Macca Feted by MusiCares

MUSICARES ABOUT MACCA: Friday night’s Grammy MusiCares tribute to Paul McCartney at the L.A. Convention Center was a star-studded affair that featured the guest of honor singing for his own vegan dinner, to the delight of an industry crowd that included wife Nancy Shevell and his ex-partner John’s widow Yoko Ono. After an opening foray of Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles LOVE troupe, the 69-year-old legend charged into rousing versions of “Magical Mystery Tour” and “Junior’s Farm.” Other performers included Foo Fighters (“Jet”), Alicia Keys (“Blackbird”), Alison Krauss & Union Station (“No More Lonely Lights”), Tony Bennett (“Here, There and Everywhere”), Norah Jones (“Oh Darling”), Katy Perry (an acoustic “Hey Jude”), Neil Young and Crazy Horse (a crunching “I Saw Her Standing There”), Coldplay (an elegant “We Can Work It Out”), Diana Krall (“For No One”), James Taylor (“Yesterday”), Sergio Mendes (“Fool on the Hill”) and veteran twang guitar pioneer Duane Eddy (“And I Love Her”). McCartney closed the evening with his new standard “My Valentine” and a cover of Fats Waller’s “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” both from his recently released Kisses from the Bottom album, then launching into Wings’ “Nineteen Hundred and Eight-Five,” before finishing with “Carry That Weight” and “The End” from the Abbey Road medley with Joe Walsh and Dave Grohl on guitar. Also on hand: George Harrison’s widow Olivia, Tom Hanks, Bonnie Raitt, Glen Campbell, Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, David Foster, Don Was, Jeff Lynne, David Crosby, Steven Van Zandt, Randy Jackson, Carole King, Jason Mraz and L.A. Reid. As MC, comedian/actor Eddie Izzard wowed the crowd with an elaborate faux McCartney bio featuring Jacques Costeau, Fidel Castro and Muhammad Ali. The charity gala drew record attendance (2,800) and raised $6.5 million, the most in its history, for musicians in need of medical or financial aid. A baby grand piano painted and signed by Peter Max for Ringo Starr (not in the house) sold at auction for $175k. Katy Perry, who researched MusiCares programs after receiving the tribute invitation, pledged $250k. "It's fantastic to hear all these fantastic artists playing my songs and making them sound so beautiful," McCartney told the assembled crowd, adding that the interpretations revealed nuances "I didn't know were there." (2/12a)