Thursday, February 24, 2000
'Smooth' grabs Grammy for local native
Santana ties record with 8 awards
BY LARRY NAGER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Itaal Shur holds the Grammy he won with singer/songwriter Rob Thomas, left.
(AP photos)
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Carlos Santana's winning streak at Wednesday night's Grammy Awards reached all the way to Cincinnati.
Itaal Shur, who grew up here and gained his earliest musical experience playing in Tristate clubs, won the song of the year Grammy for “Smooth,” the No. 1 Santana hit he co-wrote with Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas.
“I want to thank Santana for taking this song to the moon,” Mr. Shur said as he accepted the gramophone-shaped statuette.
The 52-year-old guitarist's Supernatural CD won eight Grammys in all, including the top award — album of the year. Mr. Santana's disc tied the record set in 1983 by Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Carlos Santana shows off his hardware
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“Smooth” also won record of the year. Mr. Santana's other awards included rock performance by a duo or group with vocal, pop performance by a duo or group with vocal, pop instrumental performance, pop collaboration with vocals and rock instrumental performance.
His wins came in a year that saw a youth explosion in pop music. Nonetheless, Mr. San tana beat both Backstreet Boys and 'Nsync for Grammys in the pop group and pop collaboration categories, respectively.
But awards took a back seat to production numbers at the 42nd annual Grammys. Most of Mr. Santana's awards were given before the broadcast. Only two Grammys were handed out in the first 45 minutes of the program. TLC — Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas — won best R&B album for Fanmail (recorded for LaFace Records, the label owned by former Cincinnatians L.A. Reid and Babyface). The Dixie Chicks took country album honors for Fly.
The Chicks — Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Martie Seidel — performed “Goodbye Earl” just before winning that award.
That was part of a set of musical performances that set a new standard for Grammy variety. The show opened with Will Smith and Dru Hill's Sisqo reprising their “Wild Wild West” in a huge production number complete with dancers and fireworks.
Jennifer Lopez and boyfriend Puffy Combs.
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But the real fireworks began with the lengthy, multigenerational Latin music segment that began a half-hour into the three-hour broadcast. Ranging from young heartthrob Ricky Martin to Ibrahim Ferrer, the septuagenarian singer with Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club, the set gave a good overview of the large body of contemporary Latin music.
And speaking of Latin bodies, singer/actress Jennifer Lopez gave viewers a good view of her own as she presented the R&B album award in a dress
that set new standards for skimpiness, even on a show in which Cher won an award.
The latter won the dance music Grammy for “Believe,” presented before the broadcast. Shania Twain won the country female Grammy for “Man! I Feel Like a Woman,” but apparently didn't feel like picking up her Grammy. She was one of the few no-show winners at the event, held in the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Despite his energetic singing and dancing, Mr. Martin lost the pop male Grammy to perennial winner Sting, which seemed to prove the longtime criticism that Grammys tend to go to the same performers year after year.
But that baby boomer spin helped Mr. Santana.
It was a good night for veterans. George Jones won the country male award for “Choices.” Barry White had a double win, his Staying Power album taking Grammys in the male R&B and traditional R&B categories. Tony Bennett, as usual, won the traditional pop Grammy.
In the one category immune to older performers, best new artist, Christina Aguilera upset her better-selling teen pop counterpart, Britney Spears. Ms. Aguilera, literally speechless, made do mostly by gushing “Omigod! Omigod!”
Host Rosie O'Donnell had no lack of topical material, her jokes including Melissa Etheridge's recent revelation that David Crosby had fathered her children with her partner Julie Cypher, rapper Sean “Puffy ” Combs' legal problems (he was indicted Wednesday on charges of bribing a witness) and Whitney Houston's recent near-arrest on marijuana charges.
Ms. O'Donnell introduced the latter as “a huge fan of the Doobies” (“doobie” being '60s slang for a marijuana cigarette). Ms. Houston could console herself with the R&B female Grammy she won for the song she performed, “It's Not Right But It's Okay.”
Other performers included rap-
rock act Kid Rock (in a tribute to Grand Funk Railroad), Faith Hill and the Backstreet Boys.
The night's sentimental highlight came late in the three-hour show, when Mr. Santana took the stage with his band and Mr. Thomas for “Smooth.” The performance, which earned a standing ovation, came just before Mr. Santana completed his eight-Grammy sweep.
As he accepted the award with Mr. Santana, Supernatural producer Clive Davis said that the guitarist was an inspiration to young musicians, for showing them “not just how long a career can last, but how long it can soar.”
• List of winners
• AP coverage • Official Web site
'Smooth' grabs Grammy for local native
List of Grammy winners
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