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On
October 6, 1998, Epic Records and VH1 proudly present VHI Divas Live. By
popular demand, here are the album and home video versions of the music
network's unprecedented, one-of-a-kind concert starring Celine Dion, Aretha
Franklin, Gloria Estefan, Shania Twain and Mariah Carey, which was broadcast
live on VH1 from New York's Beacon Theater on April 14, 1998. Together,
these five superstar singers represent more than 200 million albums sold
worldwide, over two dozen number one hits, and nearly two dozen Grammy
Awards.
The "VH1 Divas Live" concert was a benefit for "VH1 Save The Music," a
pro-social initiative dedicated to improving the quality of education in
America's public schools by restoring and supporting music programs in
cities across the country. "VH1 Save The Music" was launched in January,
1997. Since then, VH1 and its affiliate partners have contributed over
$11.5 million in total support and $3 million in instruments to the national
initiative. A significant portion of the proceeds from sales of the VH1
Divas Live album will be donated to "VH1 Save The Music" by Epic Records,
which has also made a $250,000 advance contribution to the initiative.
In November 1997, following general months of debate, a small group of
us at VH1 finally agreed to turn our annual "VH1 Honors" concert into a
once-in-a-lifetime gathering of some of the most notable and popular female
voices in contemporary music. Borrowing from several smaller productions,
we were determined to create a performance showcase which we titled VH1
Divas Live.
The task of booking such a show was monumental. To gather some of today's
top vocalists together on the same stage, singing both their own songs
and a number of collaborations, presented innumerable logistical challenges.
We began by researching a list of artists who were actively performing,
and factored in those who we thought would work well together. By early
December, we had an impressive list of names, and we began to make offers.
In early January 1998, Celine Dion agreed to perform on the show and became our first official booking. Our viewers had chosen Celine as VH1's Artist of the Year in 1996; now her recording of "My heart will go on" was well on its way to become the biggest song of 1998. Since Celine and nearly all of the Divas we had targeted were scheduled to be on the East Coast in mid-April, we decided to move what had become an annual Los Angeles-based event to Gotham City to be held two days after Easter on April 14, 1998. We hastened to secure a venue in New York and to confirm the participation of more Divas.
Aretha Franklin had been on our list from day one. We were overjoyed to learn that she was planning an April release for her new album, "A rose is still a rose", and would be performing live during that time. Truly, Aretha was and is the definitive Diva, and thus became our role model for the event. With the persuasive efforts of Clive Davis, President of Arista Records, she finally agreed in early March to play the event. And when the Queen of Soul stood in for an ailing Luciano Pavarotti and stole the Grammy Awards telecast with her rendition of Puccini's "Nessun Dorma", we knew Aretha was going to be magical.
Gloria Estefan was preparing to debut a new LP, "Gloria!", in early June, and responded enthusiastically to our invitation.
From our vantage point in February, Shania Twain was one of country music's biggest-selling artists, and poised to score a breakthrough pop hit with her new single, "You're still the one". We loved the idea of widening the appeal of our show by including her fans, and we loved the idea of Shania in general. She seemed like a Diva in the making.
From the start, we'd fantasized about having Mariah Carey on the
show. But in December and January, her Spring '98 tour plans were uncertain,
and we didn't want to add another decision to her list. So we built the
show to the point of near completion by early March, and only then asked
Mariah to join us. She was concerned as to how she'd fit into the already
busy evening, but was excited by the prospect of singing with Aretha. After
working through her schedule and her repertoire, Mariah finally said yes
in mid-March, just hours before our posters and advertisements went to
press.
The final addition of Carole King to our artist rooster would prove crucial
to the success of VH1 Divas Live. Producer Ken Ehrlich and I really wanted
Carole to duet with Celine on "The reason", a song co-written by Carole
for Celine's album, "Let's talk about love". We also hoped that Carole
would lead the whole ensemble through her classic composition, "A natural
woman" - one of the best songs ever written from a woman's point of view.
Just nine days before the event, Ms. King agreed to come in from Los Angeles.
Another Carole King standard, "You've got a friend", was added and rehearsed
onstage the night before the live telecast, with Carole leading Shania,
Celine, and Gloria through the song with the aid of sheet music purchased
that evening from the Colony Music store on Broadway. "A natural woman"
was only fully rehearsed by the group in Ms. Franklin's bus about two hours
before the start of the show.
After nearly two-and-a-half hours of singing and musical testimony, network
President John Sykes presented a check for $100,000 to VH1 Save The Music
in the name of each Diva. The VH1 Save The Music initiative, which helped
inspire the Divas to join the event, is dedicated to improving the quality
of education in America's public schools by restoring and supporting music
programs in communities across the country. There is an overwhelming proof
that music education helps children to learn important subjects like math
and science. To date VH1 has contributed over 11.5 million dollars in total
support to help bring music instruction to over 50,000 children.
The live broadcast became the highest rated program in VH1's 13 year history.
Twenty million people watched the program in the initial airings on the
channel in the US. The feedback we received from viewers, the media, other
artists, and the Divas themselves confirmed that we all had been part of
an extraordinary musical event.
(Wayne Isaak, VH1
Senior Vice President, August 1998).
VH1 Divas Live. EK 69600.
VH1 Divas Live (Home Video). EV 50175.| video | ram |
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Mariah
Carey, Faith Hill, RuPaul, Donna Summer and pop band Destiny's Child hit
The Theater at Madison Square Garden Sunday night for "VH1 Divas
2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross."
Others who turned out to fete the 56-year-old Ross included actresses Angela Bassett and Hilary Swank, supermodel Roshumba, rapper Missy Elliott and television personality Star Jones. The undisputed
queen of the evening, however, was Ross, whose many hits were covered in
the show.
The hits
kept coming, including 1980's "Upside Down" -- Ross' biggest solo hit --
and "Endless Love," a duet with Lionel Ritchie and the best-selling song
in 1981.
It's the
third such special for VH1. Last year, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and
Elton John were
Diana Ross feted at third annual 'Divas' tribute Mariah Carey, Donna Summer and Faith Hill strutted across the stage Sunday at VH1's third annual ''Divas'' tribute, which honored Diana Ross in a four-hour-plus show marred by a host of technical glitches that will be invisible to viewers when it airs Tuesday. This year's ``Divas'' show, taped at Madison Square Garden's Paramount theater, dropped its former live format and was largely devoid of defining diva moments, such as last year's catty Elton John-Tina Turner duet on ``The Bitch Is Back.'' Despite the presence of Carey, Angela Bassett, Oscar winner Hilary Swank and RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, it wasn't until well into the 4 1/2-hour show that disco queen Summer got the crowd on its feet with the Supremes hit ''Reflections,'' followed by her ode to prostitutes, ``Bad Girls.''  RuPaul, who probably owes his inspiration to Ross as much as to anyone, flounced way through ``I'm Coming Out.''  songwriters Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson onstage. Source: Yahoo! News.
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