By Laura Medina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J39HwXWFhMQ
Actually, it was the Grammys' Producers & Engineers' tribute to legendary producer and musician Nile Rodgers that ignited last week's Grammy Week bashes and parties.
Remember, the Grammy Awards is all about rewarding and recognizing the best in all sorts of music.
The Grammy Awards may rewards of the best this past year.
The Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers' honoring Nile Rodgers is paying tribute to a man who transcends era yet defines them while breaking that "One Time Hits" curse that plagues his peers.
On the red carpet, Niles explains how...
On the morning of his tribute, Niles just signed a new record with Warner Music. He just found out when he was in bed writing music.
Perhaps, that is the key to his career longevity, constantly writing music, never resting on his laurels.
Alright, another key to career longevity is have a broad enough fan base that grows and reaches beyond America. Nile and his first band, Chic, is still very popular overseas, say Japan.
Even a former bandmate dies, the fan base and the desire is still there, that Nile and his old band, Chic, still lives on to sign a new label deal.
Having him play these Disco classics, like his first hit, "Le Freak," to a fan base who still loves his work was enough to propel him forward with a new version of Chic.
Practice makes perfect. With his endless writing and composing while refining his older hits, Nile just gets better and better.
This endless drive for innovation and improvement and creativity are what kept him alive when he endured cancer.
He owes to him writing and playing music to recovering from cancer and writing his autobiography also improved his health.
In fact, he toured more places and met more people when he did the book tour, on top of his band tours than he did in the past, mostly Europe.
He says the hardest part in his career and personal life is staying alive,..
"I've burnt the candles at both ends; and I've done some risky stuff"
Now, he's appreciative that he is still alive to be honored with a lifetime achievement award, to be touring with a new version of Chic with a new record deal, and still being a R n' B man in the front line with a new record deal.
Looking back to look forward, Nile grapples with young black men in his position at their age in this day and era, "Looking back as a young boy, in the hood, people would let me slide with me walking with an instrument in my hand, thinking "He's cool. He's a musician."
"Young black men who are musicians, today, don't have a record label to go to."
Niles proposal this idea if these young black men musicians can get record deals and labels, a hit will inspired society that self-contained young black men can get it together. "If this phenomena happens, people can get it together."
"Musicians, now a day, are only back-up musicians to the singer after she becomes a hit. They can't form bands because there are no record labels to go to and sign them and help release records to form hits. It's just me, Chic, and Prince."
Nile Rodgers is so full of knowledge and wisdom that it took him one full hour to cover the entire line of the red carpet media, from beginning to end because he had so much to express, inform, and educate. He really cares.
He had to go or else, Nile would never get his award and enjoy a sip of cocktail, much less a bite of his dinner.
But, there are a sea of rock musicians who showed up, willing to pay respect to the man...
Ric Ocasek of the Cars
Slash of Guns n' Roses
Flea of The Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Weird Al Yankovich
Actor Tommy Davidson
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