# What is your favorite tribute to a musical group or singer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 12, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078 "2023-03-12T21:20:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/1 "2023-03-12T21:20:19Z")
Most “tributes” I’ve seen/heard are quickly tossed off vanity pieces best viewed as novelties, but a few years back at The Kennedy Center Honors Led Zeppelin was being honored by Ann and Nancy Wilson of _Heart_ singing “Stairway To Heaven”. I expected something good from those two but neither I nor, I suspect, the audience expected something as astounding as this: [Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors HD - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cZ_EFAmj08) Y’all have any examples of musical tributes that went above and beyond your expectations? ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/2 "2023-03-12T21:26:01Z")
When George Harrison was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, and Prince stole the show from Tom Petty et al. with his blistering guitar solo for “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6SFNW5F8K9Y/hqdefault.jpg "Prince, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and others -- "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/3 "2023-03-12T21:30:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I expected something good from those two but neither I nor, I suspect, the audience expected something as astounding as this: Clearly you don’t know about the Lovemongers then. This was the Wilson’s side project and largely a Led Zep tribute band. Their cover of Battle Evermore is awesome. I think a lot of Zep and Heart fans were well aware of how great they can be doing Zep songs. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q7DxFQ6FhzQ/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgXihPMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBSIHWpxehCJGtGnR9c5asj8KBriA "Lovemongers - Battle of Evermore") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7DxFQ6FhzQ) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/4 "2023-03-12T21:32:03Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Clearly you don’t know about the Lovemongers then. I know now-Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/5 "2023-03-12T21:36:12Z")
Wholly crap, I found an obscure one from long ago. U2 doing a live cover of John Lennon’s So this is Christmas. This was in the 80s. It is as good as I remember it. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_jcCE8ioje8/hqdefault.jpg "U2- So This Is Christmas(John Lennon Cover Live)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jcCE8ioje8) ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/6 "2023-03-12T21:36:19Z")
I thoroughly enjoyed this Kennedy Center Honors tribute to Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret. It’s fun to see the two styles of emcee. [Willkommen (Kander and Ebb Tribute) - Alan Cumming/Guests - 1998 Kennedy Center Honors - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkpngcG6mn0) I have a soft spot in my heart for the ABBA jukebox movie, Mamma Mia. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/7 "2023-03-12T21:48:27Z")
And of course their is the Kenndedy Center performance by Areatha Franklin doing Carol Kings “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/efIAM5dzuDs/maxresdefault.jpg "WATCH: Aretha Franklin sings "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efIAM5dzuDs) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/8 "2023-03-12T21:53:00Z")
Steve Earle’s goodbye to Townes Van Zandt made Nanci Griffith cry. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/p4WOys7sWvU/hqdefault.jpg "Steve Earle - Fort Worth Blues") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4WOys7sWvU) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/9 "2023-03-13T00:31:55Z")
You beat me to it. I watched that video for the first time, while standing in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I had no idea at the time what Prince was capable of. It knocked me flat on my ass. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Led Zeppelin was being honored by Ann and Nancy Wilson of _Heart_ singing “Stairway To Heaven”. I love Heart so much. That was really beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/10 "2023-03-13T01:25:12Z")
Another Kennedy Center Honors performance: Bettye LaVette singing Love Reigh O’er Me. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EJi6maTueSc/hqdefault.jpg "Kennedy Center Honors - Bettye LaVette - Love Reign") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJi6maTueSc) They haven’t happened yet but I’m sure they’ll will be worth seeing/hearing: the Jeff Beck Tribute shows being put together by Eric Clapton in May. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/11 "2023-03-13T01:51:24Z")
Speaking of Carole King, Taylor Swift’s tribute to her upon her being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is amazing. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BABeGvfg1fA/maxresdefault.jpg "[Remastered 4K] Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? - Taylor Swift • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2021 EAS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BABeGvfg1fA) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/12 "2023-03-13T03:04:31Z")
It is seldom that a tribute brings tears to the eyes of the one being celebrated: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y3TzP-o4vhs/hqdefault.jpg "First Aid Kit - Emmylou (Live på Polar Music Prize 2015)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3TzP-o4vhs) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vBwKp6QhIvE/hqdefault.jpg "America - First Aid Kit (Paul Simon cover)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBwKp6QhIvE) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/13 "2023-03-13T04:13:06Z")
Temple Of The Dog ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/14 "2023-03-13T04:27:47Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > When George Harrison was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004… About a year after Harrison died there was a big concert at the Royal Albert Hall called The Concert for George. First half was Indian music, then Monty Python performed (!), then a selection of rock & roll songs with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and others. It was really, really great. The final song was “I’ll See You In My Dreams” performed on ukulele. Just wonderful. Here’s McCartney, et al doing “Something”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Xl-BNTeJXjw/maxresdefault.jpg "Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton - Something (Live)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl-BNTeJXjw) Here’s the finale: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CTWI28r5-ag/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHUBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gJSgcMA8=&rs=AOn4CLC6Sggll2QXv0kfqJ66xNPNKOGOxQ "I ll See you in my dreams - Concert for George") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTWI28r5-ag) ---
**Author:** ![BigDfromLA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@BigDfromLA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDfromLA)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/15 "2023-03-13T08:21:49Z")
At a concert I attended in 2017, the group Young The Giant performed a spectacular cover of Tom Petty’s American Girl in tribute to Petty, who had just passed away days earlier. It was amazing. Wish I had a tape of it! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/16 "2023-03-13T08:49:20Z")
This one? [Young the Giant - American Girl - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsMokEW0Ai8) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/17 "2023-03-13T12:08:35Z")
If Jim Henson counts: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yeEzQ4qwkgo/hqdefault.jpg "Jim Henson Muppet Memorial - One Person") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeEzQ4qwkgo) If he doesn’t: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zynFqUu9oKw/maxresdefault.jpg "Sara Bareilles singing Laura Nyro's Stoney End at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction HD - Best Ever") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zynFqUu9oKw) ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/18 "2023-03-13T13:02:18Z")
In early 2019 The Bowie Celebration came through town, and it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. Mike Garson, Bowie’s keyboardist for many years going back to the Spiders from Mars days, led the group that included (deep breath) Earl Slick, Charlie Sexton, Bernard Fowler (longtime Rolling Stones backup singer), Corey Glover (singer from Living Colour), Sass Jordan, Emm Gryner and a bunch of other people I can’t remember thi early in the morning. And of course, as it was in Canada, astronaut Chris Hatfield was on hand to perform “Space Oddity” as he had from the ISS. The night was as magical as a concert can get. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/19 "2023-03-13T17:08:21Z")
Van Morrison paid tribute to a lot of musicians throughout his career, not only in tribute shows or by covering them, but with some of his self-written regular songs. The two greatest IMHO are “Jackie Wilson Said” and “Domino”, his tribute to Fats. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ffCaPkqE6m8/hqdefault.jpg "Jackie Wilson Said - Van Morrison") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffCaPkqE6m8) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yiDcPUOD-vY/maxresdefault.jpg "Domino (2015 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiDcPUOD-vY) ETA: and how could I forget one of the greatest tributes of a songwriting peer and friend of Van, Bob Dylan’s “Blind Willie McTell”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_uf5gi3E_rQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Blind Willie McTell (Original Release)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uf5gi3E_rQ) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078/20 "2023-03-13T17:19:54Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > About a year after Harrison died there was a big concert at the Royal Albert Hall called The Concert for George. First half was Indian music, then Monty Python performed (!), then a selection of rock & roll songs with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and others. It was really, really great. It’s one of my all-time favorite concert films – so many great performers, and you could feel the love and respect for Harrison and his music. Harrison’s son Dhani performed on a few songs, and really looked like his dad; as his mother Olivia remarked, “With Dhani on stage, it looks like we all got old and George stayed young.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-tribute-to-a-musical-group-or-singer/981078.md?page=2)