Iconic music producer Jimmy Jam appeared at the Grammy Museum alongside Richard and Demi to host the five-hour show that also featured NAACP president Derrick Johnson and special guests DJ Cassidy, Mike Muse and Siedah Garrett, among others. Jimmy Jam explained to The Hollywood Reporter the magic of RWQuarantunes.
“They believe that music is the universal language. It’s the thing that brings us all together. We had a situation [during the pandemic] where people were stuck in their homes and couldn’t do anything. Music, to me, was always the balm that made it better,” he said. “The Zoom screen was like a quilt with different colors, textures and themes welcoming in old people, young people, Black people, white people, everybody. When the music started playing, everybody had a common head nod or hand clap. The music speaks to everybody. Richard used the healing power of music not only to help people mentally but to inspire them to give back. [RWQuarantunes] was the perfect thing at an imperfect time.”
He continued: “In the music industry, we spend so much time in recording studios, doing our own thing, and we don’t often get a chance to interact with people unless it’s at an award show or an event. This was a chance to spend two or three hours of quality time from your house with some of the greatest people of all time, brought together by Clive Davis and all the people who contributed to what Richard created. It’s been an experience like no other, and the relationships that have been made through this will last forever.”
Summing up his experience, Richard signed off with: “God and the world chose us to do this together.”
With much of the country returning to normalcy — and many of the artists who appeared heading back out on the road to resume touring and live performances — it made sense to pause the virtual productions. But maybe not forever?
“It’s the end of this chapter of being home staring at our computer screens, but it’s not the end of RWQuarantunes,” explained Richard before displaying his top-tier agenting skills. “There’s always a possibility of a season two.”
This article originally appeared in THR.com.
