Grammy Awards 2014 Nominations, Rumors, and Update: Paul McCartney to Perform at Grammys with Ringo Starr
Some great news for fans of the Beatles -- and fans of good music in general: there will be a Beatles reunion at the Grammys this year! (Sort of...)
Needless to say, as we all know, it won't be a full Beatles reunion, as two of the founding members are no longer alive (John Lennon was gunned down by a madman's bullet in 1980; George Harrison died of cancer in 2001). But according to The New York Daily News, surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will perform together at this year's Grammys. The night before, The Beatles will be honored by the Academy's Special Merits division, which will feature such artists as the Eurythmics (!!!) performing the best of the Beatles. Maroon 5, Alicia Keys, and John Legend will also perform some of the Fab Four's best.
The Beatles's surviving members will be in good company on Grammy night, which will take place on Jan. 26 of this year. Other performers scheduled for that great night of music include Taylor Swift, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Kendrick Lamar, Robin Thicke and Katy Perry. Sara Bareilles will sing with Carole King, while Stevie Wonder, Daft Punk, Nile Rodgers and Pharrell will perform together.
Meanwhile, according to The Guardian, the duo last performed together at Starr's 70th birthday party in 2010. At that time, Starr reported that, unlike the legendary animosity between McCartney and Lennon, his relations with his erstwhile bandmate were quite pleasant. "We are good friends," Starr said. "We don't live in each other's pockets, but if we're in the same country, we get together ... We're the only two who've experienced all this who are still here."
The Beatles also have a bit of history with the Grammys: in 1965, they won the Best New Artist Grammy. Even though the award is now some sort of jinx for artists, at the time (at least) they Academy got it right.