Bernie Taupin Lists His Top 10 Tips for Songwriters, As He Accepts Grammy Trustees Award
Thousands of people have won Grammys since the first awards ceremony in 1959. Just 112 individuals have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. And just five individuals have received both accolades, the latest being The Dalai Lama. The Buddhist spiritual leader won a Grammy on Sunday (Feb. 1) for best audio book, narration, and storytelling recording for his new age album, Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The award came 37 years after he received the Nobel Peace Prize "for advocating peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people."
The Dalai Lama wasn't in the house at Crypto.com for the 68th annual Grammy Awards - unlike another nominee in the category, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was seated down front and introduced by show host Trevor Noah - but he did release a statement following his win: "I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don't see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility. I truly believe that peace, compassion, care for our environment, and an understanding of the oneness of humanity are essential for the collective well-being of all eight billion human beings. I'm grateful that this Grammy recognition can help spread these messages more widely."
The album, which was released in August, shortly after the Dalai Lama turned 90, mixes his spoken reflections with music. Rufus Wainwright, Maggie Rogers and Andra Day lent their voices to selected tracks. Wainwright accepted the Grammy for the Dalai Lama at the Premiere Ceremony on Sunday afternoon, where 86 of this year's 95 Grammy categories were presented.
Producer Kabir Sehgal told The Economic Times that he spent more than 100 hours listening to the Dalai Lama's speeches and conversations to curate the final 10 tracks. The aim, he said, was to present messages of love, kindness and peace in a form that resonates with modern audiences. The 59-minute album consists of 10 tracks, each with a one-word title: "Heart," "Oneness," "Harmony," "Kindness," "Water," "Mind," "Health," "Peace," "Essence" and "Journey."
Indian classical music forms the backbone of the album. Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, collaborated closely on the project. Amaan Ali Bangash told The Economic Times that the Dalai Lama's office remained engaged throughout the process and offered its blessings at every stage.
Here's a complete list of everyone who has both received a Nobel Peace Prize and won a Grammy.
