Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich recounts the time Aretha Franklin filled in for Luciano Pavarotti
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(19 Aug 2018) GRAMMYS PRODUCER RECALLS ARETHA FRANKLIN'S FAMED FILL-IN FOR PAVAROTTI
It was ten minutes into a live broadcast of the 1998 Grammy Awards when show producer Ken Ehrlich got an unexpected note to call Luciano Pavarotti at home -- a bad sign given that Pavarotti was scheduled to sing "Nessun Dorma" during the broadcast.
"So I called and all I heard was the following sentence, 'Mr. Ehrlich, I think he called me - not Ken - I am sick and I cannot sing for you tonight. I promise you I will come and sing for you next year, but I cannot do it tonight.' And I said to myself - not to him - 'That's great, but what ... do I do now?'" Ehrlich recalled Friday (17 AUGUST), a day after the death of soul legend Aretha Franklin.
Ehrlich quickly started running through the many performers on hand who could fill the time - he first thought of asking Stevie Wonder to do something amazing. But then Ehrlich recalled Franklin had performed at a tribute concert to Pavarotti two nights earlier, and sung "Nessun Dorma." She was already due to do a short performance of "Respect" for a "Blues Brothers" anniversary number - perhaps she would fill in for the famed opera tenor?
So he went to Franklin's cramped dressing room - she had a small one because she was not the main performer - and interrupted her fried chicken dinner to make his last-minute request.
"We got to the side of the stage, and she had never seen the staging, which was the deck of Radio City - the whole stage is filled with musicians and then there were 30 male singers upstage, because there's a great vocal ending to 'Nessun Dorma.' She looked at me, grabbed my hand, held my hand and said, 'Oh, this is going to be fun,'" Ehrlich recalls.
It became one of her greatest performances, part of music history, and added to her already legendary status, with the Queen of Soul so deftly performing the famous aria.
"You can actually watch the transformation," Ehrlich said. "If you watch that performance, which you can do, it starts out kind of tentative. She's starting out and she's there, she's not missing. But it's like she's feeling it. She had never rehearsed with that orchestra. ... But then as she started to get into it, when she got into the last verse chorus and then the tag at the end -- the ride out at the end - the ride out is this extended basically slowed down piece at the end. She Aretha-fied that and it was unbelievable."
Ehrlich produced other Grammy shows and events that featured Franklin performances, including a "VH1 Divas" show just several months after that Grammys ceremony. In the run-up to that show, he was reminded of her diva tendencies. She often felt rooms were too cold for her liking and asked that air conditioning be turned off when she was in the building.
"What I had done was I had asked someone at VH1 and someone at the building to send someone down to the basement where the air-conditioning unit was and to stay by it and don't let anybody turn it on. Turn it off an hour before she got there and leave it off," Ehrlich recalls.
"Five minutes before she was to come on stage, that guy took a break and someone came down and turn the air on. And as she's walking to the stage with me, she hears it - she doesn't feel it, but she heard it. And she looked at me and instead of turning left and going on stage, she basically took off, went out to the car that was waiting for her, went back to the Trump Tower where she stayed, and wouldn't talk to me for four days. Ultimately -- and basically sent me a message despite the flowers and things that I sent her - 'No duets. You promised me.' And I felt awful."
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Пікірлер: 136
If Aretha Franklin says "ohh this is gonna be fun" while coming in last minute to perform Operatic Giant Nessun Dorma, you know she IS about to take you to CHURCHHHH
@blazee3895
4 ай бұрын
Reminds me of when the producer of the Halftime show asked PRINCE if he would be ok performing in the rain and he replied, "Can you make it rain harder?" True GOATS!
Aretha Franklin was a musical genius! Who sings a song with no rehearsal not of their genre and looks out on a huge audience and live TV cameras and says "This will be fun!" lol I love it!
@afroembrya
3 жыл бұрын
And outside of her normal key.
@42abyz
3 жыл бұрын
@@afroembrya Yes!
@politereminder6284
3 жыл бұрын
A tru singer does, that's who.
@mahershalalbaz
2 жыл бұрын
She's a musical Apparatus.. She's gone past genius.
@TheConcertmaster
2 жыл бұрын
But to be fair, he does mention that she had actually tried singing Nessun Dorma “a couple of nights before” @1:09, and on the basis of that it occurred to him to ask her to fill in for Pavarotti. Still, it’s very impressive that she was able to pull this off in her own way.
No one will ever out diva Aretha
Aretha could literally do any style of singing and be the best ever. Soft slow r&b, hard rock or opera
@Jchan700
3 жыл бұрын
That's why I love Soul Singers, you literally can't be mediocre. Good soul singers like Aretha, Patti and even people who have been influenced by them Mariah, Xtina, JHud and Kelly Clarkson can literally do any genre because of how complex and how good you have to be to do soul.
This is product of Black American gospel training. Once you have developed gospel ears you can sing anything
I just got goosebumps while watching this. Aretha was a gift from God
WHAT A TERM!!! ARETHAFIED!! THAT EXACTLY WHAT SHE DID!! WHAT A TREASURE!!
I remember that night and I got chills from the moment she began til the end. OMG!🙌
@blazee3895
4 ай бұрын
Me too and still do!
Watching Aretha do this gave me chills....
Did she win an Emmy for this performance? She should've had.
@mahershalalbaz
Жыл бұрын
A Grammy too
@veeganboy
2 ай бұрын
Heck, give her and Oscar and a Tony too. Make her an EGOT!
Wow. What an amazing artist she was.
@jdjking
3 жыл бұрын
That is why!!!! She was Queen!!! You betta ask somebody!!! 👏👏👏👏💯💯💯💯💯💯
Aretha-fied it 💪🏿🙏🏿♥️
🎤The Greatest Vocalist/Singer of All-time. 🙏🏿
"Retha" was a true performer. She learned "O Christmas Tree" in German for the 7 Dec. 1994 Christmas Tree Lighting. Also she performed for more U.S. Presidents and was invited to the White House more than any other performer. When it was time to perform for President Barack Obama's Inauguration there was a meeting the night before at the White House. The issue was the weather. Performers Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson and Aretha huddled to discuss the events of the next day. The issue was the weather. It was supposed to 27 degrees that day. Because of the cold each performer as well as Cellist Yo-Yo MA were asked if a pre-recorded performance was needed. Because of the cold Cellist Yo-Yo Ma opted to pre-record the performance because the cold weather would affect the sound of the Cello. Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson also pre-recorded their performances. BUT. When it came to the Queen of Soul Aretha, when asked what her wish was she stated, I was invited to Sing and that what I'm gonna Do. At the time she has pneumonia, but she was invited to Sing and that what she did. She Killed "My Country Tis of The. After the performance she kissed the President and First Lady, got in a limo and went straight to the hospital. That's a true performer. She is cherished and missed the whole World over
@demarstephon3295
3 жыл бұрын
Are you sure it happened that way sir?
@bryanbaker274
3 жыл бұрын
@@demarstephon3295 yes. This I how it went down.
@politereminder6284
3 жыл бұрын
Its true. I understand why she did it, but it was an unhealthy choice, and it showed in her performance.
@TheDealvin
3 жыл бұрын
@@politereminder6284 your right she wasn't in the best voice but how many black presidents were being sworn in ....Aretha sang and raised money for Dr. King so of course she would sung... she admitted that she was not in the best voice...
@politereminder6284
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheDealvin I do love Aretha, all the same.
She was truly amazing the Queen of music.
Aretha: NO AIR CONDITIONER EVER !!!!!!!
How I'm a music fanatic and how I wish they'd make a movie of this moment. To actually honour two music icons ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Love Aretha Franklin. RIP to The Queen 👑
@blazee3895
4 ай бұрын
That would be awesome!
Aretha had to go to Heaven to get the choir on track.... THE QUEEN!!!!!
@kyokitty16
3 жыл бұрын
I like that...❤
@baritonebynight
3 жыл бұрын
I have no doubt that she's singing in heaven but Ms. Franklin is not choral singer!
@krisjets23
2 жыл бұрын
That's a good one ❤👏🏾👏🏾
A historic and legendary performance and it wasn’t planned ❤❤👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I remember seeing that live. Blew me away.
What an amazing story it makes me love and respect Aretha even more especially knowing it wasn’t planned and she gave an award winning performance I will never forget watching the show and listening to her sing I was crying and yelling you go Aretha this is why she was the Queen of soul. merry Christmas everyone. ❤️🙋🏽♀️ I will miss this amazing Diva.
She was not being bitchy about the air conditioning. A cold air environment interferes with a singer's ability to sing well, which is why Aretha's outfit has a high collar that covers her throat. Drums cannot be played properly in wintertime if the skin/head of them is too cold. If it is, the drummer will warm the skin/head. No instrument, including the human voice and a dancer's body, functions well when it is cold---or out of tune/out of shape.
@politereminder6284
3 жыл бұрын
True. Also, air conditioning dehydrates the atmosphere and the throat. I personally cannot stand it
@lawsonj39
3 жыл бұрын
"Collar," not "color."
@TheLakersfan24704
2 жыл бұрын
As a singer I know this is absolutely true .
@infinitedreaming222
Жыл бұрын
And I’m pretty sure she’s had a history with certain type of people trying to sabotage her.
@ambercherise2391
Ай бұрын
I’m so glad someone pointed this out.
A true queen. I learned from her about singing under air conditioning's places... some voices (like mine, probably as her) just crack in SECONDS. We need humidity (Mariah same)
Im not big on watching the Grammys...they've always been a bit too long for me. I watch the show in bits and pieces. But the night Aretha popped up, I was watching because there was someone else on the program I wanted to see win an award So, Im sitting there watching with some folks when all of a sudden Sting announces Aretha singing for Pavarotti...and we're all like "wtf!..huh?!!". I knew of Nessun Dorma, because I LOVE opera..but Ive never heard a female sing it. When she finished, there wasnt a sound in that llving room...all of our jaws had dropped like we had just seen a UFO.
Oh man... This is lovely. Always good to hear the technical details.
Totally amazing..love her.
ready as i'll ever be
What's with the weird edits?
@dee12yearsago88
3 жыл бұрын
Copyright
@TCt83067695
3 жыл бұрын
@@dee12yearsago88 really? It's not music
She's really good
Is it possible to see the entire interview?
Cold Air isn't Good for Her Voice She made Sure they had Heaters at the Inauguration and she was Covered up
I think the difference with classical singers is that they KNOW that they should not sing when their voices are compromised. A lot of pop singers are forced to continue under harmfulcircumstances. A I am so glad Aretha insisted on the air conditioning thingie. You can injure your voice that way.
I have feeling to give death stare and slap the person who took a break 5 mins before she sang, and did not hand over the message to keep aircon off till she finished singing.
Her performance was incredible; Sting was pathetic.
Is it possible to see the entire performance of Ms Franklin from the 1998 Grammys ?
@DocPortland
5 жыл бұрын
It used to be on youtube, but looks like it was taken down.
@Elexstehr
5 жыл бұрын
Jammu Jones kzread.info/dash/bejne/nWdn1auHmtGfn5M.html if you haven’t found it yet
@randombrokeperson
5 жыл бұрын
@@DocPortland it's back up. I just watched it
Came from genius:aretha
Did they turn off the air conditioning?
sky news live
She "Aretha-fied" that. That she did!
Aretha this ....aretha that. You know you all must say miss Franklin right?
Arethafied!!!!! Lol
WTF EDITING??
AP needs a better video editor. Ridiculous.
Wait… he’s saying that she heard the air conditioning coming on and walked away to her hotel…. Yet, the Divas Live was taped….. with Aretha performing in it… What!?
Arethafied, lol
Pavarotti called out sick only a short while before going on ? Bush league to not give a little more courtesy notice.
@CardinalEgan
3 жыл бұрын
Hey, a singer like Pavarotti has huge expectations placed on him. If he cracks or misses a note, nobody is going to remember he came in sick. People would be watching it on KZread 20 years later saying "He wasn't all that..." At least he called himself and didn't have his manager do the dirty work.
Hmm, I guess she’s more a prima donna than I thought.
@montrealgivens3123
5 ай бұрын
A true professional who knows her instruments
Wow that was horrible of her. She should have been more.respectful 9f her audience.
@flaviocostareal
2 ай бұрын
1. She is not an opera singer. 2. She didn't even have time to familiarize herself with the orchestra, after all, she didn't have time to practice rehearsals. 3. If she hadn't OFFERED HELP and SING in Luciano's place, there would have been a huge gap in the Grammy program. That said, I hope you rethink what you said.
I'm shocked at how many people are saying they loved her performance of that song. Either you aren't fans of opera or you're just in love with Franklin. She didn't even sound like she was performing the same song.
@WestieKatie
Жыл бұрын
It was BETTER😍
@S1kAllDay
Жыл бұрын
@@WestieKatie than what?
@lifehacks1019
Жыл бұрын
She interpreted it in her own way which is perfectly ok!
@forgoogletotrack7181
6 ай бұрын
She wasn't a GOTDAMN OPERA SINGER! Good lord, how you gonna criticize someone for doing something that isn't in their usual wheelhouse? I'm sure if she trained as an opera singer it would be far better so STFU already. 🙄
@flaviocostareal
2 ай бұрын
1. She is not an opera singer. 2. She didn't even have time to familiarize herself with the orchestra, after all, she didn't have time to practice rehearsals. 3. If she hadn't OFFERED HELP and SING in Luciano's place, there would have been a huge gap in the Grammy program. That said, I hope you rethink what you said.
She was an embarrassment.
@Duncan456
2 жыл бұрын
All the way to the bank...
@krisjets23
2 жыл бұрын
Shut up Peter
@shernette32
2 жыл бұрын
Why didn't the ask you to do it..The people there nor did Pavarotti think so.
@krisjets23
2 жыл бұрын
@@shernette32 exactly
@hellojett4250
2 жыл бұрын
You are an embarrassment
Aretha-fied it 💪🏿🙏🏿♥️