Mick Jagger and Raphael Saadiq Conjure Solomon Burke’s Spirit at Grammys

In his Grammy debut, Mick Jagger conjured the outsized spirit — and wardrobe — of soul singer Solomon Burke, who died last year. The show-stopping performance came immediately after the show’s annual In Memoriam segment.

Jagger, in a tribute to “The King of Rock ‘n’ Soul,” strutted onstage wearing a luscious gold cape, a nod to the traditional royalty garb Burke loved performing in. He and Raphael Saadiq dove into a performance of one of Burke’s most well-known hits, ‘Everybody Needs Somebody to Love’ and strutted across the stage, thrusting his fists toward the audience and at one point pulled the standing crowd into a series of call and responses.

At times, it was easy to forget that Jagger fronts a rock band and not a blistering soul group, watching him bow and stutter-step and swing his way across the stage with the interminable energy of a superstar soul singer. At one point, he drew guitarist Raphael Saadiq into the fray, chasing him around the stage and finished the song with an extended chorus refrain that felt — if Grammy producers had been willing — as if it could have carried well toward the dawn.

The only other time Jagger has appeared at the Grammys was via satellite a quarter-century ago when the Rolling Stones accepted a lifetime achievement award. Maybe he knew his first time in person needed to be something unforgettable. He delivered.

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