"Is there a show happening on Sunday?," seven-time GRAMMY winner Leslie Ann Jones quipped to thunderous applause. "Because this is the place to be."
Jones was the main honoree fêted during A Celebration of Craft — a joint event presented by the Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing and Songwriters & Composers Wing. The 2024 GRAMMYs Week event was held on Wednesday, Jan. 31 at the GRAMMY Museum.
With its breathtaking night view of downtown Los Angeles and a casual, cosmopolitan vibe, the Museum’s Ray Charles Terrace was indeed the perfect location for dozens of songwriters, producers and engineers to celebrate the behind-the-scenes craftsmanship that sustains the music business. Fueled by lifelong passion and an obsessive attention to detail, their artistry often goes unnoticed by the general public.
In his opening speech, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. noted the evening’s historic significance — it was the first time that a GRAMMY Week celebration brought together the wings of Songwriters & Composers with Producers & Engineers. "The world needs more music right now," he said. "It needs more of what we do."
Noting how special it feels to be a songwriter at the Recording Academy, Songwriters & Composers Wing Chair E. Kidd Bogart and Susan Stewart invited the nominees for a GRAMMY in the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical category onstage. It was inspiring to see such a diverse group of creators being recognized — from Edgar Barrera, who reinvented the urbano genre through massive hits for Karol G and Bad Bunny, to country mastermind Shane McAnally, whose current nomination encompasses songs performed by the likes of Brandy Clark and Walker Hayes. Nominees Justin Tranter and Theron Thomas were also in attendance; Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical nominee Jessie Jo Dillon was unable to attend.
While introducing Leslie Ann Jones — who was also the first woman chair of the Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees between 1999 and 2001 — Mason Jr. emphasized what an extraordinary person she is. "She is a classicist, but also a forward thinker and a trailblazer," he said. "She set the bar high in terms of passion, equality and inspiration — but she is also at the peak of her career, still leading the charge."
The daughter of drummer and bandleader Spike Jones and singer Helen Grayco, Jones delivered a highly quotable speech that summarized her 40 year-old career in music. She recalled being mesmerized by the Beatles and the Temptations as a kid, and how her appreciation for their songs only grew as she developed her career as the sonic architect of pristine recordings.
"We’re all very lucky to be surrounded by music every day," she said. "Music transcends everything. Someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia will smile when a song plays, and sing along to the lyrics. My service to our craft has given me a sense of purpose."
Complimenting Jones' words with sound, singer/songwriter Brandy Clark (who has 17 GRAMMY nominations of her own) took the stage and launched into "Buried," a dazzling cut off her 2023, self-titled fourth album. The song’s gorgeous vocals, understated melody and witty lyrics about getting drunk on wine and dance exemplified the transformative power of a great song.
Clark looked vulnerable as she performed the confessional gem "Dear Insecurity" — alone onstage in a sparkly black outfit, armed with her guitar. Underscoring the complexity of her artistry, her singing sounded delicate and incredibly powerful.
Next up was Michigan husband and wife duo The War & Treaty, currently nominated for Best New Artist and Best American Roots Song at the 2024 GRAMMYs. Theirs was also a pared-down setup: Tanya Trotter on vocals and tambourine; Michael Trotter Jr. on keyboards and voice; and Max Brown on guitar. But the intensity and grit in their sound evoked the monumental scope of an avant-garde gospel orchestra.
"And I’ve seen the devil... Chasing after the innocent with them blazing guns," Trotter Jr. belted as he played jazz-influenced chords on "Ain’t No Harmin’ Me" — a tune that shimmers with the mystique of a classic anthem from decades past.
On "Blank Page," the group’s groove reached its finest combustion whenever the couple’s vocalizing harmonized together with abandon. But the musical backdrop — a sophisticated fireball of soul, blues, rock and folk — is both visionary and rooted in the classics.
"Thank you for being you," said Trotter Jr. before bringing this unforgettable evening to a close. "Thank you for being authentic. Thank you for being badasses."