In the Clive DavisAnd at the Recording Academy's annual pre-Grammy gala on Saturday night (February 3), two-time Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks proved to be an incredibly effective hype man. The actor gave a six-minute introduction to the legendary record executive, listing more than 50 artists with whom Davis discovered or collaborated, concluding with slight irony that “the only reason the names Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky aren't mentioned is because they're all dead before Clive Davis graduated from Harvard [and] before getting a desk and a phone at Columbia Records.”
Davis arrived on stage at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California to a standing ovation as he once again vowed to deliver an unforgettable night, as he has done since the party started 48 years ago.
“Well, this night is really so special for me and I hope for all of you,” Davis said. “I look out among you and see so many familiar faces. You know, the whole thing started a long time ago in 1976 and I really have to pinch myself for going on so strong. I mean, the demand this year was just unbelievable. I'm delighted to say that the music is alive and well and you're all seeing the best of what's new tonight, as well as the best of these artists who inspire us all with their truly electrifying career spans.”
As usual, the room included some of the biggest stars in the world, including Cher, Mariah Carey and Meryl Streep (seated with her daughter Grace Gummer and Gummer's husband, producer Mark Ronson), as well as Lenny Kravitz, Serena Williams, Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson; Scottie Pippen, Cameron Crowe, Peter Asher, Gayle King, Max Martin, Shania Twain, Adrian Brody, Jon Bon Jovi, Paris Hilton, Smokey Robinson and, for the 24th year in a row, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her husband, Paul
Meryl Streep, Clive Davis, Cher and Warner Records Co-Chairman/COO Tom Corson attend the Pre-Grammy Gala & Grammy Salute to Industry Icons honoring Jon Platt at the Beverly Hilton on February 3, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
But the brightest stars were on stage as an incredibly diverse roster of artists played. Green Day, introduced by Williams, who called herself the band's “mascot,” opened the night with rousing renditions of “American Idiot” and “Basket Case.”
Then, in a delightful gender twist, Ronson and his co-writer Andrew Wyatt teamed up with Ryan Gosling fill-in Lainey Wilson for a pitch-perfect performance in “I'm Just Ken,” from Barbie. Grammy and Oscar nominee Ronson joked that he was going into awards season with some guidance from the song about “the beauty of being second, which is a lesson I'll try to remember tomorrow night [at the Grammys].” (It's already emerged as a winner with the song triumphing as best song at the Critics Choice Awards in January).
As promised, the night was heavily focused on developing acts, all contenders for this year's Best New Artist, who have broken through the defining songs of the past few months. Ice Spice charmed his way across the stage during 'Deli', while Noah Kahan introduced himself as 'Mumford's son', a perfectly apt description for his folksy sound, as he delivered powerful, melodic renditions of 'Stick Season' and ' Dial Drunk”. (His banjo-driven performance begs him to tour with Mumford & Sons as a powerful double bill). Victoria Monet, who is up for seven Grammys on Sunday (February 4), danced her way through an energetic “On My Mama.”
Green Day band members Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool arrive for the Recording Academy and Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Salute To Industry Icons Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on February 3, 2024 .
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
But it was two other Best New Artist nominees who made truly impressive turns. After Josh Groban's hauntingly beautiful takes on two Stephen Sondheim numbers that Davis chose — In the forest“The children will listen” and Sweeney Todd“Not While I'm Around,” the Tony-nominated artist was joined by Michael Trotter, one half of Best New Artist-nominated duo The War and Treaty, for a soaring, rousing version of “Bridge” by Simon & Garfunkel Over Troubled Water,” with Trotter's unwavering falsetto bringing the audience to their feet.
Although the Groban/Trotter pairing would seem impossible to follow, Jelly Roll took the crowd to church with two songs about his desperate search for redemption as he delivered searing, pleading versions of “Need a Favor,” performed with a full choir and “Save Me,” accompanied by Wilson.
Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing John Platt was recognized as the 2024 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons honoree. Buoyed by high-energy performances from Public Enemy and the Isley Brothers, two acts who had played pivotal roles in the early stages of his career, Platt took the stage a little after midnight to claim his prize. In a speech that lasted more than 30 minutes, during which the fire alarm went off not once, but twice, Platt laid out a number of highlights from his illustrious career, calling the evening's honor a full-circle moment. In 1998, Platt attended his first Davis pre-Grammy gala, which was then held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. There, he ran into the late former Motown president/CEO, Jerry Busby.
“He said, 'Someone was asking me, who do I see in the industry today that can achieve the things that I have achieved? … I told them, Big Jon could run the whole thing one day,” Platt said. Busby's words changed lives. “Having someone share their belief in you is powerful, incredibly powerful. And since that day, I've kind of liked to change the course of my focus. I had a purpose after that because this guy said I could handle the whole thing. So I just changed the way I acted I changed the people I was around, the people I was around, so on and so forth. Everything had a great intention. And so to be here tonight receiving the industry icon is an incredible full-circle moment that I'm very proud of.”
In a brilliant moment, Platt took time to acknowledge the rivalry between him and his former colleague at EMI Music Publishing Jody Gerson, who is now CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group. “People think Jodi and I have this complicated relationship. We do it because we are both fierce competitors,” he said. “We are fighting incredibly hard. Beyond this competition is this deep love and respect we have for each other. I mean you have to respect your competitors, but it's deeper with me and Jody. Like I have incredible respect for her. And Jody is the person who hired me at EMI, so in many ways she changed my life. And people always like to say when you achieve these things and you say how you did it, “Well, you were going to do it anyway.” Probably not. All you could do is focus on how it happened. And this is how it happened. Everything I'm telling you was how it happened. Well I appreciate you Jody and I really hope Marty [Bandier, former CEO/chairman of EMI Music Publishing and Sony/ATV Music Publishing] he is proud of the legacy we leave him.”
As the clock neared 1am, the final performers took to the stage in front of an appreciative audience as Colombian superstar Maluma sang a high-energy 'Hawaii' and the iconic Gladys Knight performed 'The Way We Were' , a song released by Knight and The Pips. No. 11 almost 50 years ago in 1975. She was then joined by Dionne Warwick – one half of the group that recorded the 1985 charity juggernaut 'That's What Friends Were For' – with Andra Day and Keyshia Cole on board . The crowd erupted into applause when Stevie Wonder, who also appeared on the original song, played his instantly recognizable harmonica solo. Although this was supposed to be the last number, Wonder led the group into “What the World Needs Now Is Love” to take the audience on a rainy Los Angeles night.
The Setlist for Clive Davis and the Recording Academy's 2024 Pre-Grammy Party:
Green Day – “American Idiot, “Basket Case”
Mark Ronson — “I'm Just Ken” with Lainey Wilson and Andrew Wyatt
Ice Spice – “Deli”
Noah Kahan – “Stick Season”, “Dial Drunk”
Victoria Monet – “On My Mama”
Josh Groban — Sondheim medley of “Children Will Listen” and “Not While I'm Around”
Josh Groban & Michael Trotter Jr. — “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
Jelly Roll — “Need a Favor,” “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson
Public Enemy — “Can't Truss It”, “Bring the Noise”, “Fight the Power”
Isley Brothers – “Shout”
Maluma – “Hawaii”
Gladys Knight – “The Way We Were”
Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Andra Day and Keyshia Cole — “That's What Friends Are For,” “What The World Needs Now Is Love”
