A little bit of all of our history

PBS produced a really interesting series called "African American Lives 2" for black history month. I haven't actually been able to watch it on television, but I have caught up some through the Web site. You can read a little about the lives and genealogy of some famously successful blacks as well as others who didn't know they had much African ancestry.

Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. leads research into the lineage of Morgan Freeman, Tom Joyner and Maya Angelou, among others. He shares his discoveries with each one, and they find out something they didn't know about themselves.

But the best part is that it happens on camera. You can see snippets from the videos. My favorite part about this is seeing raw, unscripted emotion from people whose public images are the stuff of pop culture legend.

Aside from the fact that one of these gets quite a lot of coverage on this blog, the interviews with Tina Turner and Chris Rock are my favorites for one reason: We get to see them cry. That's right. Chris Rock, the smart-mouthed joker, and Tina Turner, the picture of a rock 'n' roll survivor, shed tears.

Turner finds out an ancestor sold land for a price far below its value in Tennessee to build a school for black students -- one she later attended. And Rock learns, among other things, that one of his relatives, who was a freed slave, signed up to be a solider for the Union during the Civil War.

These examples are reminders of how important the past is to the present. Emotional reactions alone show that. It certainly makes me want to pin down more about my families' not-so-distant past, especially when it comes to sacrifices my grandparents and their parents made.

We haven't talked much on this blog this year about black history month, but this series is a good reminder that this is American history. I haven't done great research into my genealogy, but I am fairly certain I don't have black roots. But I am still proud when I hear stories like these. This nation was built on the shoulders of many great people whose stories deserve to be told.

So listen and share.

Duets make Grammys great

Did ya'll watch the Grammys tonight?

I thought it was pretty good, especially as far as the performances were concerned.

Beyonce and Tina Turner.

Fergie and John Legend.

Alicia Keys and John Mayer.
Kanye West.

My favorite had to be Beyonce and Tina Turner performing Proud Mary. I enjoyed watching Tina prove that she still has it as she shook, spun and sang next to Beyonce, who is at least 40 years her junior. (I know one of my fellow bloggers could second my admiration of the performance.)

Kanye was a close second with an OK performance of Stronger but a heartfelt performance of Hey Mama that reminded those that may have forgotten how close the rapper and his mother were and that he's still grieving. Sunday's performance marked exactly three months since her death.

Like some others, I haven't been a fan of award shows the past few years but the Grammys didn't dissapoint.

Did anyone else enjoy the show? And did you think the right artists walked away with awards?

I hate to bring up Tina Turner twice in one week

It probably makes me seem a bit obsessed. But here is an interesting article from the Post-Dispatch (where I was an intern this past year) that is connected to her out of St. Louis, where the world got its first taste of Tina. She started singing there with Ike Turner, who later became her husband.

Ike is headlining a blues festival there, but the mayor took a stand against declaring an "Ike Turner Day." The blues man is arguably as notorious for beating Tina as he is famous for his music.

Obviously the move is political because an elected official made the call. But whose got something to say about domestic abuse and holding celebrities accountable?

This should be a dream duet

Granted, the two artists I'm about to mention are not spring chickens, but I'm pretty pumped to hear about their duet to be released this fall.

Billboard.com reports Santana has recorded a new version of the 2002 hit "The Game of Love" with none other than Tina Turner. The track will appear on a Santana compilation in October.

Santana's original recording of the song was with Michelle Branch, and it won a Grammy. I actually liked it, and the music industry's highest honor has got to be a compliment. But I kind of felt sorry for her when Carlos Santana said Tina's version makes "every hair on your body" stand up. That's just in a totally different realm of praise. (And it may have even made me blush.) Of course, we are putting a talented young singer-songwriter up against the most electrifying woman in the history of modern music. (That wasn't biased, huh?)

My concerns come in when established performers who have garnered respect record with newer artists who may be popular but in a different league. And I don't mean a bigger one.

I like Shakira, for instance, but the pairing with Lil Wayne on the Santana album does not sound too exciting. Neither does the song with that guy from Nickelback. Santana's last two major releases have been duet-heavy, and I'm always concerned that what makes us love enduring acts gets overshadowed on albums like that.

But I've read that Carlos Santana has been wanting to work with Tina (although I couldn't find the link to that), so this should be something good. I hope I'm right.

(Photos -- The top shows Carlos Santana singing with Michelle Branch, while the bottom is, of course, Tina Turner. Both courtesy of the AP.)

A list is a list, but I can disagree with BET

You should be really careful about saying ugly things about dead people, right? I'll try to tread lightly. Granted, we're just talking about someone's opinion here.

I'm talking about BET's list of the 25 greatest dancers. Sometimes these lists just really make you go, what? (Maybe not like Don Imus, granted.)

No. 1 on the list is James Brown. I can't really argue with that. Even though he recently died (and even more recently -- by months -- was laid to rest), he probably deserves the top spot. None of us have ever seen anyone stutter step, kick and jump quite like him while still carrying a tune.

But to put newbie Chris Brown (who is great at doing flips but seemed to have pre-recorded his vocals on the Grammys this year), the laughable MC Hammer (even though I just put "U Can't Touch This" on my cell phone), and Jennifer Lopez (even in her best "In Living Color" Fly Girl days) in front of Tina Turner is almost sacrilegious.

Seriously, how can the Hardest Working Man in Show Business be first while the Hardest Working Woman in Show Business is relegated to No. 19? Even the late Aaliyah beat her by one spot. (And that -- yes, here's another part about dead folks -- may be just because she is late.)

Tina Turner has not been able to sit still since she began entertaining us in 1960. Whether it's choreographed moves with backup dancers or just some solo struttin', shimmyin' and shakin', I personally don't think anyone can hold a candle to her moves. She is a true original. The woman is electrifying. Just think about the way people scream when she sings -- and dances to -- "Proud Mary." Incredible.

But see for yourself. Tune in to BET tonight at 9.