Reported live from backstage at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards
by Phyllis Pollack
In the Pretelecast segment of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, the Beach Boys set the Smile Sessions (Deluxe Box Set) took the award for Best Historical Album.
Alan Boyd, Mark Linett, Brian Wilson and Dennis Wolfe are credited for the package.
Wilson accepted the award, saying its recording was ahead of its time. During his acceptance speech, he said, "It was recorded in the year..." and paused, which resulted in immense laughter from the audience.
The album was released by Capitol Records.
Backstage, among his comments, he acknowledged Paul Tanner, who died just five days ago, at age 95. A former member of the Glen Miller Orchestra, Tanner played the theramin, which he helped invent, on one of the group's greatest singles, “Good Vibrations.”
Tanner is also heard on two other Beach Boys songs, “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times” and “Wild Honey.”
Wilson recalls, “We called him down to the studio at RCA Victor, and we asked them if he could play (the track)," and then began to sing an imitation of the theramin's iconic sound heard on the iconic track.
The 70-year old legendary arranger and producer noted that his muse was California girls.
Wilson commented that he felt a lot of love from the audience, saying, “I could feel it. It means a lot to me.”
As far as his next project, Wilson revealed, "We have some stuff to do next week in the studio, so we’re going from scratch."
When asked if there will be another reunion, he said, "I doubt it."
Wilson referred to "California Girls" as his favorite song, "God Only Knows" as his second favorite Beach Boys composition.
Also nominated in the category was Ram: Paul McCartney Archive Collection (Limited Edition). Last year, McCartney won in that category for the reissue of the Band On The Run redux.
The five-disc Smile Sessions limited edition package includes alternate versions of what was to be the unreleased Smile's original tracks released tracks. Its highly bootlegged discs that have been in circulation for years exemplify the fascination that has long existed with the recording of the album, which has a long and storied history as to its fruition, which took four decades.
The set exemplifies the brilliance of Wilson's prolific work, with four CDs filled with outtakes, and one of its discs solely being outtakes and "alternate versions" of "Good Vibrations."
The Beach Boys performed that song at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards.
The package beat out contenders He Is My Story: The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes;" Old Time Smoky Mountain Music: 34 Historic Songs, Ballads, And Instrumentals Recorded in the Great Smoky Mountains by 'Song Catcher' Joseph Hall."
Additional competition in the Best Historical Album included Opika Pende: Africa at '78 RPM, and Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection.
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers.
Internationally known for the Grammy Awards, the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music, The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs.
The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers.
The Academy also includes in its mission the goal of ensuring music that remains an indelible part of American culture, through its many initiatives that support education. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
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The Grammys also will be supported on radio worldwide via Dial Global, and covered online at Grammy.com and CBS.com, and on YouTube.
For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGrammys on Twitter, like "The Grammys" on Facebook, and join The Grammys' social communities on Foursquare, GetGlue, Google +, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube.
For the first time ever, the Pre-Telecast Ceremony for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards will be streamed live worldwide at Grammy.com/live and online at CBS.com. Historically, this will mark the first time that the Pre-Telecast Ceremony was held at Nokia Theater.
The televised portion of the music industry's “Biggest Night of the Year” will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 10, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. It will be broadcast in high-definition TV and 5.1surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8:00 to 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
Phyllis Pollack is reporting live from the Grammys.
Follow Phyllis on Twitter.
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