By Dean Goodman 31 January 2010, 21:45 GMT

Reuters News

LOS ANGELES, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Eclectic rocker Neil Young, who has made no secret of his disdain for the Grammys, finally won a coveted trophy on Sunday for the first time in a career spanning almost 50 years.

Fittingly, the Canadian singer/songwriter was honored for a long-delayed boxed set collecting more than 120 tracks from his early days.

"Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972)" won the Grammy for best art direction on a boxed or special limited edition package. Young, 64, shared the award with fellow art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo.

He will also compete later in the ceremony for the best solo rock vocal Grammy, a tough field featuring Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen and odd-man-out Prince.

"Thanks a lot, everybody," Young said.

On Friday he was honored by the music industry at its annual MusiCares charity fundraiser in recognition of his annual concerts for the Bridge School for disabled children.

The 10-disc "Archives" boxed set has been in the works for years, with Young frequently delaying its release so that new technology could catch up with his vision. It boasts studio and live tracks, demos, outtakes and other rarities, as well as videos and the first digital release of his directing debut "Journey Through the Past."

Fans have the choice of three configurations, CD, DVD and Blu-ray -- the most expensive at more than $200.

Young, famed for such tunes as "Heart of Gold," "Like a Hurricane" and "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)," has confounded fans with an idiosyncratic output spanning folk, rock, grunge, soul and country.

He did not get his first Grammy nomination until 1989, for his "This Note's For You" video, but has since nominated many times since then, including once last year for his album "Chrome Dreams II," and three times in both 2008 (for "Looking for a Leader") and 2007 (for "Prairie Wind").

"I'm not Grammy material," he said in a 1987 interview recounted in the authorized biography "Shakey." "I hate that s---. It has nothing to do with rock 'n' roll. It only has to do with Hollywood, and it's jive -- a buncha people handin' each other awards and talkin' about how they made the best record ... There is no best in music."

He no longer belongs to a select group of influential musicians snubbed by the music industry's top awards. Still awaiting their trips to the podium are such acts as AC/DC, Judas Priest, Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode -- all of whom are up for nominations this year. (Reporting by Dean Goodman, editing by Cynthia Osterman)

:: showbiz411.blogs.thr.com

By: Roger Friedman
Saturday January 30, 2010

Last night, the 20th annual MusiCares Person of the Year dinner produced several memorable comments, not the least of which came from 83-year-old Tony Bennett, at whose table I was lucky to sit. Upon hearing the Red Hot Chili Peppers launch into a dissonant version of honoree Neil Young’s “A Man Needs A Maid,” Bennett told me: “Tonight proves to me there’s room for everyone.” He meant it, too. That’s a mensch!

Neil Young, who was seated with his family a few rows in front of us, must have picked up Bennett’s good vibrations. When it came time for Young to accept his award, it was Bennett — one of the few musicians in the room who didn’t perform last night — he cited. “Look at Tony Bennett,” Young told the star studded crowd at the L.A. Convention Center. “He rocks!”

And the crowd was pretty impressive. Country star Keith Urban, who eventually played Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” with John Fogerty and Booker T., brought his movie star wife Nicole Kidman. Matthew McConaughey and his baby mama Camilla Alves were seated on the opposite side of the room, maybe to keep things evenly weighted. I spotted John C. Reilly sitting with director-producer writer Judd Apatow and actor Jason Schwartzman. Ray Liotta rolled around the room, hair standing straight up. There was Jeff Beck (with British legendary producer Harvey Goldsmith) and Beck (just Beck). Famed producer Phil Ramone was seated at the Bennett table, along with Bennett’s three children (manager son Danny and wife Carrie, singer daughter Antonia, and son award winning produce Dae Bennett) as well as Mitchell Davis (son of Clive), and Jay Krugman. I think I saw reclusive bearded Rick Rubin come in with Gina Gershon. Also: Jeff Lynne and Joe Walsh.

Elvis Costello worked the room, wearing a sort of Gaucho hat and black suit. Later he performed a lively early Young song called “The Losing End.”

:: hollywoodreporter.com

Jack Black emceed the show, soon getting the idea to help raise money for MusiCares — which helps indigent musicians — by auctioning off his shoes and other items. When he decided to put up a sign from the stage with a Neil Young quote, he brought back the evening’s professional auctioneer. The man obviously thought his work was done earlier in the evening after the formal auction of items (Elton John paid $12,000 to sing with Brian Wilson). The man was now looped, which was pretty funny. He sold the sign — which Young offered to autograph — for $40,000.

The sign read: “Just do what you want to do, don’t listen to anyone else.”

That philosophy came through in Young’s songs, which were performed by a huge number of music stars. The outstanding moments included Elton John, Leon Russell, T Bone Burnett, Sheryl Crow and Neko Case on “Helpless.” This was especially poignant because Russell has been very ill of late. He and Elton have just laid down tracks for an album they are making quickly with Burnett. Later, all of them joined James Taylor for Young’s “Heart of Gold,” which Young and wife Peggy enjoyed so much they very sweetly rested their heads on each other’s shoulders.

Other performers and songs included: Wilco’s sensational rendering of “Broken Arrow”; Ozomatli’s stunning “Mr. Soul”; Dave Matthews, “The Needle and the Damage Done”; Jackson Browne, “Don’t Let It Get You Down”; Jason Mraz and Shawn Colvin, “Lotta Love”; Ben Harper, “Ohio”; “Tell Me Why,” Norah Jones; “Comes a Time,” Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Patti Griffith; Lady Antebellum, “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”; Stephen Stills with Sheryl Crow playing accordion on ”Long May You Run”; and Crosby Stills and Nash doing “Human Highway.”

So: can Clive Davis’s amazing pre Grammy party top this? We’ll see! And then, on to the Grammys, and the Sam Moore show at the after party. The record business is alive at least for this weekend!

**P.S. I’ve been writing of late about Leon Russell. Originally in Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, Leon played with Delaney and Bonnie before going out on his own. His authored songs include “A Song for You,” “This Masquerade,” and “Superstar (Don’t You Remember You Said You’d Be Back One Day Baby).”

Neil Young accepts the MusiCares Person of the Year award during a tribute in his honor on Friday, Jan. 29, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Vince Bucci)

Neil Young sat in the audience as 20 of his best known songs were performed on stage.

Elton John, James Taylor, Dave Matthews and more than a dozen other artists launched Grammy weekend with performances honoring Young as the MusiCares Person of the Year. The annual event celebrates an artist's philanthropy each year as it raises funds for the music industry charity that provides financial, medical and personal assistance to artists in need.

Young was honored for his decades of philanthropic service, including work with Farm Aid and the Bridge School Concerts, which raise money to provide services for kids with severe speech and physical impairments. The singer-songwriter and more than 2,000 other guests at the Los Angeles Convention Center were treated to new interpretations of his timeless songs, including "Harvest Moon" and "Cinnamon Girl," during Friday's nearly four-hour program.

"I'd forgotten how many songs I'd written," the 64-year-old musician said.

Jack Black served as the evening's host. He said the night's performers had been "unforgettably, awesomely and life-changingly" influenced by Young's music.

They included John, who said Young was "my hero" as an artist, philanthropist and humanitarian. John played piano and sang "Helpless" backed by Sheryl Crow, Leon Russell and Neko Case.

Taylor performed "Heart of Gold." Matthews offered a heartfelt version of "The Needle and the Damage Done." John Fogerty and Keith Urban sang "Keep Rocking in the Free World."

Ben Harper, backed by three female singers, offered a stirring take on "Ohio." Jones duetted with another acoustic guitarist on "Tell Me Why," and Crow played the accordion as she sang with Stephen Stills on "Long May You Run."

"Neil, how are you enjoying your Bar Mitzvah so far?" Black cracked. Later in the evening, the actor-comedian auctioned off his tie and shoes to benefit MusiCares. (The shoes fetched $600. The tie, $100.) Then he inexplicably removed his pants, and for a brief moment stood on stage in his tuxedo jacket and red boxer shorts.

L.A Johnson, longtime producer and director of rocker Neil Young's film and video projects, died Thursday in Redwood City, CA. He was 62. Cause of death was not immediately known.

Born Larry Alderman Johnson on June 11, 1947, in Ft. Benning, GA, the filmmaker met Young at the Woodstock festival in New York in 1969, where he recorded music for Michael Wadleigh's documentary feature. Johnson received an Oscar nomination for best sound for his work on the film.

He filmed a 1970 Fillmore East performance by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and produced Young's impressionistic 1974 feature "Journey Through the Past."

As head of Young's Shakey Pictures, Johnson acted as producer on Young's film and video releases "Rust Never Sleeps" (1979), "Human Highway" (1982), "Solo Trans" (1984), "Weld" (1990), "Year of the Horse" (1997), and "Greendale" (2003). He produced and directed "Neil Young: Silver and Gold" (2000), produced "CSNY/Déjà vu" (2008) and was executive producer of Jonathan Demme's Young documentary "Neil Young Trunk Show" (2009). He acted as music producer for Jim Jarmusch's "Dead Man" (1995), which featured a soundtrack by Young.

He worked closely with Young on the music side: He co-produced the singer-songwriter-guitarist's "Greendale" (2003) and "Living With War" (2006) and was deeply involved for two decades in the production of Young's mammoth audio-visual "Archives" project, the first volume of which finally saw release last year. Johnson was also a key production executive on Young's annual Bridge School benefit concerts.

Johnson participated in a number of other music-related features. He recorded sound for Bob Dylan's gargantuan "Renaldo and Clara" (1978) and "Cat Stevens: Majikat" (2004), served as line producer for Martin Scorsese's documentary on the Band "The Last Waltz" (1978) and directed video and TV shows on Belinda Carlisle, Bobby Brown and New Edition.

He produced and directed a 1993 TV documentary on film composer Maurice Jarre and a 2002 TV feature about the Bonnaroo Music Festival, and produced the 1980 Joni Mitchell doc "Shadows and Light."

Johnson is survived by his son Ben and daughter Hannah and their mother, Leslie Morris.

Solo

1.    Long May You Run    (acoustic guitar)
 

:: video: youtube x7gbwYL6H0g

Neil without side burns...

-------

An emotional Conan O'Brien bid adieu to NBC on Friday, saying that walking away from US television's long-running "The Tonight Show" was the most difficult decision of his life.

At times fighting back tears, O'Brien thanked his legions of fans for making "a sad situation joyous and inspirational," urging them to fight cynicism over the ugly public feud that ended his seven-month tenure at the legendary late-night comedy show.

The audience at Universal Studios in Burbank, California replied in kind, giving him a standing ovation and chanting "Conan! Conan! Conan!" repeatedly.

After an experiment placing the funnyman's predecessor in prime time garnered meager ratings and frustrated the network's affiliates, NBC television announced it would bring Jay Leno back to the show he hosted for 17 years.

The settlement landed O'Brien a reported 45-million-dollar buyout -- with the red-haired comedian pocketing around 32 million and the balance going to his staff -- in a bid by NBC to end what has been a public relations disaster once and for all.

But during his last monologue for the show, the embattled host even found time to thank NBC, a network he has called home for over 20 years.

"Yes, we have our differences right now and yes, we're going to go our separate ways," he went on.

"But this company has been my home for most of my adult life. I am enormously proud of the work we have done together, and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible."

He also delivered a few last jabs to his NBC paymasters, a practice that had become a nightly staple of his opening monologues ever since the saga broke out into public view.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, "we have exactly one hour to steal every single item in this studio."

Leno and other comedians at other networks had also used their shows to joke about NBC's controversial move.

Never one to pass an opportunity for self-deprecating humor, O'Brien told his audience: "I just want to make one thing clear to everyone listening out there right now. I will do nudity."

Among his guests were actor Tom Hanks, rocker Neil Young, comedian Will Ferrell and Steve Carell, star of the hit television series "The Office."

Carell gave O'Brien, 46, an "exit interview." Asked if we would consider working for NBC again in the future, O'Brien replied: "I don't know. I can't say at this time."

Although he was calling it quits with a show he loved and admired, O'Brien told his fans that "I really feel this should be a happy moment."

"Every comedian, every comedian dreams of hosting 'The Tonight Show.' And for seven months, I got to do it. And I did it my way with people I love. I do not regret one second of anything that we've done here," he added.

"I have had more good fortune than anybody I know. And if our next gig is doing a show in a 7-Eleven parking lot, we will find a way to make it fun."

The wrangling with NBC went public earlier this month when reports circulated that O'Brien's show was to be given a new 12:05 am scheduling slot to accommodate a new half-hour program hosted by Leno.

It followed NBC's decision to cancel Leno's prime-time show starting at 10 pm after only four months following poor ratings.

However, O'Brien refused to accept the change quietly, accusing NBC in a public letter of attempting to destroy "The Tonight Show" and vowing to quit his long-term deal if the change went ahead.

***