Few people did more to launch rock and roll into the national consciousness than Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. Accordingly, few people are more worthy of a tribute at the Grammys than those two men, who both passed away in 2017. Berry and Domino got their tribute on Sunday night, though, one could easily argue that innovators of that caliber deserve more than the paltry two-and-a-half minutes that were allotted in their honor.
In any case, Gary Clark Jr. and Jon Batiste did a great job with what they were given. Clark’s blues-rock chops and Batiste’s New Orleans spirit made them perfect choices for the tribute, which featured a medley of Domino’s “Ain’t That A Shame” and Berry’s “Maybelline” (both of the influential tunes were released in 1955). You can check out the tribute below.
“Ain’t That A Shame” and “Maybelline”
[Photo: Screengrab of YouTube]