The Grammy-NAMM Show Connection

Entertainment — By on February 15, 2016 at 4:22 pm

Cover Photo: The phenomenal Chaka Khan at NAMM Show 2016. Inside photo: Singer, songwriter, producer Stevie Wonder owns 25 Grammy Awards. He attended 2016 NAMM Show to, among other things, check out the latest music recording software, hardware and audio technology. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM.

The 58th Grammy Awards is happening tonight at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles. Knowing that the closest I will come to attending is a very, very long shot, I smile and recall what a great time I had attending what I now realize was the perfect precursor to the Grammys, the 2016 NAMM Show. Of course I KNOW it happened almost a month ago, but I believe Grammy dreams are planted, watered, nurtured, bare fruit and shine bright at the legendary NAMM Show–this year’s being the largest and liveliest in the association’s 115-year history. Following are photos of past Grammy winners who attended the NAMM Show to stay current on musical technological trends, new instruments that have entered the market and receive honors and recognition for their contributions to the industry and art form.

Ten-time Grammy-winning diva Chaka Khan was honored at the 2016 She Rocks Awards at NAMM Show. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM.

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Graham Nash (two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee) received the 2016 Music for Life award and performed at the NAMM Show opening day. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM.

Six-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer, pianist Dr. John talks to a young budding musician. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM

During the 2016 NAMM Show First Look presentation violinist Caroline Campbell performed in the Yamaha Booth. Campbell has recorded and performed with Grammy winners Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana, Queen Latifah, TI, Alicia Keys, and of course, at the awards ceremony itself. Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM

Guitarist/songwriter Rick Nielsen, of the iconic pop rock band Cheap Trick, was featured in the Grammy Museum's An Evening With series, and the exhibit, Cheap Trick: I Want You To Want Me. Cheap Trick was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM.

NAMM Show is the perfect environment for musicians to network: (l-r) Stewart Copeland (drummer for The Police, six-time Grammy-winning Rock band) hangs out with Larry Mitchell (owner, Royal Studios in Memphis, TN; known for working with Al Green, Rod Stewart, Anthony Hamilton and Solomon Burke, among other musical legends) and Brian Hardgrove (co-founder of the Arts for Positive Social Change project at Santa Fe University of Art and Design; bass player for hip hop godfathers Public Enemy.) Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM.

Bass player Victor Wooten, composer, author, producer, and recipient of five Grammy Awards, entertains a group of lucky NAMM Show attendees. Wooten is known for being a member of contemporary jazz band Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, and regularly performs with Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM.

Grammy-winning producer, Don Was, co-founder of the eclectic pop R&B duo Was (Not Was), has worked with Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones, John Patitucci, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Al Green, Bob Seger, B.B. King and Richie Sambora, among many others. Honored with the prestigious Producer Of The Year GRAMMY in 1994, Was received the 31st annual NAMM Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Award. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM.

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