Steve Jobs ontvangt Grammy-award voor bijdragen muziekindustrie

Apple-topman Eddy Cue heeft gisternacht een Grammy-award voor Steve Jobs in ontvangst genomen. De vorig jaar overleden CEO ontving de Trustees Grammy, wegens zijn grote invloed op de muziekindustrie. Apple bracht onder Steve Jobs onder andere de iPod uit, een MP3-speler die de basis voor de iPhone zou leggen. De iTunes Store werd uiteindelijk één van de grootste plekken om muziek online aan te schaffen.

In een toespraak spreekt Eddy Cue zijn waardering voor Steve Jobs uit. Verder wijdt hij uit over zijn muzikale voorkeuren en hoe belangrijk muziek eigenlijk voor hem was. De volledige toespraak kun je in onderstaande video bekijken.

YoYo Ma, een wereldberoemde cellist en goede vriend van Steve Jobs, sprak over zijn tijd met Steve Jobs:

Before I met Steve, I first had to say no to him. In the early ’90s, I was touring like a madman, trying to juggle professional commitments and a home life with a young family, when a call came in. Steve Jobs was getting married at Yosemite and he wanted me to play. I declined with great regret. When we met, years later, I was also introduced to his wife and children. The simplicity, directness and openness of his family really struck me. Steve showed me the things he cared about, and I shared the music I would have played at their wedding. From there, the friendship grew.

There were many more meetings, sometimes for a picnic dinner before concerts, other times grabbing lunch after one of his legendary presentations. Steve was ever eager to share the latest “one more thing.” I will never forget how he pulled out a prototype of the iPhone for me and the astonished members of the Silk Road Ensemble at UC Berkeley, or the conversation about intuition versus intelligence and the importance of stimulating disciplined imagination in our students to ensure an innovative workforce. His life’s work was a reflection of his father Paul’s lesson: “When you make something, make sure the back is as beautiful as the front, even if nobody sees it.”

This last year we had three visits, and in the spring Steve asked me to play at his funeral. I said I would, if he would speak at mine. Needless to say, Steve got his way. I, like so many others, will always be grateful for the impact he had, for the beautiful tools that have helped change my thinking, but even more so for his extraordinary friendship.

Het was geen verrassing dat Jobs de Grammy zou ontvangen: vorig jaar schreven we nog dat The Recording Company van plan was om de prijs aan onder andere Steve Jobs uit te reiken.