Ry Cooder, Henry Gray, Jefferson Airplane, and Magnolia Sisters Added to Stellar Lineup for “GRAMMY Salute to Music Legends™”
Tickets On Sale Now For Live Concert Tribute Honoring Recording
Academy 2016 Special Merit Award Recipients
SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A diverse can’t-miss lineup blending sounds of the past and present will
ignite the stage for “GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends™,”
taking place Saturday, April 23, at Dolby Theatre in
Los Angeles. Just added to the exciting bill are Ry Cooder,
Henry Gray, Jefferson Airplane, and Magnolia Sisters.
Serving as the official celebration of The
Recording Academy® ‘s 2016 Special Merit
Awards recipients, the awards ceremony and live tribute
concert will feature rare performances by honorees and never-before-seen
renditions by those they’ve inspired. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.
“GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends” is produced in partnership with
THIRTEEN as part of the “Great Performances” series on
PBS, set to air later this year. Previously announced acts include
Lila Downs, Earth, Wind & Fire, Andy Garcia and
The CineSon All Stars, Lucrecia, Martina McBride, and
JD Souther. Additional performers will be announced shortly.
Honorees and psychedelic rock pioneers Jefferson Airplane,
including Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, will take fans
back in time as they play some of their most memorable hits that shaped
much of the San Francisco scene in the 1960s and earned them
international mainstream success. Standing in for legendary frontwoman Grace
Slick (who will be present to accept her award) will be GRAMMY®-nominated
rock songstress Cathy Richardson.
Trustees Award recipient and Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz
has made a living recording, preserving, selling, and celebrating the
music he loves —music that formed the fabric of both American and
international culture. Paying homage to the multifaceted and uniquely
talented producer/businessman will be six-time GRAMMY winner and
fretboard virtuoso Ry Cooder, Chicago bluesman GRAMMY nominee Henry
Gray, and Cajun music jewels and GRAMMY nominees Magnolia Sisters.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Ruth Brown, Celia
Cruz, Earth, Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, Jefferson
Airplane, Linda Ronstadt, and RUN DMC. John Cage,
Fred Foster, and Strachwitz are Trustees Award
honorees; and EMT and Dr. Harvey Fletcher are Technical
GRAMMY Award recipients. Also being honored is Phillip Riggs,
this year’s recipient of the Music Educator Award™.
Previously held during GRAMMY Week, this is the first time The Recording
Academy has celebrated the Special Merit Awards with a stand-alone event
and musical tribute. In addition to the tribute concert, special
celebrity guests will present recipients with their award statues and
guests will enjoy never-before-seen video packages celebrating the
honorees’ contributions to the music industry and our cultural heritage.
A production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET, “GRAMMY Salute To
Music Legends” will be written by David Wild and directed for television
by David Horn, with Mitch Owgang as producer, and Horn and Neil Portnow
as executive producers. Don Was is music director.
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors performers who have made
contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of
recording, while the Trustees Award recognizes such contributions in
areas other than performance. Both awards are determined by vote of The
Recording Academy’s National Board of Trustees. Technical GRAMMY Award
recipients are determined by vote of The Academy’s Producers & Engineers
Wing® Advisory Council and Chapter Committees, and are
ratified by The Academy’s Trustees. The award is presented to
individuals and companies who have made contributions of outstanding
technical significance to the recording field. Presented by The
Recording Academy and the GRAMMY
Foundation®, the Music Educator Award was established to
recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and
private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to
the field of music education.
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of
musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and recording
professionals dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality
of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY
Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and
the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible
for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment,
advocacy, education, and human services programs. The Academy continues
to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating
for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an
indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy,
please visit www.grammy.com.
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Contacts
The Recording Academy
Neda Azarfar, 310.392.3777
neda.azarfar@grammy.com
or
Andie
Cox, 310.392.3777
andie.cox@grammy.com
