The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles remains closed due to COVID-19, but the museum has announced a new exhibit for when it reopens — and it just might make you say “I’ll Be There.”
The exhibit, Motown: The Sound of Young America, presented by City National Bank, traces the evolution of the legendary record label. The exhibit focuses on the label’s major artists and achievements, and explores how the sound of Motown continues to influence some of pop music’s most important artists today. In addition to stage outfits from many of Motown’s top performers, the exhibit also includes exclusive interviews with many Motown artists.
The Grammy organization saluted Motown on a two-hour special, Motown 60: A Grammy Celebration, which aired April 21, 2019, on CBS. Cedric the Entertainer and Motown legend Smokey Robinson co-hosted the show.
“While the museum’s doors may still be closed, our curatorial team has been hard at work preparing for our reopening,” said Michael Sticka, president of the Grammy Museum, in a statement.
In the meantime, Motown Records will take over this month’s Spotlight Saturdays, the museum’s virtual program series featuring up-and-coming artists in sit-down interviews and performances.
Here is this month’s Spotlight Saturdays schedule:
Dec. 5 – Joy Denalane
Dec. 12 – Chaz French
Dec. 19 – Asiahn
Dec. 26 – NJOMZA
The museum also announced the rest of its December schedule on COLLECTION:live (which consist of interviews and/or performances). Two of the subjects of these sessions were Grammy-nominated last week. Bettye LaVette was nominated for best contemporary blues album for Blackbirds. Tom Kitt was nominated as one of the producers of Jagged Little Pill, a finalist for best musical theater album.
Here is the rest of the December schedule:
Thursday, Dec. 3
Touché Amoré
Music biographer Peter Guralnick
Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, Tom Kitt, and the original Broadway cast from Jagged Little Pill
Celebrating 100 Years of Charlie Parker featuring a conversation with Dave Chisholm, Chuck Haddix, Bobby Watson, and Christian McBride
Thursday, Dec. 17
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Asleep At The Wheel featuring Ray Benson
Andrew Bird
Bettye LaVette with producer Steve Jordan
MisterWives
G.E. Smith
Livestream Event
Dec. 9 – Catching Up with Chris Hillman, a livestream conversation
4 p.m. PT
Tickets HERE
Digital Exhibits
Dec. 4 – Jerry Weintraub Presents…
COLLECTION:live is the Grammy Museum’s new online streaming service available for $2.99/month or $29.99 a year. Proceeds benefit the museum’s music education initiatives and help keep the museum’s mission alive while the physical location remains closed due to COVID-19.
All content is released at the museum’s new streaming service, COLLECTION:live: watch.grammymuseum.org