What does it take to pull off the biggest night in music — live, global, and with zero room for error?
In this episode, Linda sits down with Ben Winston, executive producer of the GRAMMY Awards, founder of Fulwell Entertainment, and one of the most influential forces behind modern live television. Ben takes us inside the pressure, creative decisions, and cultural responsibility of producing music’s biggest moments — and what it really means when you only get one shot to get it right.
Behind the GRAMMYs
What must go right in the first 60 seconds of the broadcast
How live TV chaos is managed when millions are watching
The unseen risks audiences never realize are happening in real time
The State of Music & Culture
What the 2026 GRAMMY nominations reveal about where music is headed
Balancing genres, generations, and global representation
Protecting the soul of the GRAMMYs in the age of streaming and AI
Creating Iconic Performances
What separates a good performance from a historic one
Working with artists like Adele, Elton John, Bruno Mars, and Harry Styles
How creative trust between artist and producer is built
Beyond Music’s Biggest Night
Lessons learned producing live television at the highest level
What unscripted fame (The Kardashians) reveals about modern celebrity
How GRAMMY-level production thinking carries over to the LA 2028 Olympic ceremonies
Leadership & Perspective
The most valuable mistake Ben has made in live television
The moment that tells him, “We nailed it” once the lights go down
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mrbenwinston/
X (formerly Twitter):
https://x.com/benwinston
Threads:
https://www.threads.com/@mrbenwinston
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-winston-95a603301
Fulwell Entertainment:
https://www.fulwell.com/about-us
GRAMMY.com Artist Page:
https://www.grammy.com/artists/ben-winston/52241
Television Academy (Emmys):
https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ben-winston
The 2026 GRAMMY Awards
📅 Sunday, February 1
📺 Live on CBS
📲 Streaming live and on demand on Paramount+