MUSIC: AWARDS SHOW TRIBUTES

‘Sing, heffa!’, ‘take ya time, baby’ and *thrown shoes* are common African-American indicators of good singing.

Good singing, sometimes referred to as flat-foot singing, is almost folkloric for its healing properties. 

Performing a legend’s song in front of the legend, on a night they’re being honored is a tall order. It requires that you:

• know the song

• know what the song means

• know what that song means in the career context of the honoree

• know what that song means in the context of this awards show

• Eat. Crush. Slay.

The Little Boss of awards season tributes is Fantasia Barrino. (Final Boss revealed at the end of this ‘stack.)

• Fantasia tributes Patti. 

• Patti tributes Aretha.

• Because I am the human equivalent of a black and white cookie, here are the most vanilla tributes to contrast the soulful ones above. 

• Kennedy Center Honors (RIP): Barbara Cook (RIP) Trigger warning: Laura Osnes

• The one honoring Shirley McClaine also eats.

The Final Boss/Big Boss of Awards Show Tributes: Aretha Franklin Shreds Piano/Sheds Fur Coat in Honor of Carole King. (The fact that this four minute clip has five act structure. We’re losing recipes. Spaghetti squash will never be real pasta (a quote I’ll explain later one day in a Substack.)