Las Vegas Weekly

February 5, 2009 · 6 AM

Morning Call: Ne-Yo commutes between L.A., Las Vegas ahead of Grammys

By Robin Leach

Ne-Yo at home with the mic at Pure.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

When hometown hero and superstar singer Ne-Yo takes the stage at The Pearl Concert Theater in the Palms tonight, he will be just 72 hours away from perhaps the biggest night of his life. Shaffer Chimere Smith, 29, who grew up most of his teen life in Las Vegas, is nominated for six Grammy Awards, which will be televised by CBS from Los Angeles on Sunday night.

The singer-songwriter who won a Grammy last year for Best Contemporary R&B Album has been commuting between L.A. and Las Vegas all week. Palms owner George Maloof picked up the tab for 100 local schoolchildren to attend the first-ever Grammy Career Day in Los Angeles yesterday. Ne-Yo took part in a panel in an effort to help youngsters learn about careers in the recording and music industries.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Ne-Yo with his mom and sister.

Ne-Yo’s new album Year of the Gentleman is a hit, and his tour of the same name kicks off here tonight with Jazmine Sullivan as special guest. Then Ne-Yo dashes back to Los Angeles tomorrow to prepare for his Grammy appearance. And he still writes songs for Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna and others!

I didn’t know that the Gentleman album was Ne-Yo’s homage to Las Vegas when the Rat Pack ruled supreme in the 1960s. I thought the “ladies first”-themed album was more about what a great Mr. Right he could be for Mrs. Right. Several of the tracks have a mix of European club beats and classic soul and R&B.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Ne-Yo.

When he learned about the six Grammy nods, Ne-Yo commented: “I am blown away. I have six chances to win a Grammy. One nomination would have been enough for me, but six? How do you do anything but smile at that?”

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