REVIEW: Tribute to Neil Young @ AmericanaFest Salute Concert | Lefsetz Letter

Tribute to Neil Young: AmericanaFest 

On January 31, an AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute concert was held at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA , to pay tribute to Neil Young's songs, with proceeds funding MusiCares programs for music industry professionals.

Performers included Rhiannon Giddens, Margo Price, Jesse Welles, and Molly Tuttle.  

Here is a review by Bob Lefsetz.

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On the other hand...

And then I went to the Troubadour last night.

Sitting up in the bleachers I had a long conversation with David Macias, whose Thirty Tigers is the bleeding edge of quality distribution. What I mean is...if he's involved, it's worth paying attention... All the acts the majors no longer invest in, he's the man... Like with Lucinda Williams. He's even got an Amy Grant album coming out.

And David started philosophizing, about today's music being regressive, that's the word he used. How it was looking backwards, he wanted to put out records that were something new, that pushed the envelope, and he's working on that.

But ultimately the show began.

I mean get old enough, and you start to feel removed.

But last night's show reinvigorated me, illustrated that the problem was not me, but the music being purveyed by the big time industry.

There were no hard drives. People played their instruments. The music was alive and it breathed.

And rather than dancing queens, we got endless ladies who showed how far women in music have come.

All I can say is you have to see Rhiannon Giddens to get her. The passion...she was in the moment, she melded with the music, it was riveting.

Sierra Hull performed the one song I was hoping to hear, "Look Out for My Love," which Linda Ronstadt covered so exquisitely on her "new wave" album "Mad Love." Check it out if you don't know this version, it amps up the song, gives it added gravitas.

Chris Pierce? I'd never heard of the guy, but he channeled Paul Robeson doing "Ol' Man River," only in this case it was "Southern Man," which Pierce slowed down to a dirge and bellowed...it was like watching a movie, it was more than the song, more than a performance, it was a PRESENCE!

Margo Price... Speaking of Ronstadt, Margo did "Love is a Rose" and evidenced such charisma that when she was gone you could feel the absence, she is a star.

Molly Tuttle made me like a song I never did. She took "Helpless" out of the ether with a more full-bodied version than the original. And she picked a few notes to boot. Everybody could play. Sierra Hull...

Maggie Rose belted the choruses of "Down By the River," and urged those in attendance to join along, and I don't know about everybody else, but I could not hold myself back.

Katie Pruitt I'd never heard of, but she picked the notes in "Ohio"... And even though it's over half a century old, I felt the spirit of Minneapolis in the room.

Young the Giant? I never got them, but they sang a powerful version of "Old Man" that had me reflecting on my own life, where I'd been, who I am now... That's what we want from music, to set our minds free, so they can float down the river of thought..

Jesse Welles, the man of the moment, did "After the Gold Rush" and didn't walk off immediately, so I thought he was going to break into his anti-ICE song, but alas, that did not happen.

Grace Potter evidenced more spirit, more of the rock and roll ethos than any woman I saw on the Grammy telecast. You could tell it was coming from deep inside, her soul, she was a rock chick, there was nothing calculated about her performance whatsoever.

And there was Sara Watkins and the Milk Carton Kids and even more, but all I can tell you is I started off the show at a distance, but about a third of the way in I was totally involved, I became one with the music... No, it was more than that, it was the atmosphere, the vibe, like David Byrne once sang, it was the same as it ever was.

Yet it wasn't old farts, but young 'uns. Just when I thought the formula was lost, I found that it had been channeled by a younger generation, removed from the vapid, cringe-worthy mainstream, keeping it alive and extending it. These people could play and sing and there was no dancing involved... It was about the music, pure and simple, nothing more was necessary, and it touched every single person in the place.

At dinner we were talking about how hard it is to get us out. Because we've seen all the acts, in their heyday, and the new ones...

When I left the Troubadour last night there was a bounce in my step. I felt not only did the people and the music still have it, but SO DID I! I may be closer to death, but everything that excited me, that drew me to the sound, was still there, alive and cooking.

I only wish you were there.

by Bob Lefsetz.

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More of Bob Lefsetz writings on Neil Young @

• 
  
- CONCERT REVIEW: Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts @ Hollywood Bowl - September 15 | Lefsetz Letter

"He was definitely not like anybody else": Bob Lefsetz on Neil Young on Howard Stern Show

- ESSAY: Young Shakespeare by Neil Young | Bob Lefsetz

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Tribute to Neil Young: AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute Concert on Jan 31 + New Tour Date

Tribute to Neil Young: AmericanaFest 

An AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute concert at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA on January 31, 2026, will pay tribute to Neil Young's songs, with proceeds funding MusiCares programs for music industry professionals.

Performers include Rhiannon Giddens, Margo Price, Jesse Welles, and Molly Tuttle,

Live streaming available on volume.com. 

Also,  new tour date added on June 17th with a show at the Eden Sessions in Cornwall, UK.

 LOVE EARTH 2026 UK/EU TOUR Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts ( See Dates @ 2026 UK/EU TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED )

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Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse Film "A Band a Brotherhood a Barn" Grammy Nominee + The Story Behind Why Neil Young Has Never Won a Major GRAMMY Award

 A Band a Brotherhood a Barn -

Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse 

 

Tonight, Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse are up for a Grammy for A Band a Brotherhood a Barn (directed by dhlovelife) in Best Music Film category.  But still no major Grammy  win for Neil after 7 decades in the music business. (see The Story Behind Why Neil Young Has Never Won a Major GRAMMY Award + updated below)

Not so incidentally, Beck has a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance for a cover of Neil Young's song "Old Man.

Best Rock Performance Grammy Nominations 2023

In an interview with Neil Young in AARP by Edna Gundersen, he discusses what happened with the Beck NFL Ad Controversy.

 

 

Beck Covering Neil Young’s ‘Old Man’ for NFL Commercial

 

In other Grammy news -- as has been observed here repeatedly over the years -- during Neil Young's 50+ years recording career, he has been awarded only a single Grammy Award for music and that being only in a minor musical category.

"Best Art Direction on a Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package"
Jenice Heo, Neil Young, and Gary Burden
Grammy Award Pre-telecast Ceremony, Los Angeles, Jan 31, 2010
Photo by Matt Sayles/Associated Press

Zero Grammys for Buffalo Springfield or Crosby Stills Nash and Young or Crazy Horse. 

Neil Young's first Grammy nomination did not come until 1989, for the video for “This Note’s For You”. We started exploring this question back in 2006 on Neil Young and Emmylou Harris: Guess who has 11 Grammy Awards and which one has zero?. 

Neil Young's 1st Grammy win (in a non-musical category) finally came 4 years later in 2010 when he won his very first Grammy Award in a pre-telecast ceremony in Los Angeles. The award, for best art direction on a boxed or special limited edition package, was shared among Mr. Young and his art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo for the boxed set “Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972).”

"Best Art Direction on a Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package"
Jenice Heo, Gary Burden & Neil Young, and
Grammy Award Pre-telecast Ceremony, Los Angeles, Jan 31, 2010
Note, the Grammy was for a boxset design -- not the music inside the box. Not for  the breakthrough technology. Not for the release itself. Year after year after year, we've have blogged on the injustice of the Grammy Awards handed out by industry elites, so none of any of this should come as a surprise to anyone.

But, as G.B. observed:

"... Neil Young winning for packaging is like Martin Scorsese winning an Oscar for costume design."

.
Also, in 2010 Neil Young was honored as MusiCares Person Of The Year for his incredible commitment to charitable work and worthy causes.


Neil Portnow, President of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences & Neil Young
Neil Young: MusiCares Person Of The Year - 2010
January 29, 2010 - Los Angeles, California
Neil Young's 1st Grammy win in a musical category finally came the next year in 2011 for Rock Song "Angry World".

1st Grammy Win!
2011 Rock Song: "Angry World," Neil Young
So just remember for tonight while watching the Grammy Awards. And what is the story behind why Neil Young has never won a major GRAMMY Award?

Could it be the awards are rigged? Is there corruption on the highest floors of the GRAMMYs? Shocking, we know. Again, secrecy, a lack of transparency, and a complete disregard for the TRUTH are the root cause for the dismal state of affairs in the music industry.

In 2020, former Grammys CEO Deborah Dugan made claims against the Recording Academy (which confirms observations above) after which she was put on administrative leave.

Former Grammys CEO Deborah Dugan

From The Grammys Are Rigged According to Ousted CEO by Tiffany Fitzhenry:

“Conflicts of interest and self dealing are rampant” [at the Recording Academy] according to ousted CEO Deborah Dugan.

Dugan filed an incendiary complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the institution that presides over the Grammys and wields arguably more power over the whole of the music industry than any other entity on the planet.

Some of the more shocking claims lodged by Dugan in the complaint:

• The Grammy voting process is allegedly “ripe with corruption” and allows nomination committee members to “push forward artists with whom they have relationships.” The complaint states, “It is not unusual for artists who have relationships with Board members and who ranked at the bottom of the initial 20-artist list to end up receiving nominations.”

• The Recording Academy also allegedly “manipulates the nominations process to ensure that certain songs or albums are nominated when the producer of the Grammys [Ken Ehrlich] wants a particular song performed during the show.”

As the gap between what we suspected and corroborating info hastens "The Big Shift", truth (and wheat) is coming. Truth that will transform us all.

Dave Matthews, Neil Young and Pegi Young
The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing GRAMMY Event
Village Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California - January 21st, 2014
Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Image
(Click photo to enlarge)
In 2014, Neil Young accepted the President's Merit Award from the Producers & Engineers Wing of The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs.

In Young's acceptance speech, he covered a lot of ground discussing the recording process relative to producers and artists.

Here is what Matthew L. said in reaction to the injustice and outrage (one of the milder responses.):

Oh come on, people, they deserve the award for such great art direction. The artistry is awesome. I agree that Neil deserves a Grammy for his music, and doesn't get half the overall recognition he deserves, but that shouldn't take anything away from the artists who did such a fine job creating the packaging for the Archives.

It's beautiful.

What y'all need to understand is that mainstream people in our society and the music industry aren't looking for creativity or the quality of personal expression, or your ability to channel the universe in music.

They are much more shallow than that. The people want what's sold to them, they want to be part of the popular crowd, they aren't interested in identifying personally with a song in a profound, emotional way.

They far outnumber the people who enjoy music because it moves them or titillates their minds, because of how it effects them personally, both emotionally and intellectually.

The music industry, by-and-large, plays to this tendency. It releases shallow garbage, people buy it and pretend they like it in order to satisfy their need to be accepted. This is mainstream American pop culture we're talking about here, not the land of smart, thoughtful, multidimensional individuals.

So obviously the chances of Neil Young winning a Grammy are much, much slimmer than Taylor Swift, even though he writes better music. Neil writes better music than almost anyone. It's not about good music - it's about popularity. It's about who sold the most albums because they were aggressively marketed by the industry to the shallow mainstream cult of popularity.

I'd be happy if Neil Young did get the recognition he deserved, but Neil isn't after recognition (thank GOD, because his music wouldn't be half as good as it is), and he doesn't need it, so who really cares?

In some sense it might even be a travesty to award him a Grammy, considering that winning one basically indicates that you're simplistic and derivative enough to easily market to sheep.

More on Gary Burden Receives Grammy Nomination for NYA Design.

Also, Gary Burden’s blog has fascinating entries about this project with respect to design, sustainability and collaboration.

Also, see Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year.


Neil Portnow, President of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences & Neil Young
Neil Young: MusiCares Person Of The Year - 2010
January 29, 2010 - Los Angeles, California
Neil Young's Grammy Award Moments

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Grammy Nomination for Beck's Neil Young Cover of "Old Man" + "A Band a Brotherhood a Barn" Film Nominated

Best Rock Performance Grammy Nominations 2023

 

Beck has a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance for a Neil Young cover song of "Old Man.

Also, on a brighter note,  a Grammy nomination for Neil Young & Crazy Horse – A Band a Brotherhood a Barn in Best Music Film category.  But still no major Grammy  nomination for Neil after 7 decades in the music business. (see The Story Behind Why Neil Young Has Never Won a Major GRAMMY Award.)

 A Band a Brotherhood a Barn -

Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse 

Back to the irony here which is unbelievably rich.

 

 

To rewind just a bit, back in September, Beck covered Neil Young’s song ‘Old Man’ for a NFL TV commercial.

 

 

Beck Covering Neil Young’s ‘Old Man’ for NFL Commercial

 

Why this song was specifically chosen to promote football was never well understood and made little sense from a marketing perspective. Because old men are target market and watch lots of tee-vee, perhaps?

This sparked a bit of a flare up on the long running controversies involving artists selling out for commercial purposes.

 

Sponsored by Nobody?!
Neil Young's 1988 "This Note's for You"

 

On Instagram, Young posted a photo showing him holding a beer bottle with a label that reads, "SPONSORED BY NOBODY" without a caption.  hmmmm...

Neil Young| Instagram

The photo posted on IG is from the video for the 1988 Bluenotes song "This Note's for You" in which the musician parodied fellow artists (like Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, etc.) who used themselves and their songs for product and company advertising.

As we reported in January 2021, Neil Young sold his copyrights for 1,180 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund for $150,000,000.

"There will never be a ‘Burger of Gold’":

 Merck Mercuriadis - Founder, Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited

(See These Notes Are For Who? Neil Young Sells Song Catalog Stake For $150,000,000 )

 

Merck Mercuriadis, founder of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, stated at the time:

"Hipgnosis and Young have a common integrity, ethos and passion born out of a belief in music and these important songs. There will never be a ‘Burger of Gold’ but we will work together to make sure everyone gets to hear them on Neil's terms.”

"There will never be a ‘Burger of Gold’".   Seems clear enough.  No worries, right?

So does the promise made above hold for Young’s classic song ‘Old Man’? Is this very poor taste usage not akin to ‘Burger of Gold’"?  Apparently it did not.

The question is why?

How could those statements above reconcile with the travesty of what became known as a "spectacularly bad idea and in poor taste"?

Neil Young - "Cough Up the Buck$" Video - 2008

So why did Neil Young authorize and agree to this usage? Or maybe he didn't authorize this because the decision was handled by the new ownership stake in his catalog?

Our earlier cautions about "risking the "family jewels"  was actually addressed directly by Neil Young himself on NYA. (Also, please note some of our clarifications on this subject after the giant hullabaloo/kerfuffle in 2021.)

"gotta watch out for the greedy hand

the greedy hand" 

 

The Greedy Hand | Neil Young Store | WBR

Also, see this 2007 piece The Price of Neil: When Art and Commerce Collide.  More on "Cough Up the Buck$": Neil Young's Song of the Day | NYA. 

 

 

"Old Man" art by Ianardo

 

Also, see The Story Behind Why Neil Young Has Never Won a Major GRAMMY Award.

 

"Best Art Direction on a Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package"
Jenice Heo, Neil Young, and Gary Burden
Grammy Award Pre-telecast Ceremony, Los Angeles, Jan 31, 2010 ( see The Story Behind Why Neil Young Has Never Won a Major GRAMMY Award)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Associated Press 

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The Story Behind Why Neil Young Has Never Won a Major GRAMMY Award

"Best Art Direction on a Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package"
Jenice Heo, Neil Young, and Gary Burden
Grammy Award Pre-telecast Ceremony, Los Angeles, Jan 31, 2010
Photo by Matt Sayles/Associated Press
During Neil Young's 50+ years recording career, he has been awarded only a single Grammy Award in a musical category.

Zero Grammys for Buffalo Springfield or Crosby Stills Nash and Young or Crazy Horse. Neil Young's first Grammy nomination did not come until 1989, for the video for “This Note’s For You”. we started exploring this question back in 2006 on Neil Young and Emmylou Harris: Guess who has 11 Grammy Awards and which one has zero?. Neil Young's 1st Grammy win (in a non-musical category) finally came 4 years later in 2010 when he won his very first Grammy Award in a pre-telecast ceremony in Los Angeles. The award, for best art direction on a boxed or special limited edition package, was shared among Mr. Young and his art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo for the boxed set “Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972).”


"Best Art Direction on a Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package"
Jenice Heo, Gary Burden & Neil Young, and
Grammy Award Pre-telecast Ceremony, Los Angeles, Jan 31, 2010
Note, the Grammy was for a boxset design -- not the music inside the box. Or the breakthrough technology. Or just the release itself. Year after year after year, we've have blogged on the injustice of the Grammy Awards handed out by industry elites, so none of any of this should come as a surprise to anyone.

But, as G.B. observed:

"A friend of mine noted that Neil Young winning for packaging is like Martin Scorsese winning an Oscar for costume design."

.
Also, in 2010 Neil Young was honored as MusiCares Person Of The Year for his incredible commitment to charitable work and worthy causes.


Neil Portnow, President of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences & Neil Young
Neil Young: MusiCares Person Of The Year - 2010
January 29, 2010 - Los Angeles, California
Neil Young's 1st Grammy win in a musical category finally came the next year in 2011 for Rock Song "Angry World".

1st Grammy Win!
2011 Rock Song: "Angry World," Neil Young
So just remember that tonight while watching the Grammy Awards. And what is the story behind why Neil Young has never won a major GRAMMY Award?

Could it be the awards are rigged? Is there corruption on the highest floors of the GRAMMYs? Shocking, we know. Again, secrecy, a lack of transparency, and a complete disregard for the TRUTH are the root cause for the dismal state of affairs in the music industry.

Former Grammys CEO Deborah Dugan has now made claims against the Recording Academy (which confirm these observations above) after she was put on administrative leave just days ago.

Former Grammys CEO Deborah Dugan

From The Grammys Are Rigged According to Ousted CEO by Tiffany Fitzhenry:

“Conflicts of interest and self dealing are rampant” [at the Recording Academy] according to ousted CEO Deborah Dugan.

Dugan filed an incendiary complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the institution that presides over the Grammys and wields arguably more power over the whole of the music industry than any other entity on the planet.

Some of the more shocking claims lodged by Dugan in the complaint:

• The Grammy voting process is allegedly “ripe with corruption” and allows nomination committee members to “push forward artists with whom they have relationships.” The complaint states, “It is not unusual for artists who have relationships with Board members and who ranked at the bottom of the initial 20-artist list to end up receiving nominations.”

• The Recording Academy also allegedly “manipulates the nominations process to ensure that certain songs or albums are nominated when the producer of the Grammys [Ken Ehrlich] wants a particular song performed during the show.”

As the gap between what we suspected and corroborating info hastens "The Big Shift", truth (and wheat) is coming. Truth that will transform us all.

Dave Matthews, Neil Young and Pegi Young
The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing GRAMMY Event
Village Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California - January 21st, 2014
Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Image
(Click photo to enlarge)
In 2014, Neil Young accepted the President's Merit Award from the Producers & Engineers Wing of The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs.

In Young's acceptance speech, he covered a lot of ground discussing the recording process relative to producers and artists.

Here is what Matthew L. said in reaction to the injustice and outrage (one of the milder responses.):

Oh come on, people, they deserve the award for such great art direction. The artistry is awesome. I agree that Neil deserves a Grammy for his music, and doesn't get half the overall recognition he deserves, but that shouldn't take anything away from the artists who did such a fine job creating the packaging for the Archives.

It's beautiful.

What y'all need to understand is that mainstream people in our society and the music industry aren't looking for creativity or the quality of personal expression, or your ability to channel the universe in music.

They are much more shallow than that. The people want what's sold to them, they want to be part of the popular crowd, they aren't interested in identifying personally with a song in a profound, emotional way.

They far outnumber the people who enjoy music because it moves them or titillates their minds, because of how it effects them personally, both emotionally and intellectually.

The music industry, by-and-large, plays to this tendency. It releases shallow garbage, people buy it and pretend they like it in order to satisfy their need to be accepted. This is mainstream American pop culture we're talking about here, not the land of smart, thoughtful, multidimensional individuals.

So obviously the chances of Neil Young winning a Grammy are much, much slimmer than Taylor Swift, even though he writes better music. Neil writes better music than almost anyone. It's not about good music - it's about popularity. It's about who sold the most albums because they were aggressively marketed by the industry to the shallow mainstream cult of popularity.

I'd be happy if Neil Young did get the recognition he deserved, but Neil isn't after recognition (thank GOD, because his music wouldn't be half as good as it is), and he doesn't need it, so who really cares?

In some sense it might even be a travesty to award him a Grammy, considering that winning one basically indicates that you're simplistic and derivative enough to easily market to sheep.

More on Gary Burden Receives Grammy Nomination for NYA Design.

Also, Gary Burden’s blog has fascinating entries about this project with respect to design, sustainability and collaboration.

Also, see Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year.


Neil Portnow, President of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences & Neil Young
Neil Young: MusiCares Person Of The Year - 2010
January 29, 2010 - Los Angeles, California
Neil Young's Grammy Award Moments

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Acceptance Speech of Neil Young's 1st Grammy Win (for music) | 2010

1st Grammy Win!
Rock Song: "Angry World," Neil Young - 2011

"This is my first Grammy for music, and it's appreciated greatly. I'm not Mavis [Staples], but I'm close."

(NOTE: If video does not play, go to Youtube.com.)

On February 13, 2011, Neil Young was up for 3 Grammy Award nominations: one for Best Rock Album (Le Noise) and two for “Angry World,” for Best Rock Song and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.

In 2010, Neil Young won his first-ever Grammy Award for the Archives Box. After approximately a dozen or more nominations (he did not receive his first Grammy nomination until 1989, for the video for “This Note’s For You”), 2011 was the year Neil Young finally won a Grammy for his actual music.

More on Neil Young's 1st Grammy Win (for music).

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Neil Young's 1st Grammy Award For "Best Art Direction on a Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package" in 2010

"Best Art Direction on a Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package"
Jenice Heo, Neil Young, and Gary Burden
Grammy Award Pre-telecast Ceremony, Los Angeles, Jan 31, 2010
Photo by Matt Sayles/Associated Press
During Neil Young's 50+ years recording career, he has been awarded only a single Grammy Award in a musical category.

Zero Grammys for Buffalo Springfield or Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Neil Young's first Grammy nomination did not come until 1989, for the video for “This Note’s For You”.

Neil Young's 1st Grammy win in a musical category was for Rock Song "Angry World" in 2011. Incidentally, Neil Young was partially inspired to write the song "Angry World" based on his fan's sense of injustice and outrage over the Grammy's years of dissing Young's career. (For those who might be humor, irony or satire impaired, the inspiration previously noted is actually not too far off the mark. See below.)

But back in 2010, Neil Young won his first Grammy Award in a pre-telecast ceremony in Los Angeles. The award, for best art direction on a boxed or special limited edition package, was shared among Mr. Young and his art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo for the boxed set “Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972).”



So just remember that tonight while watching the Grammy Awards.

So what did Neil fans think about all of this back in 2010? Here is what Matthew L. said in reaction to the injustice and outrage (one of the milder responses.):

Oh come on, people, they deserve the award for such great art direction. The artistry is awesome. I agree that Neil deserves a Grammy for his music, and doesn't get half the overall recognition he deserves, but that shouldn't take anything away from the artists who did such a fine job creating the packaging for the Archives.

It's beautiful.

What y'all need to understand is that mainstream people in our society and the music industry aren't looking for creativity or the quality of personal expression, or your ability to channel the universe in music.

They are much more shallow than that. The people want what's sold to them, they want to be part of the popular crowd, they aren't interested in identifying personally with a song in a profound, emotional way.

They far outnumber the people who enjoy music because it moves them or titillates their minds, because of how it effects them personally, both emotionally and intellectually.

The music industry, by-and-large, plays to this tendency. It releases shallow garbage, people buy it and pretend they like it in order to satisfy their need to be accepted. This is mainstream American pop culture we're talking about here, not the land of smart, thoughtful, multidimensional individuals.

So obviously the chances of Neil Young winning a Grammy are much, much slimmer than Taylor Swift, even though he writes better music. Neil writes better music than almost anyone. It's not about good music - it's about popularity. It's about who sold the most albums because they were aggressively marketed by the industry to the shallow mainstream cult of popularity.

I'd be happy if Neil Young did get the recognition he deserved, but Neil isn't after recognition (thank GOD, because his music wouldn't be half as good as it is), and he doesn't need it, so who really cares?

In some sense it might even be a travesty to award him a Grammy, considering that winning one basically indicates that you're simplistic and derivative enough to easily market to sheep.

More on Gary Burden Receives Grammy Nomination for NYA Design.

Also, Gary Burden’s blog has fascinating entries about this project with respect to design, sustainability and collaboration.

Also, see Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year.


Neil Portnow, President of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences & Neil Young
Neil Young: MusiCares Person Of The Year - 2010
January 29, 2010 - Los Angeles, California
Neil Young's Grammy Award Moments

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Photo of the Moment: Neil & Pegi Young - GRAMMY's 2014

Neil & Pegi Young - GRAMMY's 2014
(Click photo to enlarge)
Last night at the 2014 GRAMMY Awards, Neil Young & Crazy Horse were up for Best Rock Album for "Psychedelic Pill". Instead, - Led Zeppelin won Best Rock Album for 'Celebration Day,' a document of their one-off 2007 reunion concert which was released in late 2012. OK? Well, congrats LZ.

So here's a scorecard of Neil Young at the GRAMMYs:

GRAMMY Awards:
2011 - Best Rock Song - Angry World
2010 - Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package - Neil Young Archives Vol. 1

GRAMMY nominations:
2014 - Psychedelic Pill - Best Rock Album
2011 - Le Noise - Best Rock Album
2010 - Fork In The Road - Best Rock Solo Performance / Male
2009 - No Hidden Path - Best Rock Solo Performance / Male
2007 - Lookin' for a Leader - Best Rock Song
2007 - Lookin' for a Leader - Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance / Male
2007 - Living With War - Best Rock Album
2006 - Prairie Wind - Best Rock Album
2006 - The Painter - Best Rock Solo Performance - Male
2005 - Fork In The Road - Best Rock Vocal Performance / Male
1997 - Broken Arrow - Best Rock Album
1996 - Downtown - Best Rock Song
1996 - Peace And Love - Best Rock Solo Performance / Male
1996 - Mirror Ball - Best Rock Album
1995 - Philadelphia - Best Rock Solo Performance / Male
1995 - Sleeps With Angels - Best Rock Album
1994 - Harvest Moon - Record of the Year
1994 - Harvest Moon - Song of the Year
1994 - My Back Pages - Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (mit Bob Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, George Harrison)
1991 - Rockin' In The Free World - Best Rock Solo Performance / Male
1990 - Freedom - Best Rock Solo Performance / Male
1989 - Freedom - Best Rock Vocal Performance

(Thanks Ralf on Rusties | Facebook!)

Should also mention that Neil Young was the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year, which is probably something more meaningful to Neil. Also, last weekend, Neil Young was Honored by Grammy Producers Engineers Wing.

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Neil Young Honored by Grammy Producers Engineers Wing

Dave Matthews, Neil Young and Pegi Young
The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing GRAMMY Event
Village Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California - January 21st, 2014
Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Image
(Click photo to enlarge)
Last night, Neil Young accepted the President's Merit Award from the Producers & Engineers Wing of The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs.

In Young's acceptance speech, he covered a lot of ground discussing the recording process relative to producers and artists.

Dave Matthews performed a three-song acoustic set: "Rye Whiskey," "My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)," and "The Needle and the Damage Done." Matthews said: "I hope that I am half the inspiration to people that you have been to me."

From Neil Young Delivers Epic Grammy Speech to the Producers Engineers Wing | Music News | Rolling Stone a transcript of Neil comments:

So all I'm trying to say is I'm one of you. You honor me, you're honoring yourself. It's not me: it's you.

It's what we do. Thank you so much. Digital. Digital is not bad. But Xerox is not good. I always like to say Picasso was really happy to see original Picassos everywhere, but when he went into some places and saw Xeroxes of Picassos, it didn't make him as happy, because he thought people thought that we was making those things. The thing we do is, we make great stuff in the studio and then we kiss its ass goodbye, because nobody's ever going to hear it. That's unfortunate, and it didn't use to be that way. That's something that happened to us – that's an injury we sustained, and it deeply hurt us.

So the time has come for us to recover and to bring music back to the people in a way that they can recognize it in their souls – through the window of their souls, their ears. So they can feel and vibrate and so that they can get goosebumps. We cherish those fucking goosebumps. We really need those.

Complete transcript of Neil Young Delivers Epic Grammy Speech to the Producers Engineers Wing | Music News | Rolling Stone.

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GRAMMY's To Honor Neil Young in January 2014

1st Grammy Win*
Rock Song: "Angry World," Neil Young
February 13, 2011
Back in 2011, Neil Young accepted his first Grammy award (for music*).

Now we learn that Neil Young will be honored again by the Recording Academy Producers and Engineers Wing for his commitment to excellence and ongoing support for the art and craft of recorded music.

Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement:

"It is with great honor that we pay tribute to a musical icon who has been tireless in his own efforts to draw attention to the importance of hearing music as the artists who created it intended, and who has continually set precedents of excellence within the music community. The contributions of Neil Young are innumerable, as is his incomparable body of work, and we look forward to an unforgettable evening with this legendary artist."

The event will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, at the Village Studios in West Los Angeles.

* Technically, Neil Young's First-Ever Grammy Award was in 2010 for his Archives Box design.

In other news, The 12 Most Canadian Things About Neil Young | Music News | Rolling Stone.

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Reflections on Grammy Weekend

Neil Young
MusiCares Person Of The Year - 2010
January 29, 2010 - Los Angeles, California
Photos by Kevin Winter/Getty Images North America on Zimbio

We would think that for most Neil Young fans, this weekend represented somewhat of a breakout.

Without getting too bogged down with "what does it all mean?", it just seems self evident and we wonder why we even bother to point out the obvious. But -- clearly -- after browsing reviews and comments, it still seems as if Neil's career remains an enigma for so many.

One would think that simply scrolling through the list of bands performing to honor Neil Young as the 2010 MusiCares Person Of The Year, would be sufficient. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy said:

"He's right up there in terms of a constant in my musical life as an influence and as a mentor. He's kind of just a force of nature. And I take him for granted sometimes like I take the sun for granted ... I'm really happy the sun comes up every day and I'm happy Neil Young keeps making records."

We really couldn't say it any better.

OK, so the music industry honored Neil and his incredible commitment to charitable work and worthy causes. And the Music Academy even awarded Neil Young and longtime artistic collaborator Gary Burden a Grammy for boxset design. Not the music inside the box. Or the breakthrough technology. Or just the release itself. Not taking anything away from Gary or Jenice here whatsoever.

Year after year after year, we've have blogged on the injustice of the Grammy Awards handed out by industry elites, so none of any of this should come as a surprise to anyone.

But, as G.B. observed:

"A friend of mine noted that Neil Young winning for packaging is like Martin Scorsese winning an Oscar for costume design."

"Thanks a lot, everybody."
Jenice Heo, Neil Young, and Gary Burden
Photo by Matt Sayles/Associated Press

From comment on Neil Young Wins First-Ever Grammy Award for Archives Box by Dan:

All I can say that if the Grammy's, after 50 years of Neil rockin the rock n' roll industry, can only manage to give him a grammy for the artwork on his box set, it shows that the whole thing is a ridiculous farce ...

I actually agree that giving him a grammy now for the art on the box set is insulting to him as an artist and at the same time it demeans the whole Grammys institution ... I mean, how can people like Taylor Swift (no disrespect meant to her or her work) or Beyonce walk away with an armload of awards, and this kind of thing has been happening for literally years and decades, and a true authentic artist like Neil has created tens of albums and hundreds of songs of all flavors, and genre's, Jeez he's probably created a few genere's in the process and they can't come up with one measly award for his MUSIC??

Sorry, its a joke, its ridiculous, you'll rarely see me ranting like this, but its preposterous, and it proves the whole Grammys thing is bankrupt, its bogus, its fake, its pretentious, its political ... otherwise its totally unexplainable ...

Neil is a class act to show up and receive the art award ... he's a gracious person who doesn't need their false, pretentious accolades, but the whole thing when you think of it is so ridiculous ya can't do much more than call it out ...

ten years from now these grammy winners and their carefully manicured songs will be long forgotten and Neil and his substantive music will live on, aging gracefully as always...

Neil, Long May You Run!! You truly set the real standard.

Dan

Another comment by Matthew Lintzenich:

Oh come on, people, they deserve the award for such great art direction. The artistry is awesome. I agree that Neil deserves a Grammy for his music, and doesn't get half the overall recognition he deserves, but that shouldn't take anything away from the artists who did such a fine job creating the packaging for the Archives.

It's beautiful.

What y'all need to understand is that mainstream people in our society and the music industry aren't looking for creativity or the quality of personal expression, or your ability to channel the universe in music.

They are much more shallow than that. The people want what's sold to them, they want to be part of the popular crowd, they aren't interested in identifying personally with a song in a profound, emotional way.

They far outnumber the people who enjoy music because it moves them or titillates their minds, because of how it effects them personally, both emotionally and intellectually.

The music industry, by-and-large, plays to this tendency. It releases shallow garbage, people buy it and pretend they like it in order to satisfy their need to be accepted. This is mainstream American pop culture we're talking about here, not the land of smart, thoughtful, multidimensional individuals.

So obviously the chances of Neil Young winning a Grammy are much, much slimmer than Taylor Swift, even though he writes better music. Neil writes better music than almost anyone. It's not about good music - it's about popularity. It's about who sold the most albums because they were aggressively marketed by the industry to the shallow mainstream cult of popularity.

I'd be happy if Neil Young did get the recognition he deserved, but Neil isn't after recognition (thank GOD, because his music wouldn't be half as good as it is), and he doesn't need it, so who really cares?

In some sense it might even be a travesty to award him a Grammy, considering that winning one basically indicates that you're simplistic and derivative enough to easily market to sheep.

And the always thought provoking ranting of Bob Lefsetz:

I saw the Buffalo Springfield. In those days, there were no sponsors. The Fortune 500 ran. Music was dangerous. Neil Young knows the truth, that these companies themselves are dangerous. And that an artist has to march forward and explore unencumbered. Hell, he held up a sign during the show telling the performers to "Just do what you want to do. Don’t listen to anyone else."

That’s the key. To go on your own journey. Not the one people want you to. Hell, did you read all the negative reviews of "Catcher In The Rye" in the Salinger obits? Even the "New York Times" panned it. Unfortunately, the blowback contributed to Salinger’s pullback from society. We lost out, because the powers-that-be needed to tear him down, make him their size.

Thank god Neil Young never succumbed to this. He’s the poster boy for doing it your own way. And that’s why CSN’s business blows up when he performs with them, and he can go out solo to great business and the rest of the players cannot. Because we believe… That Neil Young is giving his all.

Friday night Wilco gave their all. And that’s why their fans believe in them just like oldsters believe in Mr. Young. Punch the clock and people know. Sing from the heart, take your music seriously and the audience knows. Jeff Tweedy wasn’t distracted by looking at the teleprompter, the words were embedded deep inside, just like they are in us.

Grammy weekend. Whatever your thoughts are about the "music industry", it was a time to celebrate. A well deserved celebration for Neil and his friends, at that.


Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and Neil Young

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Neil Young Wins First-Ever Grammy Award for Archives Box

"Thanks a lot, everybody."
Jenice Heo, Neil Young, and Gary Burden
Photo by Matt Sayles/Associated Press

From Neil Young Wins First-Ever Grammy Award - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com:

Updated | 6:52 p.m. Well, that only took, what, 50 years? After a career spanning nearly a half-century as a solo artist and a member of groups like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Neil Young won his first Grammy Award in a pre-telecast ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. The award, for best art direction on a boxed or special limited edition package, was shared among Mr. Young and his art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo for the boxed set “Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972).” Upon his win, Mr. Young (who did not receive his first Grammy nomination until 1989, for the video for “This Note’s For You”) told the crowd: “Thanks a lot, everybody.” Mr. Young was also nominated for a Grammy in the best solo rock vocal category, but lost to Bruce Springsteen.

Congratulations, Neil, Gary, Jenice, the NYA crew and all @ Shakey Pix (r.i.p. l.a.)!!!

More on Gary Burden Receives Grammy Nomination for NYA Design.

Also, Gary Burden’s blog has fascinating entries about this project with respect to design, sustainability and collaboration.


Whiskey admires Grammy Award Winning NYA Box
(Thanks Heidi!)



More coverage on neilyoung.org - Neil Young links - reconnecting thoughts and actions and Purple Words on a Gray Background: A Grammy for NY and Gary Burden.

Also, see Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year.

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Neil Young Honors Updates

REPORT - 1-30-2010: Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year


Neil Young
MusiCares Person of the Year

2010 already looks to be shaping up as another blowout year for Neil Young.

The MUSICARES Tribute to Person of the Year already has an impressive roster of musicians lined up of which Booker T. Jones, Lucinda Williams and Ben Harper have just been added. The all-stars will honor 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Neil Young on Jan. 29 in Los Angeles, two days before the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Artists on board to fete the legendary rocker are Jack Black, Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Sheryl Crow, Everest, Patty Griffin, Josh Groban, Ben Harper, Emmylou Harris, Elton John, Norah Jones, Lady Antebellum, k.d. lang, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Ozomatli, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Leon Russell, James Taylor, Wilco, and Lucinda Williams.

Some really great news is that portions of the Person of the Year event this year will be streamed live for the first time ever at GRAMMY.com.

From Lady Antebellum Feel 'Faint' Over Neil Young Tribute Concert - The Boot:

"Lady Antebellum are among the acts performing at a tribute concert honoring Neil Young as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year. The event's lineup of musical talent has Lady A giggling like starstruck teenagers. 'I'm so excited about that,' Charles Kelley tells The Boot, turning to his bandmates and adding, 'I was thinking about that, guys ... We need to rehearse! We're going to sing a song, 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart.' It's gonna be really exciting for us. I mean the lineup, too, that night ....'

'I saw Elton John [on the list] and fainted!' a beaming Hillary Scott interjects."

The Grammy honors will be followed by a Canadian Neil Young tribute concert at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre on February 18, hosted by Hal Wilner. That lineup will feature Lou Reed, Iron & Wine, Vashti Bunyan, Ron Sexsmith, Mark Kozelek, and members of Broken Social Scene.

So when -- oh when -- will Neil ever find time to work on Linc-Volt?? Or NYA #2?! Or release 17 discs like in 2009?

Slacker.

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UPDATE 1/28/10: From Variety:

Crosby tells Daily Variety of "Long May You Run": "I like what it says, and he will know what we're saying about our relationship by doing that (song)."

"'Neil Young is one of the best artists of our time,' Crosby says.

'He's an unbelievably good singer-songwriter and a fantastic guitar player. He's also very goddamn brave. Knowing how he has lived his life and the choices he has had to make make him stand out as a very courageous man.'"

From Toronto Sun:

“I’m more excited about that, to be completely honest with you, than the Grammys,” says Lady Antebellum vocalist Charles Kelley, whose Nashville trio is up for two awards at Sunday night’s ceremony thanks to their hit single I Run to You. “I have no idea how we got invited, but it’s a huge honour and I can’t wait. In my old cover-band days we used to play Southern Man and Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World.

“We’re getting to perform Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” he said. “I wanted to do Helpless so bad, but I think they said Elton John was going to do it, so I’m not going to argue against that!”

Wilco bassist John Stirratt didn’t want to give out any spoilers about what the Chicago alt-rockers will play, but he wasn’t shy about discussing Young’s impact on the band.

“Had he not picked up a guitar and made music, we would not be around,” said Stirratt. Wilco’s eponymous CD Wilco (The Album) is up for Americana album of the year on Sunday, but he says honouring Young is “the main reason” they’re going to L.A.

“Boy, does he deserve this — if only for all the work he puts in every year on the Bridge School Shows. You know how annual events are; they come around so fast. But they’re so nice in how they treat the artists, and they have a big party out at their house.”

Now, he just has to forget the fact that he has to play Neil Young songs in front of the man himself.

“You know, I never really thought about that until you mentioned it. That’s going to be brutal. Thanks a lot.”

From Brandon Sun Online:

"I've met a lot of my heroes, but I haven't met Neil and I haven't met (Bob) Dylan," Ron Sexsmith said in a phone interview.

"I don't really set out to meet people. ... But the year that I won my Juno in Winnipeg (in 2005), Neil was supposed to perform and I was really excited about possibly getting the chance to meet him but that was when he got sick, you know, and had the close call. If it happens, it happens."

Still, he says he loves Young's work.

"When I started out playing bars, I had to learn an awful lot of Neil Young songs, because that's pretty much all anyone wanted to hear," he recalled.

"I'm sure if you went to any bar in Ontario or across Canada, you'd still hear it. ... He has this strange place, anyone can pick up an acoustic guitar and play one of those songs. As a songwriter, that's something you kind of aspire to."

Randy Bachman, who grew with Young in Winnipeg, echoed that sentiment.

"You could go to any street corner in the world, and I mean in the world, and play a cassette or CD or whatever of Neil Young and (people) will say '(That's) Neil Young," he said.

"He has a voice like no one else, he plays guitar like no one else and he writes these songs that are so honest and ... first takes, if you know what I mean. He doesn't really polish up anything. It's whatever comes out.

Added Jeff Tweedy, whose Chicago band Wilco will perform at the MusiCares event: "He's right up there in terms of a constant in my musical life as an influence and as a mentor. He's kind of just a force of nature. And I take him for granted sometimes like I take the sun for granted ... I'm really happy the sun comes up every day and I'm happy Neil Young keeps making records."

"He's always been a really gracious guy, a really down-to-earth guy," added Tom Cochrane.

"That's what impressed me the most about him, outside of obviously his prodigious songwriting talents and the fact that he's a lot like John Lennon. He's like our Canadian John Lennon. He always wrote songs from his heart and never pulled his punches. He's been a great role model for me and countless numbers of other artists and I'm very proud to say that he's a Canadian singer/songwriter.

"Good for Neil. He's a big influence."

Musicares Rehearsal photos

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Also, see Neil Young News: The Charitable Mr. Neil Young and Neil Young influences and inspirations.

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REPORT - 1-30-2010: Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year

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