMY Award Trophy
Here are seven facts to know about the actual cost and worth of a GRAMMY trophy, presented once a year by the Recording Academy at the GRAMMY Awards.
Since 1959, the GRAMMY Award has been music’s most coveted honor. Each year at the annual GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY-winning and -nominated artists are recognized for their musical excellence by their peers. Their lives are forever changed — so are their career trajectories. And when you have questions about the GRAMMYs, we have answers.
Here are seven facts to know about the value of the GRAMMY trophy.
How Much Does A GRAMMY Trophy Cost To Make?
The cost to produce a GRAMMY Award trophy, including labor and materials, is nearly $800. Bob Graves, who cast the original GRAMMY mold inside his garage in 1958, passed on his legacy to John Billings, his neighbor, in 1983. Billings, also known as "The GRAMMY Man," designed the current model in use, which debuted in 1991.
How Long Does It Take To Make A GRAMMY Trophy?
Billings and his crew work on making GRAMMY trophies throughout the year. Each GRAMMY is handmade, and each GRAMMY Award trophy takes 15 hours to produce.
Where Are The GRAMMY Trophies Made?
While Los Angeles is the headquarters of the Recording Academy and the GRAMMYs, and regularly the home of the annual GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY trophies are produced at Billings Artworks in Ridgway, Colorado, about 800 miles away from L.A.
Is The GRAMMY Award Made Of Real Gold?
GRAMMY Awards are made of a trademarked alloy called "Grammium" — a secret zinc alloy — and are plated with 24-karat gold.
How Many GRAMMY Trophies Are Made Per Year?
Approximately 600-800 GRAMMY Award trophies are produced per year. This includes both GRAMMY Awards and Latin GRAMMY Awards for the two Academies; the number of GRAMMYs manufactured each year always depends on the number of winners and Categories we award across both award shows.
Fun fact: The two GRAMMY trophies have different-colored bases. The GRAMMY Award has a black base, while the Latin GRAMMY Award has a burgundy base.
Photos: Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
How Much Does A GRAMMY Weigh?
The GRAMMY trophy weighs approximately 5 pounds. The trophy's height is 9-and-a-half inches. The trophy's width is nearly 6 inches by 6 inches.
What Is The True Value Of A GRAMMY?
Winning a GRAMMY, and even just being nominated for a GRAMMY, has an immeasurable positive impact on the nominated and winning artists. It opens up new career avenues, builds global awareness of artists, and ultimately solidifies a creator’s place in history. Since the GRAMMY Award is the only peer-voted award in music, this means artists are recognized, awarded and celebrated by those in their fields and industries, ultimately making the value of a GRAMMY truly priceless and immeasurable.
In an interview featured in the 2024 GRAMMYs program book, two-time GRAMMY winner Lauren Daigle spoke of the value and impact of a GRAMMY Award. "Time has passed since I got my [first] GRAMMYs, but the rooms that I am now able to sit in, with some of the most incredible writers, producers and performers on the planet, is truly the greatest gift of all."
"Once you have that credential, it's a different certification. It definitely holds weight," two-time GRAMMY winner Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter of the Roots added. "It's a huge stamp as far as branding, businesswise, achievement-wise and in every regard. What the GRAMMY means to people, fans and artists is ever-evolving."
As Billboard explains, artists will often see significant boosts in album sales and streaming numbers after winning a GRAMMY or performing on the GRAMMY stage. This is known as the "GRAMMY Effect," an industry phenomenon in which a GRAMMY accolade directly influences the music biz and the wider popular culture.
For new artists in particular, the "GRAMMY Effect" has immensely helped rising creators reach new professional heights. Samara Joy, who won the GRAMMY for Best New Artist at the 2023 GRAMMYs, saw a 989% boost in sales and a 670% increase in on-demand streams for her album Linger Awhile, which won the GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Album that same night. H.E.R., a former Best New Artist nominee, saw a massive 6,771% increase in song sales for her hit “I Can’t Breathe” on the day it won the GRAMMY for Song Of The Year at the 2021 GRAMMYs, compared to the day before, Rolling Stone reports.
Throughout the decades, past Best New Artist winners have continued to dominate the music industry and charts since taking home the GRAMMY gold — and continue to do so to this day. Recently, Best New Artist winners dominated the music industry and charts in 2023: Billie Eilish (2020 winner) sold 2 million equivalent album units, Olivia Rodrigo (2022 winner) sold 2.1 million equivalent album units, and Adele (2009 winner) sold 1.3 million equivalent album units. Elsewhere, past Best New Artist winners have gone on to star in major Hollywood blockbusters (Dua Lipa); headline arena tours and sign major brand deals (Megan Thee Stallion); become LGBTIA+ icons (Sam Smith); and reach multiplatinum status (John Legend).
Most recently, several winners, nominees and performers at the 2024 GRAMMYs saw significant bumps in U.S. streams and sales: Tracy Chapman's classic, GRAMMY-winning single "Fast Car," which she performed alongside Luke Combs, returned to the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time since 1988, when the song was originally released, according to Billboard. Fellow icon Joni Mitchell saw her ‘60s classic “Both Sides, Now,” hit the top 10 on the Digital Song Sales chart, Billboard reports.
In addition to financial gains, artists also experience significant professional wins as a result of their GRAMMY accolades. For instance, after she won the GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album for Rapture at the 2020 GRAMMYs, Koffee signed a U.S. record deal; after his first GRAMMYs in 2014, Kendrick Lamar saw a 349% increase in his Instagram following, Billboard reports.
Visit our interactive GRAMMY Awards Journey page to learn more about the GRAMMY Awards and the voting process behind the annual ceremony.
Photo: CBS via Getty Images
video
GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Tina Turner Win Her First Solo GRAMMY In 1985 For "What's Love Got To Do With It?"
Relive the moment Tina Turner won a golden gramophone for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female — an opportunity she had been waiting for "for such a long time."
During her remarkable 83 years of life, the late Tina Turner received eight GRAMMY awards, a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award, and three introductions into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame.
In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, we travel to 1985, when Turner won a golden gramophone for one of her many iconic hits, "What's Love Got to Do with It?," in the Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, category.
"I've been waiting for this opportunity for such a long time," she said in her acceptance speech. "I have to thank many people. And all of you that I don't get to thank, you must know that it's in my mind."
Among those "many people," Turner praised Graham Lyle and Terry Britten, who wrote the track; John Carter, her A&R "who played a wonderful part" in relaunching her career with Capitol Records in the '80s; and Roger Davies, her manager, "a great man who has done a great job with her career."
Later that night, "What's Love Got To Do With It?" helped Turner win Record Of The Year; she also took home Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, for "Better Be Good to Me." Though the 1985 ceremony marked Turner's first solo awards, she first won a GRAMMY in 1972 alongside her ex-husband, Ike Turner, for their recording of "Proud Mary."
Press play on the video above to watch Tina Turner's full acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, and remember to check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.
(L-R) Billy Joel, Freddy Wexler
interview
Freddy Wexler On Helping Billy Joel "Turn The Lights Back On" — At The 2024 GRAMMYs And Beyond
"Part of what was so beautiful for me to see on GRAMMY night was the respect and adoration that people of all ages and from all genres have for Billy Joel," Wexler says of Joel's 2024 GRAMMYs performance of their co-written "Turn The Lights Back On."
They say to not meet your heroes. But when Freddy Wexler — a lifelong Billy Joel fan — did just that, it was as if Joel walked straight out of his record collection.
"I think the truth is none of it is that surprising," the 37-year-old songwriter and producer tells GRAMMY.com. "That's the best part. From his music, I would've thought this is a humble, brilliant everyman who probably walks around with a very grounded perspective, and that's exactly who he is."
That groundedness made possible "Turn the Lights Back On" — the hit comeback single they co-wrote, and Wexler co-produced; Joel performed a resplendent version at the 2024 GRAMMYs with Laufey. Joel hadn't released a pop album since 1993's River of Dreams; for him to return to the throne would take an awfully demonstrative song, true to his life.
"I think it's a very raw, honest, real perspective that is true to Billy," Wexler explains. "I think it's the first time we've heard him acknowledge mistakes and regret in quite this way."
Specifically, Joel's return highlights his regret over spending three decades mostly on the bench, largely absent from the pop scene. As Joel wonders aloud in the stirring, arpeggiated chorus, "Is there still time for forgiveness?"
"Forgiveness" is a curious word. Why would the five-time GRAMMY winner and 23-time nominee possibly need to seek forgiveness? Regardless — as the song goes — he's "tryin' to find the magic/ That we lost somehow." The song's message — an attempt to recapture a lost essence — transcends Joel's personal headspace, connecting with a universal longing and nostalgia.
Read on for an interview with Wexler about the impact of "Turn the Lights Back On," why he thinks Joel took such an extended sabbatical, the prospect of more new music, and much more.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
**You did a great interview with Rolling Stone ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs. Now, we're on the other side of it; you got to see how it went down on the telecast, and resonated with the audience and world. What was that like?**
It's why I make music — to hopefully make people feel something. This song has really resonated in such a big way. More than looking at its commercial success on the charts or on radio, which has been awesome to see, the comments on Instagram and YouTube have been the most rewarding part of it.
Why do you think it resonated? Beyond the king picking up his crown again?
I don't think the song is trying to be anything it's not. I think it's a very raw, honest, real perspective that is true to Billy. I think it's the first time we've heard him acknowledge mistakes and regret in quite this way. And to hear him do it in a hopeful way where he's asking, "Is it too late for forgiveness?" is just very moving, I think.
Forgiveness? That's interesting. What would any of us need to forgive him?
He has said in other interviews, "Sometimes people say they have no regrets at the end of their life." And he said, "I don't think that's possible. If you've lived a full life, of course you have regrets." He has said that he has many things he wishes he would've done differently. This is an opportunity to express that.
I think what's interesting about the song is it has found meaning in various ways with various people and listeners. Some people imagine Billy is singing to former lovers or friends. Other people imagine Billy is singing to his fans asking, "Did I wait too long to record again?" Other people wonder if Billy is singing to the songwriting Gods and muses. Did I wait too long to write again?
In Israel, where the song was number one — or is number one, I haven't checked today — I think the song's taken on the meaning of just wanting things to be normal, wanting hostages to come home and turn the lights back on. So, you never know where a song is going to resonate, but I think that Billy just found his own meaning with it.
You know the discography front to back. What lines can you draw from "Turn the Lights Back On" to past works?
I think it draws on various pieces of his catalog, right? "She's Always a Woman" has a sort of piano arpeggio in the chorus. To me, it feels like a natural progression. It feels like, on the one hand, it's a new song. On the other, it could have come out right after River of Dreams. To me, it just kind of feels natural.
**Back when you spoke with Rolling Stone, you said you couldn't wait to hear "Turn the Lights Back On" at Madison Square Garden. How'd it sound?**
Amazing. Billy is a consummate live performer. I think he's one of the few artists where everything is better live, and everything is always a little bit different each time it's played live.
It's been really cool to watch Billy and the band continue to change and improve the song and the song's dynamics for the show. He told me tonight that tomorrow night in Tampa, I think they're going to try to play with the key of the song, potentially — try it a half a step higher.
Those are the sort of things I think great artists do, right? It's different from being on a certain type of tour where every single song is the same, the set list is the same, the key is the same, the arrangements are the same.
With Billy, there's a lot of feeling and, "Hey, why don't we try it this way? Let's play it a little faster. Let's play it a little slower. Let's try it in a different key." I just think that's super cool. You have to be a really good musician to just do that on the fly.
What have you learned from him that applies to your music making, writ large?
I've learned so much from him. As Olivia Rodrigo said to us at GRAMMY rehearsals, "He's the blueprint when it comes to songwriting."
He has helped raise the bar for me when it comes to melodies and lyrics, but the thing I keep coming back to is he's reminded me that even the greatest artists and songwriters ever sometimes forget how great they are. I think we need to be careful not to give that inner voice and inner critic too much power.
Can you talk about how the music video came to be?
Well, I had a dream that Billy was singing the opening two lines of the song, but it was a 25-year-old version of Billy. It was arresting.
When I woke up, I sort of had the vision for the video, which was one set, an empty venue of some kind, and four Billy Joels. The Billy Joel that really exists today, but then three Billys from three iconic eras where each Billy would seamlessly pick up the song where the other left off.
The idea behind that was to sort of accentuate the question of the song — did I wait too long to turn the lights back on?
And so, to kind of take us through time and through all these years, I teamed up with an amazing co-director, Warren Fu, who's done everything from Dua Lipa to Daft Punk, and an artificial intelligence company called Deep Voodoo to make that vision possible.
What I'm driven by is the opportunity to create conversations, cultural moments, things that make people feel something. What was cool here is as scary as AI is — and I think it is scary in many ways — we were able to give an example of how you can use it in a positive way to execute a creative artistic vision that previously would've been impossible to execute.
Yeah, so I'm pleased with it and I'm thankful that Billy did a video. He didn't have to do one, but he liked the idea of it. He felt it was different, and I think he was moved by it as well.
What do you think is the next step here?
It's been a really rewarding process. And Billy is open-minded, which is really cool for an artist of that level, who's not a new artist by any stretch. To actually be described as being in a place in his life where he's open-minded, means anything is possible. I could tell you that I would love there to be more music.
I'd love to get your honest appraisal. And I know you're not him. But his last pop album was released 31 years ago. In that long interim, what do you think was going on with him, creatively?
Look, I'm not Billy Joel, but I think there were a number of factors going on with him. Somewhere along the way, I think he stopped having fun with music, which is the reason he got into it, or which is a big part of the reason he got into it. When it stopped being fun, I don't think he really wanted to do it anymore.
Another piece to it is that Billy is a perfectionist, and that perfectionism is evident in the caliber of his songwriting. Having always written 100 percent of his songs, Billy at some point probably found that process to be painstaking, to try to hit that bar where he's probably wondering in his head, What would Beethoven think of this? What would Leonard Bernstein think of this?
I think part of what was different here was that, perhaps, there was something liberating about "Turn the Lights Back On" being a seed that was brought to Billy. In this way, he could be a little disconnected from it, where maybe he didn't have to have the self-imposed pressure that he would if it was an idea that he'd been trying to finish for a while.
Ironically, he still made it. Well, there's no "ironically," but I think that's it. There's something to that.
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