Former Wildcat Alex Page prepares for rehearsal at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles yesterday.
LH’s Alex Page is waiting for someone to pinch him and tell him it was all a dream. Last night he performed onstage at the Grammys live from Los Angeles. A talented violinist and studio musician, Alex was part of the big production number featuring Bruno Mars, B.o.B. and Janelle Monae. As he fielded good luck messages from family and friends around the country, Alex and I chatted by phone before the show.
“It’s been an incredible experience,” he said. “These huge stars keep walking by. Everyone shows appreciation for each other’s performances and wants to watch each other play.”
Pretty heady stuff for the 2004 graduate of Lake Highlands High, but it’s not Alex’s first exposure to Grammy glitter. He previously worked on a Grammy-nominated album for OutKast. After graduating from Emory University, where he studied music and history, Alex now works at CNN/Turner Broadcasting and does studio recording for Bad Boy Records in Atlanta, which is how he got the Grammy gig.
The day of the show, Alex had a 7 am lobby call at the hotel and was ready at 10 am for a dry run of the 3 hour production. “The number of acts is uncountable,” Alex told me. “Everyone who is anyone is in the show. I’m just some kid here to have fun.”
“And you’re not going to believe Lady Gaga,” he told me hours before the event began. (By now you’ve probably seen the egg she arrived in.) As it was wheeled past him in rehearsal, Alex thought it looked more like a plexiglass coffin and heeded the strict instructions given all crew members not to take photos.
Alex’s parents, who still live in Lake Highlands, couldn’t be more proud. Mom Linda Newman says she and Alex’s dad, Steven Page, spent the evening “glued to the CBS screen with the DVR set.” You can see video of the performance, which earned a standing ovation, here.
“The second we finished our song, we were just completely overwhelmed,” Alex told me after the show. “Did we just do that?!?”
“Instead of returning to my seat, I stayed backstage to network. I met Jamie Foxx, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, John Mayer, Mumford & Sons, Lady Antebellum, Puff Daddy, Cee Lo Green, Esperanza Spalding, Norah Jones, Seth Rogan and Gwyneth Paltrow. Everyone was so incredibly friendly and appreciative.”
“My starstruck moment: Beyonce and Taylor Swift turn the corner as I’m talking to Seth Rogan. Beyonce looked me square in the eye, touched my shoulder and said, “How are you babe? Having a good night? Good job tonight.”
I wonder if Alex needs a good assistant.
