Four days after the Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy returns to the Dolby Theatre in LA to stage an all-star tribute to The Beach Boys. All surviving bandmembers were present to watch a host of A-list artists tackle their hits and, occasionally, deeper cuts. The proceedings were filmed for A Grammy Salute To The Beach Boys, which will air later this year, but for now you can preview it with audience footage that landed on YouTube.
Below, find videos of Beach Boys covers from Mumford & Sons, St. Vincent, Beck, My Morning Jacket, Weezer, LeAnn Rimes, Brandi Carlile, Fall Out Boy, Little Big Town, Charlie Puth, Norah Jones, Pentatonix, and Hanson, along with a couple cool duets among the artists performing: Beck and Jim James of My Morning Jacket doing “Good Vibrations,” Carlile and Legend doing “God Only Knows” (pictured above), and Luke Spiller of The Struts & Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless doing a medley of “Surfin’ USA” and “Fun Fun Fun.”
It’s a little hard to compare them all since sound quality is inconsistent, but three performances that stand out here at Mumford & Sons collaborating with Sam Gendel on a strange jazzy “I Know There’s an Answer,” St. Vincent crooning “You Still Believe in Me,” and LeAnn Rimes singing the hell out of “Caroline No.” And Weezer, of course, who were made to do crunchy power-pop covers of Beach Boys hits. (I couldn’t find any video of three performers from this show: Andy Grammer, Lady A, and Take 6).
Mumford & Sons – I Know There’s an Answer
St. Vincent – You Still Believe in Me
Beck – Sloop John B
My Morning Jacket – I Get Around
Beck & Jim James – Good Vibrations
Weezer – California Girls
LeAnn Rimes – Caroline No
Brandi Carlile – In My Room
John Legend – Sail On Sailor
Brandi Carlile & John Legend – God Only Knows
Fall Out Boy – Do You Wanna Dance [5th slide]
Little Big Town – Help Me Rhonda
Charlie Puth – Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Foster the People – Do It Again
Norah Jones – Warmth of the Sun
Pentatonix – Heroes and Villains
Luke Spiller & Taylor Momsen – Surfin’ USA / Fun Fun Fun
Hanson – Barbara Ann [4th slide]
It’s the end of the era of Etta and her more than fifty year stretch of hit singles, cross-genre awards and industry-shaking influence concludes with a dream. A dream that features Axl Rose… without being a nightmare!