Don't Miss the Kennedy Center Honors Tonight on CBS @ 9PM

[Fun Is In]

Brian reminds me of Buster Keaton's movie character: the Great Stone Face.

[Beach Boy]

It's wonderful that Brian got so much attention, though kinda funny that he looked so unimpressed.

[Sheriff John Stone]

It's wonderful that Brian got so much attention, though kinda funny that he looked so unimpressed.

I was thinking the same thing. Of all of Brian's "honors", this one might be the tops. He was recognized among the greatest artists of the 20th Century. Not a guitar player or record company executive, but an artist. And he looked as if he just wanted to go home and take a nap, which he probably did.

I mean, there's our guy, standing up there with Academy Award-winning film makers, actors, divas, and presidents. Steve Martin used to play cards with Johnny Carson. Diana Ross is a friend of Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. Martin Scorsese hangs with Robert DeNiro and Harvey Keitel. President Bush deals with Heads Of Countries. And there's brother Brian, a shy guy from Hawthorne California, who wants nothing more than to walk his dogs and eat a nice lunch at the local deli. Oh, but look at what his music did to those people there. Very, very few people could bring those people together the way his music did. Amazing...

[Dave in KC]

Brian was impressed and he was  hanging - on - every - note  of his music that was played. His eyes told me he really got into it.

[Shady]

Anyone want to post the Brian Video segmant on youtube please??

[DJ M]

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/12/shabby_salute_for_beach_boy_brian.html

Shabby salute for Beach Boy Brian
By Shay Quillen
Thursday, December 27th, 2007 at 8:46 am in TV, Music, Shay Quillen, General.

Just watched the Kennedy Center Honors last night, and I thought I’d weigh in on the Brian Wilson tribute from my undisclosed vacation site somewhere in the Midwest.

Like many of you, I’m a full-fledged Beach Boys fanatic, and I was hoping for a tribute that would demonstrate to unbelievers Wilson’s harmonic and melodic brilliance, his compelling mix of innocence and sadness, his simultaneous complexity and simplicity. Instead we got a third-rate treatment that made him seem more like a run-of-the-mill pop hack than “rock’s Mozart,” as the intro referred to him.

First of all, the presenter. I was praying for Paul McCartney; we got Art Garfunkel. Harrumph. Art gave a perfectly fine speech, actually, but things went downhill once the musical tributes started. First, Lyle Lovett, of all people, came out to sing “God Only Knows.” Now I love Lyle Lovett, but I can think of a thousand singers better suited to sing GOK than Lyle. (If you want someone with a touch of twang, how ’bout Vince Gill, who did a great job on “Surf’s Up” at the televised Brian Wilson tribute a decade or so ago?) Maybe they were trying to honor Brian by finding another singer with a lopsided smile. I dunno. Then they pulled out Hootie & the Blowfish — what a coup to catch them on a free night, eh? — to sing “I Get Around” and “California Girls” (without Brian’s exquisite intro — the best part!!). A British boys choir came out, so I figured they’d show off some of Brian’s gorgeous, jazzy vocal harmonies, but instead they went into a bland, schlocky version of “Love and Mercy,” a decent solo track that falls far short of the work of his Beach Boys peak. The whole gang ended up with another up-tempo number — “Fun, Fun, Fun” or something, while a couple dozen beach balls fell from the Kennedy Center ceiling. Lame-o.

Here’s how they should have done it: First of all, Brian’s got a band that has spent years mastering his arrangements. Fly them in. They could have started out with that choir singing “Our Prayer,” the opening of Wilson’s singular “Smile” suite. Then “God Only Knows,” with a great singer (Gill? McCartney? Elvis Costello? Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet?) and Wilson’s band. Maybe an a cappella version of “Warmth of the Sun” or “Surfer Girl” sung by Take 6 or someone to show off his knack for Four Freshmen-style harmonies. Then all the singers and Wilson’s band doing “Good Vibrations,” followed by a final romp through “Fun, Fun, Fun.” How hard is that?

Oddly, Steve Martin got a higher caliber of musical stars to pay homage to him, with both Earl Scruggs and Mark O’Connor taking part. And Leon Fleischer got Yo-Yo Ma. Brian Wilson gets Hootie. What a drag.

[jmc]

I found a link to the Hootie and co. doing I Get Around and California Girls on YouTube.   And a bit of the God Only Knows performance by Lyle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j0P_HC-6uk

[jmc]

If someone could please post on YouTube Brian's intro by Art and the video piece that would be fantastic.....

thanks in advance.

[HighOnLife]

Nobody's going to remember the performances by Hootie, Lyle, and the choir ten years from now, let alone next year, so it's not a big deal. What's important is that Brian's name is up on that wall with all those other successful and groundbreaking artists.

[MBE]

Nobody's going to remember the performances by Hootie, Lyle, and the choir ten years from now, let alone next year, so it's not a big deal. What's important is that Brian's name is up on that wall with all those other successful and groundbreaking artists.

Very true.

[Amy B.]

I bet the Steve Martin fanatics weren't happy with Steve's tribute and the Diana Ross fanatics weren't happy with theirs, and blah blah blah. I would have preferred maybe Cameron Crowe or Rob Reiner to do Brian's tribute, but Art Garfukel is a cultural fixture and a very articulate man who loves music. And Lyle Lovett may not have a beautiful voice, but it's fragile and haunting, and that's kind of Brian-esque. I think GOK should be stripped down sometimes so that people can see that at its core, even without the production and Carl's voice, it's a beautiful song. It also sent a message that this isn't just Beach Boys music-- it's standards that can be performed by a range of artists for years to come. Yes, Brian is a great songwriter-- not just that guy who lost it years ago.

They played songs people would know. Our Prayer would have been nice, but Surf's Up might have been lost on most of the viewing audience. People tuned in wanting California Girls. And people got up and danced to Brian's music. That was wonderful.

[the captain]

Nobody's going to remember the performances by Hootie, Lyle, and the choir ten years from now, let alone next year, so it's not a big deal. What's important is that Brian's name is up on that wall with all those other successful and groundbreaking artists.

I doubt much of anyone will remember his name on the wall, either. I don't know if I had ever heard of the Kennedy Center Honors until I heard Brian was going to get one. It has certainly never been a hot topic in years past when I was in school or at work. It's cool that he got it; it's unsurprising that it kind of sucked; and I doubt much of anyone except serious fans cares anyway.

[Amy B.]

I doubt much of anyone will remember his name on the wall, either. I don't know if I had ever heard of the Kennedy Center Honors until I heard Brian was going to get one. It has certainly never been a hot topic in years past when I was in school or at work. It's cool that he got it; it's unsurprising that it kind of sucked; and I doubt much of anyone except serious fans cares anyway.

Luther, sometimes you take the Gen-X cynicism thing a bit too far.  And I say that as a member of Gen X myself. But I'm a nerd, so it was important to me. I remember seeing all the old movie stars get honored when I was a kid. I always loved watching the show and think it's a lot of fun in a country that doesn't celebrate the arts nearly enough. If some people watch in their post-Christmas stupor and re-discover an artist they'd forgotten about or learn about an artist they didn't know much about (like me with Leon Fleischer), then it's worthy. You don't have to be a serious fan to care about these artists. I mean, the Oscars kind of suck in the same way, but it's a nice recognition nonetheless.

[the captain]

But while the Oscars suck, at least everyone knows what they are. That's all I'm saying--I don't think the same is true for the Kennedy Center Honors.

I hate to think of myself as a Gen Xer, btw. Too many bad memories of bad Seattle bands. [shudder]

[The Goat]

It's wonderful that Brian got so much attention, though kinda funny that he looked so unimpressed.

I mean, there's our guy, standing up there with Academy Award-winning film makers, actors, divas, and presidents. Steve Martin used to play cards with Johnny Carson. Diana Ross is a friend of Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. Martin Scorsese hangs with Robert DeNiro and Harvey Keitel. President Bush deals with Heads Of Countries. And there's brother Brian, a shy guy from Hawthorne California, who wants nothing more than to walk his dogs and eat a nice lunch at the local deli. 

Yeah, as a long time fan, I know what you mean & totally agree.  Unfortunately to those who don't know much of his personality, would that came close to comparing him to Forest Gump?   

[HighOnLife]

Nobody's going to remember the performances by Hootie, Lyle, and the choir ten years from now, let alone next year, so it's not a big deal. What's important is that Brian's name is up on that wall with all those other successful and groundbreaking artists.

I doubt much of anyone will remember his name on the wall, either. I don't know if I had ever heard of the Kennedy Center Honors until I heard Brian was going to get one. It has certainly never been a hot topic in years past when I was in school or at work. It's cool that he got it; it's unsurprising that it kind of sucked; and I doubt much of anyone except serious fans cares anyway.

Never heard of them??? I'm shocked.

[Aegir]

I'd never heard of the Kennedy Center Honors, either, and neither had any of the people I told about them.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Any time the President Of The United States (and other dignitaries - did I see Condi Rice?) takes time out of his busy schedule to attend, you know it's something special, regardless of how you feel about the sitting President at the time...

[HighOnLife]

Any time the President Of The United States (and other dignitaries - did I see Condi Rice?) takes time out of his busy schedule to attend, you know it's something special, regardless of how you feel about the sitting President at the time...

Yep, it was definitely tough watching through the 90s. 

It is a great honor though. There's been less than 150 to receive the award.

[Mahalo]

The boys' choir version of Love and Mercy almost had me in tears......spectacular. I would love to have an MP3 of that version....Hootie and the Blowfish?!? Well, I'm glad they paid tribute to Brian, but......I'd rather have the Chili Peppers!!!

[Sheriff John Stone]

The boys' choir version of Love and Mercy almost had me in tears....

It was emotional wasn't it. What if they would've shown Brian during "Love And Mercy", and a tear would've trickled down his cheek? I think everybody would have lost it....

[Goin’Bald]

He closed his eyes a few times during Love And Mercy, maybe to prevent the tear trickling down his face. I think Diane Ross brought a handkerchief to her eyes at the end of the song. Brian gave the choir a standing ovation. We all know that you never can tell when he’s emotional, but watch the man’s attitude during the song. It’s there. I think he was really moved. The song was never a hit, but it has become a classic during the years….

[Amy B.]

I do believe that he was deeply moved by the choir, and Melinda says he expressed interest in performing with them in the future. However, I don't think he was leading a standing ovation. I think he was standing up at the end of the performance because the honorees have to stand up at the end of their tribute to acknowledge the crowd's applause for them (the crowd turns to look at the box where the honorees are sitting).

[Ron]

I guess it could have been either way... but right at the end of the performance, Brian stood up first and appluaded the choir.  Then everybody else did.  After the break, Caroline Kennedy had everybody stand up to receive applause from the audience, and Brian stood up a second time.