Brandi Carlile, Cyndi Lauper, Cynthia Erivo, Yola and Laurie Anderson will be among the stars paying tribute to honorees like John Prine, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Philip Glass, Chicago and Philip Glass in “Great Performances: Grammy Salute to Music Legends,” set to air Oct. 16 on PBS.
The annual special, now in its fifth year, offers a fuller celebration of the Recording Academy’s lifetime achievement winners, after they are acknowledged earlier in the year in passing at the Grammys. The show is usually recorded before a live audience, but this year’s, of course, will be filmed with the participating stars in remote locations.
Other performers on tap for the show include Chris Isaak, the duo of Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Sam Moore, Leslie Odom, Jr. and Philip Bailey. Additional honorees include Roberta Flack, Isaac Hayes, mid-20th-century talent agent Frank Walker and the 40-year executive producer of the Grammy Awards telecast, producer Ken Ehrlich.
Set to air Oct, 16 at 9 p.m. ET (with variations in local listings), the special utilizes much of the same team that has produced the Grammys over the years, minus honoree Ehrlich. David Wild is writing the special, and David Horn is directing. Serving as producer is Mitch Owgang, with Horn and Branden Chapman on board as executive producers and Terry Lickona and Chantel Sausedo as co-producers.
Presenters include John Legend, LL Cool J, Rhiannon Giddens, Henry Rollins, Don Was, Joe Mantegna and Greg Phillinganes.
Archival material by the honorees will be featured as well. The full list of fresh tribute performances (with the lifetime winners’ names in bold):
Roberta Flack
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” — Performed by Cynthia Erivo
“Where Is The Love” — Performed by Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom, Jr.
Chicago
“If You Leave Me Now” — Performed by Philip Bailey
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
“Up Above My Head, I Hear Music In The Air” — Performed by Yola
Isaac Hayes
“Soul Man” / “I Thank You” / “You Don’t Know Like I Know” / “Hold On, I’m Comin’” / “You Got Me Hummin’” / “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby” — Performed by Sam Moore
Philip Glass
“Gee Whiz” — Performed by Laurie Anderson
Frank Walker
“Your Cheatin’ Heart” — Performed by Chris Isaak
Ken Ehrlich
“Time After Time” — Performed by Cyndi Lauper
John Prine
“Storm Windows” — Performed by Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires
“I Remember Everything” — Performed by Brandi Carlile