The annual Grammy awards was established in 1958 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in hopes to provide a venue that recognizes the achievements of the music artists. Considered the Oscars for film and Emmys for television, Grammys it is for music. The accolade is the venue for old artists to get to know the new ones as they are introduced and recognized for their singles that have brought them in the airwaves for the year.

In the 2011 Grammy awards at Staples Center on February 13, 2011, the new artists did not only have the chance to rub elbows with the veterans, most of whom are their mentors. This year, the new artists share the stage with veteran artists and with combined skills, the two generations of artists delivered powerful performances on-stage.

Alex Dobuzinskis of Reuters said that the onstage tributes for this year’s Grammy is the organizers’ initiative to capture a mixture of viewers for this year’s awards night.

And the story is told as they perform on stage - - be it in individual, dual or group performances.

Some performances are arranged to feature how the new meets old.

Teen pop sensation, 16-year-old Justin Bieber performed with 32 year old, Usher and their collaboration produced a great performance for “OMG”.

Usher is the R& B singer and music executive who introduced Bieber to the music scene. A video presentation of a younger Justin auditioning for Usher was also presented at the show.

Powered by social network Twitter, Justin has made millions of fans in just a year, has sold millions of copies of his album and he is the only teenage pop star with concert tickets sold out in just minutes.

Some performances show how one has influenced the other.

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones sang “Everybody Needs Someone to Love” in honor of soul legend, Solomon Burke who co-wrote and recorded the song before it was covered by Rolling Stones.

Burke’s gospel and country-rooted delivery said Reuters has had great influence on Jagger. It was Jagger’s first performance at the Grammys.

Comeback rap star Eminem took the stage with Dr. Dre in performing “I Need a Doctor”. This is the first time for Dr. Dre to appear on live television in over a decade, said Reuters. Dr. Dre was instrumental to Eminem in helping the white rapper gained the respect of the black community. Dr. Dre also had a hand in producing “Mr. Slim Shady LP”, Eminem’s hit album in 1999.

The Grammy awards this year also reflected how the styles from the past decades are tied with those of the current rising artists. This was seen in the performance of 25-year old Bruno Mars’ own hit song “Grenade” reminding the public of Motown groups in the 1960s.

This was also reflected in the much-awaited Grammy appearance of music icon, Bob Dylan. The 69-year-old singer sang his “Maggie’s Farm” with the combined talents of two other star bands: Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers. The rising bands also draw inspiration from folk music, just like the ‘hippie era icon’.

Blending in of the past to the present music and their artists is seen not only in performances. They are also reflected on the Grammys efforts to recognize them.

It sure isn’t too late for the Grammys to recognize Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Pinetop Perkins. If Bieber had Usher and Eminem had Dr. Dre, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith had Pinetop Perkins. Smith is now 75 while Perkins is 97 and both won the best traditional blues album for their release “Joined at the Hip” at the 53rd Grammy awards. According to Reuters, Smith met Perkins when he was seven years old. Smith told reporters after he received his first Grammy at 75, that he is “the happiest man on earth”.

Be it discovery, or an influence to his career or a consistent anchor as he rises to the top or comes back diving down to the bottom of his music career, the Grammys provides the story of how the old and the new artists are, in many ways, connected to one another. The Grammys tells the story of every artist and his contribution to the kind of art that has never stoped to touch our hearts.

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