SANTA MONICA, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Recording Academy) - Current nominee
Fergie and
John Legend to duet;
Andrea Bocelli and
Josh Groban to perform together for the first time; current nominee
John Fogerty with
Jerry Lee Lewis and
Little Richard in a special "Cornerstones of Rock" segment; and nominees
Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang in a special classical/jazz segment (conducted by famed maestro John Mauceri) are the next round of performers for the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast, it was announced today by The Recording Academy. R&B singer and current GRAMMY nominee Chris Brown, actress and singer/songwriter Miley Cyrus, actress and R&B singer
Solange Knowles, comedian and current GRAMMY nominee
George Lopez, four-time GRAMMY winner
Lyle Lovett and three-time GRAMMY winner
Ludacris are the latest presenters set to appear. Previously announced performers include Beyonce; Feist;
Foo Fighters (with special guest conductor John Paul Jones); Alicia Keys; Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood; 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, the Clark Sisters,
Israel And New Breed, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 in a special gospel segment; the casts of "The
Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil" and Across The Universe in a special
Beatles segment; and
Rihanna with a reunited the Time in a special 50th anniversary segment. Previously announced presenters include eight-time GRAMMY winner
Natalie Cole, 12-time Latin GRAMMY winner Juanes, GRAMMY winner Cyndi Lauper, three-time GRAMMY winner
Bette Midler and nine-time GRAMMY winner Bonnie Raitt.
The music industry's premier event will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 - 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio via Westwood One worldwide and XM Satellite Radio, and covered online at GRAMMY.com. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will continue to be announced in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the GRAMMY Awards.
As part of a special segment, pop and opera tenor Andrea Bocelli and pop and classical singer Josh Groban will perform together for the first time. In 2000, Groban filled in for an ailing Bocelli during the rehearsal of "The Prayer," Bocelli's duet with Celine Dion on the 42nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. Now, eight years later, the two will perform the song together on the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Chris Brown, Fergie, John Fogerty, Herbie Hancock, Lang Lang and George Lopez are all nominees this year. Chris Brown is up for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Kiss, Kiss" with T-Pain). Three-time GRAMMY winner Fergie is nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Big Girls Don't Cry"). GRAMMY winner John Fogerty has a nod for Best Rock Album (Revival). Ten-time GRAMMY winner Herbie Hancock has three nominations: Album Of The Year, Best Contemporary Jazz Album (River: The Joni Letters) and Best Jazz Instrumental Solo ("Both Sides Now"). Lang Lang (with the Orchestre De Paris) is up for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra) for "Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4" (along with conductor Christoph Eschenbach). And George Lopez is nominated for Best Comedy Album (America's Mexican).
The 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions in association with AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Walter C. Miller is producer/director, Tisha Fein is the coordinating producer, David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers and Tzvi Small is supervising producer. Musical directors for the telecast and pre-telecast are Rickey Minor and Larry Batiste, respectively.
