Skip to main content
GRAMMYs Breaking News
Breaking News
  • MusiCares Launches Help for the Holidays Campaign Apply HERE
  • Recording Academy
  • GRAMMYs
  • Membership
  • Advocacy
  • MusiCares
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • Latin GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
  • Advocacy
  • Membership
  • GRAMMYs
  • Governance
  • Jobs
  • Press Room
  • Events
  • Login
  • MusiCares
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • Latin GRAMMYs
  • More
    • MusiCares
    • GRAMMY Museum
    • Latin GRAMMYs

The GRAMMYs

  • Awards
  • News
  • Videos
  • Recording Academy
  • More
    • Awards
    • News
    • Videos
    • Recording Academy

Latin GRAMMYs

MusiCares

  • About
  • Get Help
  • Give
  • News
  • Videos
  • Events
  • Person of the Year
  • More
    • About
    • Get Help
    • Give
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events
    • Person of the Year

Advocacy

  • About
  • News
  • Issues & Policy
  • Act
  • Recording Academy
  • More
    • About
    • News
    • Issues & Policy
    • Act
    • Recording Academy

Membership

  • Join
  • Events
  • PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
  • GRAMMY U
  • GOVERNANCE
  • More
    • Join
    • Events
    • PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
    • GRAMMY U
    • GOVERNANCE
Log In Join
  • SUBSCRIBE

  • Search
See All Results
Modal Open
Subscribe Now

Subscribe to Newsletters

Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. Privacy Policy
GRAMMY Museum
Membership

Join us on Social

  • Recording Academy
    • The Recording Academy: Facebook
    • The Recording Academy: Twitter
    • The Recording Academy: Instagram
    • The Recording Academy: YouTube
  • GRAMMYs
    • GRAMMYs: Facebook
    • GRAMMYs: Twitter
    • GRAMMYs: Instagram
    • GRAMMYs: YouTube
  • Latin GRAMMYs
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Facebook
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Twitter
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Instagram
    • Latin GRAMMYs: YouTube
  • GRAMMY Museum
    • GRAMMY Museum: Facebook
    • GRAMMY Museum: Twitter
    • GRAMMY Museum: Instagram
    • GRAMMY Museum: YouTube
  • MusiCares
    • MusiCares: Facebook
    • MusiCares: Twitter
    • MusiCares: Instagram
  • Advocacy
    • Advocacy: Facebook
    • Advocacy: Twitter
  • Membership
    • Membership: Facebook
    • Membership: Twitter
    • Membership: Instagram
    • Membership: Youtube
GRAMMYs

John Cage

Photo: Frans Schellekens/Redferns/Getty Images

News
thurston-moore-honors-experimentalist-pioneer-john-cage

Thurston Moore Honors Experimentalist Pioneer John Cage

Facebook Twitter Email
Sonic Youth co-founder cites Cage's compositions as the "true template for all that is radical and challenging in music and art today"
Thurston Moore
GRAMMYs
Oct 3, 2016 - 4:15 pm

("GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" — a special all-star concert honoring The Recording Academy's 2016 Special Merit Awards recipients — will air Oct. 14 from 9–11:30 p.m. on PBS. John Cage, who received a 2016 Trustees Award from The Recording Academy, will be among the artists saluted.)

Like his father, John Cage was an inventor, a moniker he preferred to that of composer, and one bestowed upon him by his music composition and theory teacher Arnold Schoenberg. It was to Schoenberg, who had slight regard for his student as composer but considerable feelings for him as genius, whom Cage had promised to devote his life to music.

This promise of devotion to creative light and discipline is concurrent to Cage’s profound attraction to Buddhist philosophy. It is what defines him as the most significant pioneer in 20th century experimental music.

When Cage introduced the notion of nonhierarchical interdisciplinary performance in 1952 at Black Mountain College he not only created the first audacious "happening" event but also the liberation of the artist to employ his or her most organic means of "play" within the discipline of the score.

This unification of both academic and wild creativity is — alongside the writing ideologies of Jack Kerouac, Diane di Prima et al., abstract expressionist visual art of Franz Kline, Lee Krasner et al., modern dance of Cage's life partner Merce Cunningham, bebop jazz of Thelonious Monk, and the avant-garde jazz of Sun Ra and later John Coltrane — the true template for all that is radical and challenging in music and art today.

John Cage, Sept. 5, 1912 – Aug. 12, 1992, is an influence nonpareil for perpetual generations of music and language, inadvertently creating a blueprint for the spirit of rock and roll, a reflection of nature and the human condition in both rebelliousness and meditation, a music which moves where the spirit takes it.

(Thurston Moore is a co-founder of indie rock pioneers Sonic Youth, whose sound melded free-form noise experimentalism, post-punk avant-garde and no wave. Their 1999 album, SYR 4: Goodbye 20th Century, featured a cover of John Cage's "Six." Moore has released four solo albums, including 2014's The Best Day. He is a current member of Chelsea Light Moving, an alt-rock project referencing avant-garde artists and the 1960s counterculture movement.)

Performers for "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends"
News
'GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends' airs Oct. 14 watch-grammy-salute-music-legends-oct-14

Watch 'GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends' on Oct. 14

Facebook Twitter Email
All-star concert featuring performances by Earth, Wind & Fire, Andy García, Martina McBride, and more to air on PBS Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

\"GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends\" To Air Oct. 14

In collaboration with PBS' "Great Performances" series, The Recording Academy will air "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" — a special all-star concert honoring The Recording Academy's 2016 Special Merit Awards recipients — on Oct. 14 from 9–11:30 p.m. ET/PT on PBS.

Taped at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the special features tribute performances and never-before-seen video packages celebrating each of the recipients' contributions to the music industry and our cultural heritage. The lineup features performances by Patti Austin; Ry Cooder; Lila Downs; Earth, Wind & Fire; David Foster; Andy García And The CineSon All Stars; Herbie Hancock; Henry Gray; Jefferson Airplane; J'Nai Bridges; Kris Kristofferson; Lucrecia; Shelby Lynne; Magnolia Sisters; Martina McBride; Naughty By Nature, Anthony Parce; and JD Souther. Presenters include David Crosby, Jimmy Jam, LL Cool J, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Don Was.

View a complete list of " GRAMMY Salute to Music Legends" performances 

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 Chris 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.

Among numerous highlights, psychedelic rock pioneers Jefferson Airplane 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 is present to accept her award) is GRAMMY-nominated rock songstress Cathy Richardson.

Arhoolie Records founder Strachwitz has made a living recording, preserving, 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-winning guitar virtuoso Cooder, GRAMMY-nominated Chicago bluesman Gray and GRAMMY nominees the Magnolia Sisters.

Paying tribute to three-time GRAMMY winner and four-time Latin GRAMMY winner Celia Cruz — internationally known as the Queen of Salsa — are Latin GRAMMY nominee Lucrecia and GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY winner García, who will bring his Cuban musical group, Andy García And The CineSon All Stars, to the stage.

Six-time GRAMMY winners Earth, Wind & Fire offer a roof-raising performance.

A salute to 10-time GRAMMY winner Linda Ronstadt features pop, country and Latin musical offerings from GRAMMY and four-time Latin GRAMMY winner Downs and GRAMMY nominees McBride and Souther.

A production of Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET, "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" is written by David Wild and directed for television by David Horn, with Mitch Owgang as producer, and Horn and Neil Portnow as executive producers. Was is music director. For "Great Performances," Bill O'Donnell is series producer; Horn is executive producer.

Earth, Wind & Fire, promotional image

Earth, Wind & Fire

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

News
GRAMMY special: Watch Run DMC and Linda Ronstadt grammy-special-feature-run-dmc-linda-ronstadt-more

GRAMMY special to feature Run DMC, Linda Ronstadt, more

Facebook Twitter Email
PBS special will celebrate 2016 Special Merit Awards recipients with live tribute concert; an awards ceremony and broadcast to air later this year
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

The Recording Academy will honor its 2016 Special Merit Awards recipients with an awards ceremony and live tribute concert on April 23 at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" will be produced in partnership with Thirteen Productions as part of PBS' "Great Performances" series, and is set to air later this year. Led by GRAMMY winner Don Was as musical director, the tribute concert will feature rare performances by some of the honorees and showcase never-before-seen renditions of their songs by artists they've inspired.

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 Chris 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. Performers will be announced shortly.

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 concert, special celebrity guests will present recipients with their awards and guests will enjoy video packages celebrating each of the honorees' contributions to the music industry and our cultural heritage.

"For many years now, we've wanted to honor Special Merit Awards recipients on a larger scale with an event like 'GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends,' so I'm delighted to partner with Thirteen Productions and PBS to bring this worthy celebration to a bigger stage," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "The contributions of our honorees are innumerable, and we look forward to an unforgettable evening as we pay tribute to their exceptional accomplishments."

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.

Tickets for "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" will be on sale via Ticketmaster beginning Tuesday, March 29 at 10 a.m. PT.

GRAMMYs

Run DMC

Photo: Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty Images

News
12-things-know-about-2016-special-merit-awards-class

12 Things To Know About The 2016 Special Merit Awards Class

Facebook Twitter Email
Do you know these facts about music legends Earth, Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, Jefferson Airplane, Linda Ronstadt, Run DMC, and more? "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" to air on PBS Oct. 14
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Oct 25, 2016 - 11:31 pm

"GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends," a special all-star concert honoring The Recording Academy's 2016 Special Merit Awards recipients, is scheduled to air Oct. 14 from 9–11:30 p.m. on PBS. Ahead of the broadcast, dive in to 12 facts you need to know about this year's recipient class.

A key activist in the movement to reform musicians' royalty payments in the 1980s, Ruth Brown helped net a $1.5 million donation from Atlantic Records, which led to the creation of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1987.

A three-time GRAMMY winner, Celia Cruz won consecutive awards at the first three Latin GRAMMY Awards, including Best Salsa Performance for Celia Cruz And Friends: A Night Of Salsa at the inaugural Latin GRAMMY telecast in 2000.

Earth, Wind & Fire's "Shining Star" netted the band a couple of firsts. The song earned the band the first of their six GRAMMYs for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus for 1975. It also marked the first and only Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit of their career.

Herbie Hancock's trailblazing 1983 single "Rockit" is considered one of the first songs to feature "scratching," or sounds being manipulated using a turntable to the beat. The GRAMMY-winning song has been featured on TV ("30 Rock") and in film (Zoolander) and video games ("Grand Theft Auto: Vice City").

Jefferson Airplane's classic "White Rabbit" (GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, 1998) was penned by frontwoman Grace Slick. The song has been covered by two GRAMMY winners: George Benson, who interpreted it on his 1971 solo album titled White Rabbit, and Pink, who covered it for the 2016 film Alice Through The Looking Glass.

Linda Ronstadt's 10 GRAMMY Awards include wins in the Children's, Country, Pop, and Latin Fields.

Run DMC were the sole hip-hop act to perform at 1985's historic Live Aid concert, which featured performances by U2, David Bowie, Madonna, and Paul McCartney, among others.

In 1952 John Cage introduced "4'33"," a piece featuring four minutes and 33 seconds during which the performers do not play their instruments. The resulting sounds of the environment that the listeners hear are designed to be the "music."

Fred Foster is credited as a co-writer with Kris Kristofferson on "Me And Bobby McGee." The classic 1971 single by Janis Joplin was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2002.

The first recording released on Chris Strachwitz's Arhoolie Records label was Mance Lipscomb's 1960 album, Texas Sharecropper And Songster. A total of 250 copies were initially pressed.

Germany-based company EMT made a breakthrough in audio technology in 1957 with the release of the EMT 140 plate reverb, which utilized a resonating metal plate to create ambience.

In 1949 Dr. Harvey Fletcher became the second person elected an honorary fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, following fellow Technical GRAMMY Award recipient Thomas A. Edison.

GRAMMYs

George Clinton

Photo Credit: Getty Images

News
2019 GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends Honorees black-sabbath-george-clinton-parliament-funkadelic-more-be-honored-grammy-salute-music

Black Sabbath, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic & More To Be Honored At GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends

Facebook Twitter Email
Additional honorees are Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam & Dave, and Dionne Warwick
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Apr 11, 2019 - 6:38 pm

The Recording Academy will honor its 2019 Special Merit Awards recipients with "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends," an awards ceremony and live tribute concert on Saturday, May 11, at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Get Tickets

This year's Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Black Sabbath, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam & Dave, and Dionne Warwick.

Lou Adler, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, and Johnny Mandel are Trustees Award honorees; and Saul Walker is the Technical GRAMMY Award recipient.

Also being honored is Jeffery Redding, this year's recipient of the Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. 

Led by GRAMMY-nominated industry icon Greg Phillinganes as musical director, the tribute concert will feature rare performances by honorees and never-seen renditions by those they've inspired. Currently scheduled to appear are Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Clinton; GRAMMY winner Bootsy Collins, who will salute Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic; five-time GRAMMY winner Lalah Hathaway and Kenya Hathaway, who will pay tribute to their father Donny; past Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Johnny Mathis, who will honor Warwick; Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Sam Moore; two-time GRAMMY winner Gregory Porter, who will pay tribute to Eckstine; Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Simpson; past GRAMMY nominee Snoop Dogg, who will salute Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic; and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Warwick.

Presenters for the evening will include GRAMMY winners Cheech & Chong. Additional performers and presenters will be announced shortly. Tickets for the event will be on sale via a Ticketmaster pre-sale, beginning today at 10 a.m. PT. The password to access the pre-sale is LEGENDS.

The Recording Academy will produce "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" in partnership with THIRTEEN as part of the "Great Performances" series on PBS, set to air later this year.

Previously held during GRAMMY Week, this is the fourth year the Recording Academy has celebrated the Special Merit Awards with a stand-alone TV event and musical tribute. In addition to the tribute concert, special celebrity guests will present recipients their award statues and guests will enjoy never-before-seen video packages celebrating each of the honorees' contributions to the music industry and our cultural heritage.

Dionne Warwick, Donny Hathaway & More To Receive Special Merit Awards

Top
Logo
  • Recording Academy
    • About
    • Governance
    • Press Room
    • Jobs
    • Events
  • GRAMMYs
    • Awards
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events
    • Store
    • FAQ
  • Latin GRAMMYs
    • Awards
    • News
    • Photos
    • Videos
    • Cultural Foundation
    • Members
    • Press
  • GRAMMY Museum
    • COLLECTION:live
    • Explore
    • Exhibits
    • Education
    • Support
    • Programs
    • Donate
  • MusiCares
    • About
    • Get Help
    • Give
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events
  • Advocacy
    • About
    • News
    • Learn
    • Act
  • Membership
    • Chapters
    • Producers & Engineers Wing
    • GRAMMY U
    • Join
Logo

© 2021 - Recording Academy. All rights reserved.

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Copyright Notice
  • Contact Us

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.