SANTA MONICA, CA. (Top 40 Charts/ Recording Academy) - Six-time GRAMMY winner
Tina Turner will join current two-time nominee
Beyonce for a special performance; and jazz pianist Eldar, rap-rocker Kid Rock, jazz saxophonist
Dave Koz and jazz/pop singer Keely Smith also will perform on the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast, it was announced today by The Recording Academy. Current four-time nominee Akon, actor Jason Bateman, 14-time GRAMMY winner Tony Bennett, GRAMMY winner Cher, GRAMMY winner and current two-time nominee
Nelly Furtado, two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, 27-time GRAMMY winner and 50th GRAMMY Celebration Ambassador
Quincy Jones, actor Joe Mantegna, six-time GRAMMY winner Prince, nine-time GRAMMY winner Ringo Starr, GRAMMY winner Dave Stewart and 25-time GRAMMY winner
Stevie Wonder are the latest presenters added to Music's Biggest Night.
Previously announced performers include Beyonce;
Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban; Feist;
Fergie and John Legend;
John Fogerty with
Jerry Lee Lewis and
Little Richard;
Foo Fighters (with special guest conductor John Paul Jones);
Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang (conducted by famed maestro John Mauceri); Alicia Keys; Brad Paisley; Carrie Underwood; 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year Aretha Franklin, the Clark Sisters,
Israel And New Breed, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7; the casts of "The
Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil" and Across The Universe; and
Rihanna with a reunited the Time. Previously announced presenters include Chris Brown,
Natalie Cole, Miley Cyrus, Juanes,
Solange Knowles, Cyndi Lauper,
George Lopez, Lyle Lovett,
Ludacris and 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.
Akon, Nelly Furtado, Dave Koz and Taylor Swift are all nominees this year. Akon is nominated for four awards: Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals ("The Sweet Escape" with Gwen Stefani), Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals ("Bartender" with T-Pain), Best Contemporary R&B Album (Konvicted) and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("I Wanna Love You" with Snoop Dogg). GRAMMY winner Nelly Furtado is up for two awards: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Say It Right") and Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals ("Give It To Me" with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake). Dave Koz has two nods for Best Pop Instrumental Performance ("Over The Rainbow") and Best Pop Instrumental Album (At The Movies). And Taylor Swift is nominated for Best New Artist.
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.
