After another performance-packed Grammy Awards ceremony, USA TODAY selects the night's five most memorable sets.
1. Alexander Hamilton , cast of Broadway'sHamilton
Even with the expert camera angles used to capture the opening number of this groundbreaking musical — presented via satellite from the stage of Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre — fans weren't offered the full thrill of seeing the show live and in its entirety. Still, the lavishly talented actor/singer/dancers did provide a sense of the exhilarating energy that fuels this celebration of great American traditions such as musical theater, hip-hop and inclusiveness.
2. The Thrill Is Gone, Chris Stapleton , Gary Clark Jr. and Bonnie Raitt
Country star Stapleton, who picked up a pair of Grammys this year, proved his blues chops — and reminded us of the great common ground between the genres — by holding his own with the masterful Clark and duly treasured Raitt, on both vocals and guitar. The three delivered a soulful tribute to the late B.B. King , who made such exquisitely sweet, searing sounds with both instruments.
3. That’s the Way of the World, Stevie Wonder and Pentatonix
Pentatonix proved its mettle with a heavenly, and suitably groovy, a cappella tribute toEarth, Wind & Fire 's Maurice White , another recently departed genius. Of course, the group had the great good fortune to have a living legend, Stevie Wonder, in wonderfully nimble voice, lead them in this all-too-brief rendition of the EWF classic.
4. Girl Crush, Little Big Town
After opening with warm a cappella harmonies, the band was joined by a string section that added strains of tension and pathos. But Karen Fairchild ’s nuanced lead vocal sustained an understated, healing vibe to the end, lending an extra layer of tenderness to the song.
5. The Blacker the Berry, Alright, Kendrick Lamar
Throwing caution and subtlety to the wind, Lamar blended the dissonant jazz accents that inform his genre-blending hip-hop album To Pimp A Butterfly with stark imagery. Dressed as a prisoner, he launched his set with a chain wrapped around his mic as musicians played behind bars. A fiery sequence followed, but the raw power of Lamar’s rapping and his sheer expressiveness were never overshadowed.
