The Recording Academy honors legendary music producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers

(4 Feb 2015) NILE RODGERS HONORED AT LOS ANGELES SOIREE
Legendary music producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers was the man of the hour Tuesday (3 FEB. 2015) at the eighth annual Grammy Week event in Los Angeles.
The Producers and Engineers Wing of The Recording Academy honored the three-time Grammy-winner with a star-studded gala at the famed Village Recording Studios.
"I'm just overwhelmed," said the 62-year-old recording artist.
"I'm not a good award guy because I don't do music for awards so when things like this happen I get sort of, I absolutely get teary-eyed. I get overwhelmed."
Rodgers has collaborated with artists like David Bowie, Duran Duran, Avicii and Daft Punk on their smash hit "Get Lucky."
He's also a co-founding member and the lead guitarist of the rock-disco band Chic. Rodgers is releasing Chic's first new album in two decades thanks to a recently discovered box of the band's unreleased demos.
"It's Chic," he said of the new music.
"Not only is it classic, the very first single - everybody that was on the very first recording, every single person that was singing on that record, including Luther Vandross, everybody is on that single. It was like something I pulled out I was like 'oh my god! Look at this!' And it's killing. I played it for Pharrell on an airplane a couple of weeks ago. We were headed to Dubai and his exact words, well I can't say his exact words, but it went something like 'Nile, put that blank out right away. Put it out tonight!.'"
The first single from the record is due out in March and the LP is expected to drop in June.
Music industry VIPs and artists including Aloe Blacc and "Weird Al" Yankovic were on hand to celebrate Rodgers.
Yankovic, who had a pop culture moment this year with the chart-topping "Mandatory Fun," was also nominated for a best comedy album Grammy. But the comedian isn't holding his breath for a trophy on Sunday.
"Oh my goodness. I would say I've been studying the Grammys for a while, this might be the toughest comedy category ever in terms of competition. For crying out loud, Patton Oswalt, a dear friend of mine, Sarah Silverman, Jim Gaffigan, Louis C.K. Amazing right? So I've got my fingers crossed, but I'm not counting on anything," he said.
He said he was shocked when last year's winner Kathy Griffin did not receive a nomination.
"It was a tough category and Kathy won last year and she gets nominated year after year. Not even a nomination this year after winning last year. So I saw her right after the nominations came out and I gave her my condolences because it's kind of sad. I mean she obviously would have been nominated in a less crowded year, but this year's just been nuts."
Songwriter Diane Warren, on the other hand, is feeling pretty good about her Oscar odds.
"I bet on myself you know," she said about her best original song nomination for "Grateful" featured in "Beyond the Lights."
"Lucky seven maybe? You know. I mean I think being nominated, I mean not to be cliche, but you know being nominated is amazing. Think of all the songs in movies every year. You know there's so many times that I think I'm going to get nominated and I don't. This time I didn't think I had a chance and I woke up in the morning and here it is."
But the Golden Globe winner is not pleased with her collaborator, singer Rita Ora. Warren says Ora should be trying harder to promote their Oscar-nominated song.
"In all honesty it would be great to not be the only one out there promoting this. Because it's a huge opportunity," she explained.
Ora will perform "Grateful" at the 87th Academy Awards on Feb. 22.

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