The Great Grammy Upset of 1978!

Imagine a world where your favorite artists win the accolades they deserve. That's the thought-provoking question we tackle in our latest episode of the Shaun Squad Society Podcast. We're joined by the legendary producer and writer David Wild, who helps us unravel the mysteries behind the 20th Annual Grammy Awards in 1978. From Shaun Cassidy's unfortunate snub to Debbie Boone's surprising victories, we delve into the impact of industry connections and the whimsical nature of award ceremonies.

Our conversation takes a humorous turn as we explore the infamous "curse" of the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. With anecdotes about unexpected career trajectories, like those of Milli Vanilli and Men at Work, we ponder whether missing out on this award was a blessing in disguise for some. Boy George and Culture Club, who managed to thrive despite the curse, showcasing the unpredictable twists and turns of the music industry. Our guest, David Wild, offers insider stories that add depth to our discussion, providing a fascinating peek behind the Grammy vote.

We wrap up with a special message from David Wild, Sharing personal stories about working with icons like Pat Boone, and we reflect on the camaraderie and challenges faced by artists in the spotlight. We invite you to join us in celebrating these memorable Grammy moments and sharing your own stories with the Shaun Squad Society community. Connect with us on social media and our YouTube channel to keep the magic alive!

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Email us at shaunsquadsociety@gmail.com

Transcript

The Great Upset at the Grammys

Speaker 1 0:00

On the phone we have David Wild, who's the producer and writer of the Grammy Award.

Speaker 2 0:07

That's what we got to talk about. We got to talk about that 20th annual.

Speaker 3 0:10

Grammy Awards. Well, yes, back then. Yeah, yes, 1978.

Speaker 4 0:16

Well nominated on this 20th anniversary of the Grammys for Best New Artist is this young man who's definitely going places, ladies and gentlemen. Mr Sean Cassidy.

Speaker 2 0:37

Welcome to the Sean Squad Society podcast with your hosts myself, cindy, doris, jane, madonna when we invite you to share in our enthusiasm and reminisce about all things Sean Cassidy.

Speaker 1 0:49

From his teen idol days to his recent adventures back on the road again.

Speaker 3 0:54

Please join us for the stories and memories that connected us to those happy days that helped create the Sean's Squad Society podcast.

Speaker 2 1:04

Hey, everybody Guess what season it is Winter.

Speaker 3 1:08

Grammy season.

Speaker 2 1:09

Grammy season Again.

Speaker 1 1:11

Oh yeah, that too. Along with winter, it's Grammy season.

Speaker 2 1:15

A lot of awards this time of year.

Speaker 1 1:17

Mm-hmm. Oh yeah, you know what it is. It's officially award season. Yes, that's what they call it red carpets. You, just, every time you turn on the TV, there's going to be a red carpet show Right.

Speaker 2 1:32

When did award season start? Is it officially January? Oh it started already.

Speaker 1 1:36

It kicks off with the Golden Globes Golden Globes, right? So yeah, it officially starts with the Golden Globes and it ends all the way, like in the summer, with Tony Awards in June. Wow, it's a long season. It truly is, and they add new awards every time you turn around. You've got your MTVs, your People's Choice. It's so many awards now, so many right. Yeah, but it's the season.

Speaker 2 2:04

And I don't know half the people that win now.

Speaker 3 2:06

so no, me either, but what we care about is Sean's award.

Speaker 2 2:12

Oh yeah, that's what we got to talk about. We got to talk about that 20th annual Grammy Awards. Well, yes, Back then yeah, yes 1978. Yep. It was held on February 23 23, 1978 in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Speaker 1 2:26

And it was the year I call it the Great Upset. Oh, my goodness gracious.

Speaker 2 2:36

Oh my goodness, I did not expect that at all.

Speaker 1 2:39

Nobody saw that coming, you guys were sad. No girl in her team saw that coming.

Speaker 2 2:45

I know, you know, because we were so sure Sean was going to win.

Speaker 1 2:49

And he didn't.

Speaker 2 2:50

What happened?

Speaker 1 2:51

Sean was nominated for the best new artist and he was a shoe-in in our book, but he didn't win it.

Speaker 2 3:02

No, he did not, and we all know who won Debbie Boone. Debbie Boone, for you Light Up my Life, which was a nice song, but Barf, Can I just say out loud Barf City.

Speaker 1 3:14

That song whined its way into number one and stayed there for ten full weeks. It did In the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It did. And the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It did. And all it did was whine and whine and whine.

Speaker 2 3:29

And I got so sick of that Light up my life song, I know, and besides her being best artist, the song was tied for song of the year.

Speaker 1 3:38

Yes.

Speaker 2 3:39

With Barbra Streisand for Evergreen. Yes, and they never had a tie before. No, and I don't think since then, either there's not been another tie.

Speaker 1 3:49

I have a theory. I have a theory on some of this. So Debbie Boone is the daughter of Pat Boone, who was really big in the recording industry in like the 50s and 60s. I think they called him the milkman because he used to wear a white suit and white shoes. Oh really, yeah, I think they called him the milkman because he used to wear a white suit and white shoes.

Speaker 1 4:05

Yeah, so the recording industry is going to look at. You know the Academy who votes for these awards? Yeah, I feel like they didn't look at the popular vote. They looked at Pat Boone's daughter.

Speaker 2 4:22

Yeah. He had more history, apparently, even though Pat Boone did a movie with Shirley Jones. Yes, and they're friends. Yeah, and Sean is friends with Debbie Boone.

Speaker 1 4:34

But I just feel that's my theory. I have a little theory that it could be In all the awards. I just feel that with any award, the popular is never going to win. It's always what the Academy wants and they want it. Pat Boone's daughter.

Speaker 2 4:50

Yeah, and there's only a select few of those yeah. Yeah, so there's like a what I don't know. There's like 20 or something. I was reading about judges.

Speaker 1 5:00

Oh yeah, yeah, Academy. To vote on it Personnel, whatever they call it yeah.

Speaker 2 5:06

It wasn't a broad spectrum like People's Choice Awards. Yeah we'll talk about the People's Choice. We'll talk about that too, because I think it was around back then.

Speaker 1 5:14

Yeah, yeah, dick Clark brought that into the spectrum way back in like 74. 74, 75.

Speaker 2 5:22

Yeah.

Speaker 1 5:23

Mid-70s and I really liked it because it was the, the name said it the people's choice.

Speaker 2 5:30

Yes, I like watching that one. Yeah, I think that's an honest vote.

Speaker 1 5:34

Yeah, I was never one of the people and neither was Sean, neither was Sean, no who voted.

Speaker 2 5:41

They never asked me. Yeah, they never asked me. What people they do are they looking for? I don't know. But Sean wasn't a part of that, but he didn't come out until 77. But even so, he wasn't included with that.

Speaker 1 5:54

No in 78, he wasn't in one of the categories, which is kind of strange to me. Well they had more popular. Maybe I don't know, maybe I don't know. Again, I don't know how they picked the people for their categories, but that's how they in 78 and 79, sean was not included in the categories.

Speaker 2 6:17

But when he came up for this, I think all of his fans were really excited. They were like, oh, he's going to do it, he's going to get that award. We know it. We were all cheering. And then Debbie Boone was called. We're like, oh, he's going to do it, he's going to get that award. We know it, we're all cheering. And then Debbie Boone was called. We're like what? Who was watching that? Night, oh I was oh, my God, oh man.

Speaker 1 6:34

Remember when he came out and he sang that's Rock and Roll.

Speaker 2 6:38

He opened the show with it, yep.

Speaker 1 6:46

He opened the show with that song. What did he do?

Speaker 2 6:48

He turned around and did he do a little shake and they panned the audience and people were like oh okay, I can tell he was a little bit nervous. He was the opening act and he had to showcase what he did and that's what he did and we all screamed and everything was good. And then they called these awards and they didn't say Sean Cassidy. So I don't remember the rest of the award show. I don't even know if I watched it.

Speaker 1 7:10

Well, Dame, let me ask you something. So Sean didn't get the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1978. But I think you told me he got the attention though. Yeah, you told me something that he had to say about that.

Speaker 3 7:26

Well, he just he had some people come up to him and talk to him, so he was honored by that. I found a quote online that ties into this Grammys award that Sean said. He said I don't think of myself as a musician at all, but after the Grammys there were real musicians like George Benson who were coming up to me and telling me that I was good and that was terrific. Suddenly I knew I was doing it for something other than just for me. I guess it is for me in the long run, but it was still great to hear that from somebody like George Benson. Rolling Stones seems to like me too, which kind of surprised me. And then he mentioned this and it's what got me to buy the 1978 magazine Rolling Stones. That was so cool to find that. But anyway, he said what people's opinions are of me.

Speaker 3 8:21

I don't really mind, but I do get upset when people say what I do is bubblegum music. I don't like bubblegum music. People forget that that term what it really means. It started about in 1971 with songs like Yummy, yummy, yummy, I've Got Love in my Tummy, songs that actually mention candy and gum. Well, I've never made a reference to gum of any kind in any of my songs. So no, that doesn't fit. So he was like true, okay, he didn't really appreciate that.

Speaker 2 8:56

Yeah, it's just a phrase that was made up before that. Yeah, Remember that song.

Speaker 1 9:01

Sugar, sugar by the Archies, that's bubble gum. Yummy, yummy, yummy, that's bubblegum. But anything that became teeny bopper related, they threw it in the bubblegum category.

Speaker 2 9:16

Yeah, he's pop, but yeah, they want to put in that sugary, sweet category.

Speaker 1 9:20

And the music company didn't help it when they would speed up these people's voices like Sean and David. They did I know it made them sound like they were like singing little chipmunks to little girls.

Speaker 2 9:36

This first album. They did it so they did it so bad. I mean, it sounded so sped up. They made them bubblegum.

Speaker 1 9:43

Nobody wanted to be bubble gum.

Speaker 3 9:46

But hey, it's so. No, Sean didn't like that.

Speaker 1 9:48

I guess in that respect, if it was selling records Right.

Speaker 3 9:52

He just liked that he was mixed back in with all these people and that they were noticing him, but he didn't realize that all these young ladies were noticing him too, and the people that were out there that were voting for the best new artist were kind of. Anyway, you know, watch that video and you can see in the background who's sitting there. You know, it's just not totally Sean Cassidy fans yet.

Speaker 2 10:16

And that's why People's Choice of Worth came about correct.

Speaker 1 10:18

Right, because you had these stodgy old funny duddies on the Academy yeah. Stodgy old fuddy-duddies on the Academy yeah, and they would never vote for Sean Cassidy. Or look at this Andy Gibb was nominated.

Speaker 2 10:31

I know Sean.

Speaker 1 10:32

Andy Forner and Stephen Bishop.

Speaker 2 10:35

And Stephen Bishop. How did Stephen Bishop get in that mix?

Speaker 1 10:37

Well, he was more what they call yacht rock. They used to call it easy listening back then, oh right, yeah, but he just had come out, that was this year.

Speaker 3 10:47

Yeah, yeah, I think we all agree. Sean should have been the one to win. Oh yeah, sean had to do and run and that's rock and roll.

Speaker 2 10:54

He had a few records come out. Debbie Boone just had one, but it was a huge hit it was huge. Yeah.

Speaker 1 11:01

And you guys, you're going by all these statistics and I'm just telling you it doesn't hurt being Pat Boone's daughter, Right? That's why she won I know, oh yeah, I know.

Speaker 2 11:11

And then, you know, I also came across this article in Rolling Stone magazine and they wrote an article about the 21 strangest best new artist Grammy wins, Because there were some other episodes where people were like how come that person won, why, yeah, why did they do that? So Rolling Stones kind of looked into this and Debbie Boone's win was in there. Was there? Yes, 1977, debbie Boone win, it says. Debbie Boone was. She was designed to soothe people scared off by the raw intensity of the Starling vocal band. Oh yes, they were one hit wonder too.

Speaker 1 11:48

But but yeah, Afternoon delight Now come on that song. Oh my, Our 12, 15-year-old selves didn't know what it meant.

Speaker 2 11:57

No, I didn't know.

Speaker 1 11:58

But they needed something nice and wholesome. It sounded pretty, it sure did, until you get older and you're like wait a minute. Oh, they're talking about what? Lunch time? What's going on? Some?

Speaker 3 12:11

of the songs we've discussed before. Right, yeah, but anyway.

Speaker 1 12:15

They wanted to bring something wholesome and Pat Boone had a very wholesome. Yes, and I kind of feel bad for Debbie. It's like I'm not my father, I'm me.

Speaker 2 12:28

I'm myself. But these nominees, they were considered safe Because, remember we were talking about, there was a controversy of punk rock. Yes, they didn't want to put them in any categories. They didn't want to include them. Yes, so the category Sean was in, they were all safe.

Speaker 1 12:47

And the punk rock came out around the mid to late 70s with the Sex Pistols and Joey Rotten, and that just they wanted nothing to do with that.

Speaker 2 12:53

No, no. So they put this category together with Debbie Boone and Sean and Andy Gibb and the nice crowd, the nice happy crowd, innocent type. Yeah, they're not causing any trouble. Yeah, like those punk rockers. I don't know the punk rockers cause trouble, but they look like trouble.

Speaker 1 13:11

That was the whole. Thing.

Speaker 2 13:12

Yeah, the image.

Speaker 1 13:13

That was the image.

Speaker 2 13:14

So they wanted a nice image too. But this article says that you Light Up my Life was one of the 1970s hugest hits, but it vanished into obscurity almost immediately. It says so it came and went, but Sean stayed around. Yeah, so you know that's good, but you know what I also read too. There is a stigma with winning this award because they think it might ruin your career if you win, yes, if you win that Best New Artist.

Speaker 2 13:42

There was something yes, there was some kind of stigma to it that you didn't really want to win this category because it might ruin your career. And, sure enough, debbie Boone only had the one hit and nothing after that.

Speaker 1 13:53

What were some of the weird ones on that list? Weirdest, best New Artist is like.

Speaker 2 13:59

Yeah, they had a few. Oh yeah, the year that A Taste of Honey won, I forgot who they were up against, but A Taste of Honey was not supposed to win.

Speaker 1 14:09

They were disco and they hadn't really brought it down. That's A Taste of Honey. And they didn't bring in the disco category yet.

The Grammy Best New Artist Curse

Speaker 2 14:20

No, so they won. But this article goes on to say congratulations, young pop star, you have just won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Get ready for a long and fruitful career. Then it says, perhaps in the field of VCR repair or rotary phone design, because they're talking about that curse, yeah, if you win this, you might not have a career, isn't?

Speaker 1 14:43

that strange? That was kind of how it was. I think, yeah. It says win this, you might not have a career. Isn't that strange? That was kind of how it was.

Speaker 2 14:46

I think, yeah it says the Grammys goes to a lot of artists who never get heard from again, so don't worry too hard about Lord. Whoever that was we don't even know who that was, but they said it's the notorious curse of the best new artists and winning the award can be a sign of impending doom. It's like the scene in a Mel Brooks movie where somebody says at least it's not raining, which I don't know what that refers to, but so maybe it was good that Sean did not win.

Speaker 2 15:15

Well, let's see who won, some that we may have never heard of again yeah, and they even mentioned once it was Milli Vanilli and we all know what happened to them. We all know what happened to them.

Speaker 1 15:28

Once they figured out they weren't really singing they were lip syncing Anything they just kind of went away. Oh, they had to.

Speaker 3 15:36

They had to People started liking them again, though, yeah, and then they're becoming popular now, to this day.

Speaker 2 15:43

Yep. And then there was an award where Lily Tomlin was presenting for Best New Artist in 1982. And it said this award is not just for the new star of today, but for someone who just possibly may be a star for years to come. And then she gave it to Men at Work.

Speaker 1 15:59

Oh, my gosh Well, what in the world? Oh my gosh Well, what in the world? Men at work. They did have a couple of records, but they weren't around a long time.

Speaker 2 16:10

Exactly, so this might not be a good category to be in. It says that's how it goes when you bet on the rookies.

Speaker 1 16:25

Sometimes they score wildly successful debuts and then suddenly find themselves up the hootie without a blowfish, hootie without a blowfish.

Speaker 2 16:30

The guy who wrote that that's kind of funny. This is a Rolling Stone article. Yeah, isn't it funny? So he says so. Here's a salute to 21 awesome, weird BNA wins. The pre-Beatle years don't count, unless you really want to argue about how Ann-Margaret got robbed in 62.

Speaker 2 16:43

Well yeah, some of these were surprise upsets, others were total one-shot scams, and one was the Milli Vanilli. But practically all of them gave the world a half-decent song or two, which is all you can ask for a pop star. So better one glorious moment than a career of mediocrity moment than a career of mediocrity.

Speaker 1 17:08

I think, if I remember correctly, culture Club was in the category for Best New Artist, and I can't remember if they won it that year. I just I think I remember being real upset in 1980, whatever year it was, with Boy George. I'm like, oh my God, that should have been the Culture Club, and maybe it's good if it wasn't.

Speaker 2 17:27

I think I saw them win an award before. I don't know what it was, though.

Speaker 1 17:31

Well, there were a bunch of awards, yeah, so they could have won an MTV award.

Speaker 2 17:37

Right, right, who knows, because there was just many awards out there now, so you never know. And then, regarding them, talking about Debbie Boone winning this award, she says you Light Up my Life was one of the well, of course, one of the hugest hits, but the lyrics really lent themselves to how I felt about my relationship with the Lord. Debbie Boone said so. That's where the song came from.

Speaker 1 17:59

Okay. So, I do see here I was kind of correct and kind of not. In 1984, the Culture Club won the Grammy for Best New Artist. Okay, good, but see, the curse didn't really stick on them because they were around for a few years. Yeah, yeah, that's good. That's good Because you don't want that curse, but they had MTV on their side.

Speaker 2 18:29

They came out in the MTV era and boy George just glammed it up and hit the screen. Yeah, he did, you know. When I was married at the time and my husband said to me do you think this is a girl or a guy? I'm like, yeah, I don't know why he wanted him put makeup on in the album.

Speaker 1 18:41

There you go, you come and you go Because I think you know he is gay and I think he was just at that time trying to just do something out there different and David Bowie started the trend. He did so. Boy George just took it to another level.

Speaker 3 19:04

But I thought he was so cute and pretty. He was cute. He was I boy. George just took it to another level, but I thought he was so cute, he was cute.

Speaker 2 19:06

He was. I can't complain about it, he was cute, but okay, he did his makeup well.

Speaker 1 19:13

He was wearing it well.

Speaker 2 19:15

He wore it well, Yep, so that's, that's for sure. And then this last thing the guy said in the article was even though the 70s cheese pop standards you know, with all these new artists Debbie Boone didn't deserve to beat Andy Gibb or Sean Cassidy or Stephen Bishop. This author did not think she should have won. Yeah, and it's the consensus.

Speaker 1 19:39

It was the great upset. It was A travesty of justice. I say yeah.

Speaker 2 19:45

And then he said Foreigner, who deserved it, just for putting out the song feels like the first time on their debut album. That was a huge one too, oh for sure. So I think the other ones did deserve it too. But you know these judges, I don't know.

Speaker 1 19:59

Well, Cindy, stop thinking about it. Go back to what I originally said.

Speaker 2 20:05

When your daughter, the Academy is going to pick you. I mean, who knows? Because, yeah, pat Boone. Wasn't he one of the original teen idols? Didn't they put him in that category?

Speaker 1 20:16

They might have. They used to call him. All I remember is my grandmother liked him.

Speaker 2 20:22

She loved Pat Boone, that's all I can remember he did have some good songs, but that was like back in the 50s, right, yeah, yeah so it was a while back, she taught me about Pat Boone and I'm like, who is this?

Speaker 2 20:36

guy. Right, who is this guy? And you know, I thought Debbie was going to do some more work too, but apparently that didn't happen. But then Sean wasn't up for an award the next year either. Well, I guess you can only win Best New Artist one time. But he wasn't up for anything at all, Right?

Speaker 1 20:53

After that right?

Speaker 2 20:55

No, he wasn't. I don't think so.

Speaker 1 20:56

No, he wasn't. That was the only year.

Speaker 2 20:58

And I'm trying to think too did Sean just do one song on the awards, or did he do two?

Speaker 1 21:07

I think he just did the first opening song. Yes, that was it.

Speaker 2 21:09

And he came out in the white outfit.

Speaker 1 21:11

Yeah.

Speaker 2 21:11

And he looked gorgeous.

Speaker 4 21:13

Yes, he did. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Sean Cassidy.

Speaker 3 21:30

Yeah, I was 16,. I was sick of school.

Speaker 5 21:32

I didn't know what I wanted to do I bought a guitar.

Speaker 2 21:35

I got the fever and I can roll. I painted patterns, I painted bars, I spent my money buying new guitars.

Speaker 4 21:48

I screamed my heart out. But I love it. That's rock and roll. Well, come on, everybody get down, get with it. Come on, everybody get down, get with it. Come on, everybody, get down. That's rock and roll.

Speaker 3 22:09

I love cute little moves.

Speaker 2 22:11

Yes, we know, he turned around and wiggled a little bit for us.

Speaker 3 22:14

Yeah, he walked out with a rose on his jacket and he started singing. That's rock and roll, but he had that prettier feathered hair even than the girls in the audience. But everyone loved how he moved. Sean should have won for being, you know that new artist for that. But I saw a look with him that he was trying to be a little bit like Elvis. I don't know, I just felt that when I watched it. I didn't watch it back then because I didn't have electricity, but I knew Sean through all the books and when I'd go see you know my grandparents in Hollywood. But the exact way that Sean looked at the award show is how he looked the time, you know, like we would see him in the pictures, and even when Cindy saw him in real life she said that's how he looked In Wisconsin at a show.

Speaker 2 23:02

I met him backstage. It was kind of outside so we'd come out this door in the back outside and he just lit up the whole back.

Speaker 3 23:09

Yeah, she said he looked like an angel.

Speaker 2 23:11

He did Well, because he looked like he was glowing. I'm like what is this? What does he look like he's glowing for? But he did. He lit up your life. Let me steal Debbie Boone song Beautiful feathered hair.

Speaker 3 23:21

Yeah, Did you guys see? Did you see some of the ladies with the binoculars? That was funny when you watched that. I did not. Yeah, Some of the older ladies were in the audience though, but they had their. They were getting their binoculars on too, especially to see Sean.

Speaker 4 23:35

His little moves, let me get a better.

Speaker 3 23:36

Look at that, did you? And funny, was there a guy? Did you see that in his band? Yeah, I saw I. Yeah, I saw a guy with his tambourine. I'm I think I wasn't imagining it oh, I do because I know partridge family had a tambourine yeah well it looked.

Speaker 3 23:54

It looked like there was one up there and I was watching that guy and then sean with that pointed up collar. That was funny too. Um, I don't know, it was very cute, but they still had that stiff lady out there in the audience and she had this like real thin hair and her husband was sitting next to her and he looked like a businessman, but he was just grinning because he was so happy that his wife looked happy. I mean, I think a lot of guys still are that way.

Speaker 3 24:23

It's like my husband's smiling. You know, because of the times I get to go see sean, you know it just makes him happy. But he's just sitting there like really game.

Speaker 2 24:31

But it's okay um, it's nice to be happy for somebody else's happiness, correct? I mean, what's wrong with that? Not the wrong?

Speaker 3 24:37

it makes. It makes our husbands happy, but anyway, at the end he ends with his. This is embarrassing for him with his backside. That's how he bows, yeah.

Speaker 1 24:47

It was funny, I thought yeah, he turned around and bowed. Yes.

Speaker 3 24:54

Yes, I thought that was funny. That's what I remember when I watched it. I'm not looking at it now.

Speaker 2 24:59

I thought that was funny. Yes, and do you remember when John Denver was introducing him? Yes, he said this man is going places, and I'm thinking oh yes. And do you remember when John Denver was introducing him? Yes, he said this man is going places. And I'm thinking, oh OK, he's going to win this award, he's going to win.

Speaker 3 25:10

You know he's kind of hyping it up. He would have chosen him.

Speaker 2 25:13

Yeah, well, I think he's smarter. A lot of people disagreed with this, but what can you do? You can't change.

Speaker 1 25:19

Change it? No, it goes down in history. I remember years and years ago I was watching an award show and this lady, Pia Zadora, was nominated for this award, whatever category, and I'm like it was bigger, better people in that category but she was related to or married to somebody and she won that award and I was like what, Pia Zadora?

Speaker 1 25:45

What song was it for? Do you remember? I don't know if it was a music award show, or it could have been the Oscars, or it could be anything, I don't know. Oh, interesting, but again, it was another one of those upsets I remember in my head. Yeah, because I remember the name Pia Zadora, and I didn't know. Yeah, that was unusual, because I remember the name Pia Zadora.

Speaker 3 26:02

Yeah, that was unusual, yeah, have you guys ever taken a chance to go and look at the 1978, like the Getty images and stuff from that Grammys award? Sean with the Bee Gees, yes, yes, and I saw. You know, I saw pictures like with Barbra Streisand she was there and Elton John and his funky hair, yeah, and then it was just so cool. Hopefully they gave Eric Carman, you know, recognition too for this song that Sean sang during this.

Speaker 1 26:32

Grammy no, they never. No, eric Carman was never mentioned in the Grammys for that's Rock and Roll.

Speaker 3 26:39

No, speaking of mentioning things after that little clip of sean from that grammys um. Do you ever read the comments down below? It's pretty cute. It's the way everybody sees it nowadays. Like one person said, he's much older now but he's still talented and hot. And then the next person, sean cassidy, is so hot forever and another person.

Speaker 1 27:00

Are we talking about the comments on on YouTube?

Speaker 3 27:04

It's under, yes, under the um little clip there from the Grammys, from the one we're talking about. His performance, yeah. And then someone's like um, I will always love Sean Cassidy. Um, he's so hot.

Speaker 2 27:19

He still can sing and he can dance, you know. And now he's coming back to do stuff. We're just dedicated, we're just. You know he had a good following. Yes, he did. He still does, hey.

Grammy Winners and Crossover Hits

Speaker 1 27:27

Cindy. Do we know any other? Just a couple of other award winners from that 78 Grammys? Oh yeah, oh, the.

Speaker 2 27:36

Eagles won.

Speaker 1 27:38

Hotel California.

Speaker 2 27:39

Hotel California. Yeah, Yep, they won. Best country vocal at the time was Crystal Gale. Don't Make my Brown Eyes Blue. What about Fleetwood?

Speaker 1 27:47

Did Fleetwood Max won something too Well before we move on, Crystal Gale, Don't Make my Brown Eyes Blue. My grandmother loved that song. She was crazy about that song. It wasn't bad. It was another one of those slow kind of songs.

Speaker 2 28:05

They played it over and over again, and wasn't it a crossover?

Speaker 1 28:09

It did crossover and my nephew was a little boy at the time and he would hear it on the radio and they would say Crystal, gale. So he thought they were saying Crystal and Gale. He thought it was two people, crystal and Gale.

Speaker 3 28:23

Oh okay, Just like me saying Fleetwood Macs instead of Fleetwood Mac, but anyway they won Album of the Year.

Speaker 2 28:31

Yeah, I have a doubt. Record of the Year was the Eagles Hotel California Album of the. Year. Why would that be two different things?

Speaker 3 28:37

Because of what oh producers?

Speaker 2 28:39

Producers was. Fleetwood Mac with Rumors.

Speaker 1 28:42

And that was a great album.

Speaker 2 28:44

It was.

Speaker 1 28:45

Oh, my God.

Speaker 2 28:45

Besides my Sean records, that's the next one I had.

Speaker 1 28:48

That was a great album. I loved every minute of that album. I still listen to it.

Speaker 2 28:54

Yeah, it's a great album. And then, of course, like I mentioned, Song of the Year was tied with Barbra Streisand and Debbie Boone.

Speaker 1 28:59

Yeah, evergreen, another one no.

Speaker 3 29:01

Slow Song Played over and over, again, over and over.

Speaker 2 29:06

Over and over.

Speaker 3 29:07

But if you go on the computer and you go that Getty's Images, it feels like you're right there with all of those people from that award show.

Speaker 2 29:17

Oh, it's fun to go back and kind of look at that and remember it, because when I was watching the performance I could feel how I felt back then. Yes, you can.

Speaker 1 29:23

I became a crossover country singer, a fan, I think, probably in about 77, 78, was about when it happened. So I was really happy when Kenny Rogers won for Lucille. Yeah, because he kind of was, you know, he was starting to cross over. Yeah, so was Dolly Parton too. Kenny and Dolly, they were all starting to cross over a little bit. Crystal Gale Kenny Rogers won For what? Lucille best male vocal 78?

Speaker 2 29:54

yep oh, okay, I don't have that paper in front of me and yeah oh we hear best country vocal performance male Kenny Rogers for Lucille yep, he's on there and then they speaking of Kenny and Dolly, when they collaborated with the Bee Gees and got Islands in the Stream boy talk about a huge crossover.

Speaker 1 30:16

Yeah, barry Gibb wrote that song. Yeah, and it sounded Bee Gees. You could hear their sound when they produce a song.

Speaker 2 30:23

you could hear their sound all over it yeah, you could tell it's their song. And also, too, don't Make my Brown Eyes Blue. She won Best Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. Yes, so she won two awards for that that year.

Speaker 1 30:38

Crystal Gale is Loretta Lynn's sister, right? Yes, yeah, Yep, she is, and she. I thought I was watching some of the clips and she won. She came up. It's probably the shortest speech I ever heard in my life. She said I'm not much for words, so I want to thank all of you who made this happen. Oh, okay, I'm like. Oh, look at Crystal. She was just off the stage.

Speaker 2 31:05

Okay, it was a general.

Speaker 1 31:06

Yeah, General, and I'm paraphrasing, but that's pretty much what she said and walked off. I was like yay.

Speaker 2 31:13

Crystal Yep. And there was also a comedy, best comedy, steve Martin. Well, you know he did King Tut?

Speaker 1 31:22

Yes, but was that?

Speaker 2 31:23

after this it was around the same time, because this was called let's Get Small.

Speaker 1 31:28

That was the album.

Speaker 2 31:30

Yeah, the album was called let's Get Small, but was King Tut on the album I don't know, but King Tut was pretty big, yeah, and Star Wars won a lot too. Well, star Wars won a lot that year.

Speaker 1 31:42

And you know I got to take it back. I said like the popular didn't win, but Star Wars won a lot and the Bee Gees did win.

Speaker 2 31:51

They won the Grammy. Oh, let's not forget who Sean's date was at night. Oh, oh yeah, carrie, he went with Carrie Fisher Speaking of Star Wars. Yeah, he said they were neighbors and he asked her to go.

Speaker 3 32:04

He talks about her in the shows too. He does. Yes, he says she was my friend, she would understand. And Cindy was talking to me too, and she told me that's because they both came from parents that were in show business, so they knew they would understand each other and so they were a little bit of moral support.

Speaker 2 32:20

I'm sure, yes. And then after the Grammys, Sean said he was talking to Carrie and he said how are we going to get through this? How do we get through this?

Speaker 3 32:30

Everyone needs a friend for that.

Speaker 1 32:32

They were catapulted. Star Wars comes out. You got Princess Leia and you got Sean and they're like they're both kids of very popular artists from their day. And how are they going to get through that? And they did.

Speaker 2 32:53

They made it through it, they did, and luckily there's the support. And what's that called? When you come? Yeah?

Speaker 1 32:59

what is it? Nepo, nepotism, nepo. Yeah, they shortened it to Nepo, but the word is nepotism. Okay.

Speaker 2 33:06

Yeah Well, you come from famous people and now you have to try to figure out your way in the world to follow that.

Speaker 1 33:13

It's not just famous people. You can have nepotism in any corporate America. It's just when your family gets fraud in because of you.

Speaker 2 33:22

Yes, it's nepotism Right, and I remember Sean saying too at that point you know David was really big, shirley was big, and then you know they were talking about Sean and Sean had to prove a point. Yeah, so Sean people are telling Sean no, you can't do what they did. You can't do that, that's too big, You're not going to get there Made him want to do it more yeah.

Speaker 1 33:44

He kind of got mad about it right.

Speaker 2 33:46

He wanted to prove them wrong. Yes, so Headstrong. I mean, I still don't think he got as big as David, but he was big. Oh my God, he was humongous. He's bigger than David to me. Well, because David was like the what?

Speaker 1 34:01

was he? He wasn't the first teen idol, was he? No, he wasn't the first. But David just shattered workers.

Speaker 3 34:12

You go over to Alexa and you just say who was the biggest teen idol of the 70s and it just automatically says David Cassidy.

Speaker 2 34:15

Oh right, yeah, in the 70s, yeah, he was, but before that there were still teen idols back in the 50s and 60s but yeah, for the 70s he was the biggest one.

Speaker 3 34:23

Well, yeah, you can just go up and ask. You know he still is. I thought that was so cool that you go up to Alexa and Alexa knows it too. They know everything. Oh yeah.

Speaker 4 34:33

They know everything.

Speaker 2 34:34

So that was kind of nice. So Sean did not get to that level, but he got to a pretty good level, I think. I mean he was up there.

Speaker 1 34:43

I used to say he was the biggest thing since David Cassidy. He came alone and I don't know if anybody came out after him. That reached where he reached Maybe.

Speaker 3 34:57

No, I don't think so, but I got old and stopped following but. I don't think so. No, no, it's like Cindy going back to saying you know, he looked the same there at that Grammys as when she saw him. But then when she described him, he looked like an angel and just like in that song that he's singing, all in white and his hair flowy and soft. And you know, nobody can really top that A Sean Cassidy look, david had good hair too, not like.

Speaker 2 35:28

Sean Not like Sean Well, but Sean kind of kept it from his brother.

Speaker 1 35:30

Oh, wait a minute. Now. That's debatable, because it just depends on do you want blonde or dark, because David's hair was. David's hair. Oh my God.

Speaker 3 35:42

I love his hair, oh God.

Speaker 2 35:45

No, I don't agree. I still see pictures. I'm like man, he had good hair.

Speaker 3 35:48

No, Sean's was smooth and it flopped in the way he moved it. Not just the blonde, it was. It was I wanted my hair like that. His hair looked better than any of the women out in the audience. His hair looked better than anyone's hair I've ever seen in my whole entire life.

Speaker 2 36:08

I think they sprayed it with some kind of shiny hairspray. Well, they did a good job.

Speaker 3 36:13

They did a great job.

Speaker 1 36:13

They made it look really good, better job than they ever did on anyone. We could debate the hair on the Cassidys forever and ever, but I'm going to go with David, yeah, and Dame's going with Sean and there it is the hair debate, the great hair debate.

Grammy Awards and Shaun Cassidy's Legacy

Speaker 2 36:31

Oh, yes, that hair forever. And looking back too, I don't think. Yeah, david did not get up for any awards, correct? No, no, because he was the Partridge family. Yeah, right, and his success just came from the Partridge family.

Speaker 1 36:43

Yes, so if he would have been nominated it would have been under the Partridge family, but he did quite on his own though.

Speaker 2 36:51

Right, but by then yeah, I'm thinking by the end of the Partridge family he was. Yeah, he did some things on his own, but they weren't noteworthy.

Speaker 1 36:59

Right, they weren't going to get him any awards, no, no, but they were good. I got a lot of his solo stuff. Post-partridge family.

Speaker 2 37:12

So that's one thing. Sean got that, david didn't get A nomination.

Speaker 1 37:14

Right, that's true.

Speaker 2 37:15

So Sean won up to his brother.

Speaker 3 37:18

But Sean gets the award for living the dream. He has a beautiful wife, beautiful children, he's happy and he's still out there and doing great.

Speaker 2 37:29

Right. So when he did this teen idol thing, I think it was like what, three, maybe four years, yeah, four years top. So he was out and then he's done. He didn't want to live in that fishbowl. I don't blame him. It has to be crazy, but he's good where he's at now. He's. He still connects with us.

Speaker 3 37:46

Yeah more connection. I think, confident, he's very confident and happy.

Speaker 2 37:51

Yeah, so that's great. So you know, it happened to be that we're recording this on a day that the Grammys are going to be on.

Speaker 3 37:58

Just happens to be yeah that's what I was saying at the beginning Today is the 67th annual Grammy Awards.

Speaker 1 38:09

The Grammys are older than we are, so you know. Tonight we're recording. Just so Happened, the night of the Grammys. Yeah, isn't that cool.

Speaker 2 38:16

That is pretty cool, we didn't plan it this way.

Speaker 1 38:18

We truly didn't. But the stars aligned and, for tonight, some of the nominees. I don't know a lot, Believe me, I am so out of the loop, but we have Charlie XCX, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone. They all get seven nominees each. Wow. And Sabrina Coppiter, Chappelle Rowan and Taylor Swift Well, we all know her. Yeah, they get six each. So those are some of the nominees. They get six each. So those are some of the nominees. But I wanted to tell you beyonce has 11 nominations tonight and did you know that beyonce did a country album?

Speaker 1 39:02

yes, and that's why she's nominated in a lot of categories now the last awards show.

Speaker 2 39:07

They snubbed her, so let's see what happens tonight. Yes, if she gets snubbed or not, hopefully not.

Speaker 3 39:12

Well, tonight they're going to have different performers and I just, you know I recognize some of them, but I'm not going to mention all of them. But, like Brad Paisley, I know Billie Eilish is going to be there. You know there's going to be John Legend and Sheryl Crow, stevie Wonder and didn't you say, cindy, that that was also connected to Sean in the past?

Speaker 2 39:34

Well, Stevie Wonder was popular back then, when Sean was popular?

Speaker 3 39:38

Yes, I remember reading that that he was part of that with Sean Yep, so what a neat tie together that we have today, yeah.

Speaker 1 39:51

I mean, the people from the past are kind of going to show up for the present. Yeah, they try to do that. Get some of the longer-lasting performers from the 70s, 80s, 90s, which is good because I'm not familiar with a lot of current people today.

Speaker 2 40:03

A lot of us aren't, and we wouldn't know who. My daughter would know, but I really don't. Oh, my sons would know too, but we're kind of lost these days. Right, we had our heyday back then.

Speaker 1 40:13

Yes, but remember when our parents were like who is a Sean Cassidy? So they were more into their music.

Speaker 2 40:24

Credit to my mom. She supported my Sean Cassidy craziness. I appreciate that and I'll always remember that. My mom supports that now, but she did not back then, so it was controversial for your mom.

Speaker 3 40:37

Yeah, it was back then, but we're making up for those years, oh good.

Speaker 2 40:41

Yeah, she, she finally realizes he's a nice guy. Yes, yes.

Speaker 3 40:45

And he makes me happy. Even though it's from back then, he still makes me happy now, all these little shows he does. He's a nice guy, I mean why?

Speaker 2 40:54

Very nice, why wouldn't you? He survived this whole hurricane. Let's say that he came through it. He came through that hurricane.

Speaker 3 41:02

And he came back to say hi, yeah, say, we survived.

Speaker 1 41:05

We share the same community and in spite of the great upset of 1978, he's still here and we're still going to see him. Leave us a message with some of your all-time favorite Grammy moments, Grammy winners. You can leave it at SeanSquadSociety at gmailcom or you can hit our little button on Buzzsprout.

Speaker 2 41:30

We will be happy to hear from you or let us know if somebody else was upset. Did you think some other winner was?

Speaker 1 41:37

robbed. We could say it. We could say who do you think was robbed?

Speaker 2 41:43

Yeah, who do you think was robbed? Yeah, that's what this whole discussion is about he got robbed. So, yeah, there's many more.

Speaker 1 41:51

So let us know who yours are. Well, cindy and Dame, we have ourselves a caller this week and on the phone we have David Wild, who's the producer and writer of the Grammy Award. Oh, yes, very well known. Yeah, he's also the co-host of the very popular Naked Lunch podcast. I know it well and he's our buddy. Yes, he is. And he has a little bit to say about this great Grammy upset Of course he does.

Speaker 2 42:23

He produces all these shows and of course we like to hear it.

Speaker 1 42:28

So here he is. What do you have to say about this, david?

Speaker 5 42:32

hi, this is david wild calling a great podcast about a great artist and individual, sean cassidy. And ladies, I would like to say that I too am still mad that sean did not win best new artist. He I believe this is before my time. I've only worked on the Grammys for 24 years. This year it was my 24th year, already looking forward to 25 years. But even before my time, when I was just a viewer of the Grammys, I believe Sean Cassidy should have won Best New Artist.

David Wild Message

Speaker 5 43:09

I believe a tie with Andy Gibb would have been fine in my household because my sister was, I think, vice president of the New Jersey Andy Gibb fan club. I'm more of a Sean man myself, but I believe Debbie Boone won because of the Andy Gibb-Sean Cassidy vote. It split the vote. Andy Gibb Sean Cassidy vote. It split the vote. And that was sort of the teen idol, rock and roll connected vote. And then there was a generational, older vote. It's sort of the more conservative vote, the Pat Boone vote, which went to Pat's daughter, Debbie Boone, who I have nothing against. She lit up my life briefly. I actually worked with Pat Boone about 10 years ago Nice, nice man. But come on, sean Cassidy deserved it in my opinion, and still deserves all the credit and love and podcast he can get, including this one right now.

Speaker 2 44:12

Thank you, and that's rock and roll. Thank you from the bottom of our teen dream hearts. Keep on crushing.

Speaker 3 44:17

Always believe in magic and have a peaceful shuntastic week, and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, instagram Thread and subscribe to our new YouTube page.

Speaker 1 44:30

Make sure to keep in touch with us at our email SeanSquadSociety at gmailcom.

Speaker 2 44:37

The Sean Squad Society podcast, including past, present and future versions, and its contents are owned and controlled by the Sean Squad Society. The podcast is written, produced and recorded at the Borden Studios and the views and opinions are solely those of the Chant Squat Society podcast. We may think we are always right, but we may get things wrong from time to time, so we assume no responsibility for errors of submission of content.