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Michael Jackson performs at the 30th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1988

Michael Jackson performs at the 30th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1988

Photo: Sam Emerson

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Revisit 13 Classic New York GRAMMY Moments do-you-remember-these-13-new-york-grammy-moments

Do You Remember These 13 New York GRAMMY Moments?

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With the announcement of Music's Biggest Night's return to Madison Square Garden, look back at these 13 unforgettable GRAMMY moments that took place in the Big Apple
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

Start spreading the news: Music's Biggest Night is set to return to New York City for the 60th GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, marking the first time the telecast will air from New York's Madison Square Garden in 15 years.

It will be the 11th time the GRAMMYs will be broadcast from New York, and the third time in history the show will emanate from the prestigious arena, following the 39th GRAMMY Awards (1997) and 45th GRAMMY Awards (2003).

As The Recording Academy prepares for the amazing moments in store for its milestone 60th telecast, look back at these 13 unforgettable GRAMMY memories from past shows in the Big Apple.

 

Remember these NYC GRAMMY moments?

14th GRAMMY Awards

Felt Forum, March 14, 1972

Carole King's crowning GRAMMY night

It was a night of historic firsts. The 14th GRAMMY Awards marked the first time the GRAMMYs broadcast from New York, with the Felt Forum doing the honors. (Today, the Felt Forum is now The Theater at Madison Square Garden.) The show also marked the first time a woman won multiple awards in the General Field categories. Carole King, a Brill Building alumnus, took home Record Of The Year for "It's Too Late," Song Of The Year for "You've Got A Friend" and Album Of The Year for Tapestry.

9 times women made GRAMMY history

17th GRAMMY Awards

Uris Theater, March 1, 1975

Stevie Wonder fulfills Album Of The Year repeat

In 1975 the GRAMMYs returned to New York at the Uris Theater (now the Gershwin Theatre) for an all-star telecast that included Roberta Flack, the Spinners, Aretha Franklin, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono. But it was Stevie Wonder who made headlines, winning five awards. More notably, he became the first artist to win Album Of The Year in consecutive years, taking the prize for Fulfillingness' First Finale following Innervisions' win the prior year.

David Bowie makes his lone GRAMMY appearance

It's not often that a presenter can steal the show at the GRAMMYs, but if anyone could it would be David Bowie. The Thin White Duke was on hand to present the award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female, which ultimately went to Aretha Franklin. "I am honored to have been selected to perform this particular task," the dapper Bowie said. "My personal award is having the opportunity to salute ce premiere femme noir." In her acceptance, Franklin responded, "Wow, this is so good I could kiss David Bowie."

23rd GRAMMY Awards

Radio City Music Hall, Feb. 25, 1981

Christopher Cross sails away with a GRAMMY record

With his breezy pop-rock sound, Christopher Cross took flight with his 1979 self-titled debut solo album and hits such as "Ride Like The Wind," "Never Be The Same" and the lilting "Sailing," which took home Song and Record Of The Year honors at the 23rd GRAMMYs. The unassuming Texan became the first artist to sweep all four General Field GRAMMY categories, also winning Best New Artist and Album Of The Year. "It's definitely a dream come true," Cross said in his final acceptance for Record Of The Year. And it's a GRAMMY feat that has not yet been duplicated.

30th GRAMMY Awards

Radio City Music Hall, March 2, 1988

Michael Jackson's amazing GRAMMY performance debut

Though a veteran in terms of GRAMMY wins, Michael Jackson had yet to perform on the GRAMMY stage until the 30th GRAMMYs in 1988. The seasoned performer mesmerized the Radio City Music Hall audience and the millions tuning in with a medley of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man In The Mirror," two No. 1 hits from his chart-topping album Bad. It would be the King of Pop's lone GRAMMY performance, adding to the legend of what some consider the most iconic performance in GRAMMY history. 

10 reasons Michael Jackson became the King of Pop

Run DMC become the first rap act to perform on the GRAMMYs

Run DMC loom large in GRAMMY history. The Kings from Queens were the first rap act to score a GRAMMY nomination, earning a nod for 1986 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for Raising Hell. The trio also became the first rap act to perform on Music's Biggest Night, turning in a hard rendition of "Tougher Than Leather" at the 30th GRAMMY Awards. Their performance spawned a lineage of signature GRAMMY rap moments, including M.C. Hammer, Eminem and Elton John, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest and Anderson .Paak, and Chance The Rapper. Run DMC would later become the first rap act to receive a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. 

36th GRAMMY Awards

Radio City Music Hall, March 1, 1994

NYC love for Whitney Houston

The New Jersey-born Whitney Houston was riding another crest of popularity following the release of The Bodyguard, the hit film in which she starred that spawned the biggest-selling soundtrack of all time. Opening the show on a high note, Houston hypnotized the audience with a magical performance of "I Will Always Love You." The star also netted three awards, including her first two career General Field category GRAMMYs: Record Of The Year for "I Will Always ..." and Album Of The Year for the soundtrack.

The Chairman becomes a GRAMMY Legend

Already a Lifetime Achievement Award and Trustees Award recipient, in 1994 Frank Sinatra added a GRAMMY Legend Award to his mantle. With a touching introduction from Bono, the pride of Hoboken, N.J., was visibly moved as the audience welcomed him with a standing ovation. "Thank you very much. That's the best welcome I ever had," the Chairman said. The poignant moment was not without controversy, however, as television cameras cut off the broadcast during Ol' Blue Eyes' remarks. "This is live television and I'm sure Mr. Sinatra will get even by cutting this show off in another hour," joked host Garry Shandling.

39th GRAMMY Awards

Madison Square Garden, Feb. 26, 1997

Teenage LeAnn Rimes makes GRAMMY history

While most '90s teens were listening to Oasis or watching Clueless, LeAnn Rimes had grander career aspirations. The country starlet won her first career award for Best New Artist at the ripe young age of 14, making her the youngest person to ever win a GRAMMY. The 39th show was also notable for being the first time the GRAMMYs were broadcast from an arena, with Madison Square Garden fittingly doing the honors. 

40th GRAMMY Awards

Radio City Music Hall, Feb. 25, 1998

Bob Dylan gets soy bombed

The GRAMMYs' 40th birthday party got wild with one of the most bizarre live performance moments ever. Bob Dylan was turning in a rootsy rendition of "Love Sick" when background dancer Michael Portnoy — who took off his shirt to reveal the words "Soy Bomb" scrawled across his chest — went off-script and proceeded to dance along in a spastic manner. Undeterred, Dylan finished his song without further casualty. Later, the folk legend took home Album Of The Year for Time Out Of Mind. His son, Jakob, won a GRAMMY with his band the Wallflowers, making it a truly unforgettable family evening.

Shawn Colvin's speech is Wu-Tanged

Years before Kanye West, Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard arguably created the template for how to interrupt a speech at the 40th GRAMMY Awards. As Shawn Colvin began her acceptance for Song Of The Year for "Sunny Came Home," Ol' Dirty Bastard rushed the stage to steal the mic. "I went and bought me an outfit today that cost me a lot of money," he said. "Because I figured that Wu-Tang was going to win. I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children." Apparently, so was John Denver, who ended up taking Best Musical Album For Children that year.

Watch: The GRAMMYs' unexpected moments

45th GRAMMY Awards

Madison Square Garden, Feb. 23, 2003

Simon & Garfunkel break their silence

The legendary New York-based duo, whose history with the city included a momentous concert in Central Park in 1981, broke their acrimonious silence by performing a stunning acoustic version of their first hit, "The Sounds Of Silence," (GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, 2004). The heartfelt reunion — which segued into a massively successful tour — was spawned by the pair's presentation of The Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Boss helps NYC rise back up

The 45th GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden not only marked the show's first return to New York in five years, it was the first since Sept. 11, 2001. Bruce Springsteen, New Jersey's favorite son, performed a rollicking rendition of "The Rising," a song bottling the resiliency of the city and its residents. Springsteen also led the show finale, a Joe Strummer tribute featuring Steven Van Zandt, Elvis Costello and Dave Grohl. Fittingly, the Boss' presence punctuated this emotional musical homecoming, which was arguably the city's first major positive event since the terrorist attacks.

Cast your vote: What is your favorite song that name checks New York?

 

GRAMMYs
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A GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends Book Now Available

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The Recording Academy teams with Hal Leonard Books for new hardcover book culling tributes to more than 80 Special Merit Awards recipients, including the Beatles, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, and Run DMC
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

The Recording Academy and Hal Leonard Books have announced A GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends, a brand-new hardcover book collecting two decades of Special Merit Awards tributes from the GRAMMY Awards program book. The book is now available for purchase via the GRAMMY Store. 

Each year, The Academy honors a handful of musical icons through its Special Merit Awards, which include the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY Award. One of the highlights of the GRAMMY program book is the Special Merit Awards section, in which legendary honorees are paid tribute via testimonials by noted artists and musicians. Others who have worked with the honorees, grew up as fans, or whose lives and careers were altered by the honorees' gravitational pull also contribute powerful testimonials within each program.

Until now, these appreciations have been seen and enjoyed nearly exclusively by those fortunate enough to attend the GRAMMY Awards ceremony. Available to the public for the first time, the honorees featured in A GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends have made extraordinary contributions to blues, classical, country, R&B, rock, rap, and other forms of music either as performers or behind the scenes as producers, engineers, songwriters, executives, or technical innovators. The collected tributes are sometimes touching, sometimes humorous and always inspiring.

In some cases, the relationship between the writer and legend is obvious (Quincy Jones honoring Michael Jackson or Miranda Lambert writing about Dolly Parton); in others the influence is perhaps surprising (Queen's Brian May paying tribute to Doris Day or Steven Van Zandt writing about Dean Martin). Sometimes the reverberations transcend music entirely, as when Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) writes about his friendship with the Grateful Dead. Additional honorees highlighted in the book include the Beatles; David Bowie; Earth, Wind & Fire; Leonard Cohen; Carole King; Run DMC; and Barbra Streisand.

David Konjoyan, the book's editor and Recording Academy Vice President of Creative Services, writes in his introduction: "As with other innovations, whether science-, technology- or business-related, none happen in a vacuum and all have deep reverberations. That's what this book is all about: the sources of those reverberations and the revelations of those who were impacted by them and filtered them into their own groundbreaking work."

For music fans of all kinds, the essays in A GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends offer a glimpse into how artists are personally affected by other artists, and the debt of gratitude, influence and inspiration they owe each other.

Clive Davis (R) and John Legend (L)

Clive Davis (R) and John Legend (L)

 

Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

 
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2021 Pre-GRAMMY Virtual Gala Recap 2021-pre-grammy-virtual-gala-clive-davis-pandemic

2021 Pre-GRAMMY Virtual Gala: How The Annual Clive Davis Extravaganza Adapted To The Pandemic

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With its high-profile guests shushing their pets and grappling with technology, this year's virtual Pre-GRAMMY Gala created a sense of intimate beauty and captured the shared feeling of community online
Morgan Enos
MusiCares
Feb 2, 2021 - 10:03 am

Picture this pantheon: Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, John Legend, Rod Stewart, Jamie Foxx and Barry Gibb, all gathered to pay homage to music's finest executive, Clive Davis. Dynamo performances from the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, and more punctuate the gala, while everyone from Dionne Warwick to Martha Stewart watches from the sidelines.

Er, one second—that's "iPhone Dionne Warwick" and "Martha's iPhone XS Max T-Mobile." Wait, is that a Pomeranian-themed calendar behind Warwick? Did Martha Stewart just drop said iPhone in her purse without deactivating the camera first? Holy cats—does she have a marble ceiling?

Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, it goes without saying that assembling a multitude of celebrities for a Beverly Hills bash remains impossible. So, this year, Clive Davis' annual, high-profile Pre-GRAMMY Gala went virtual.

Clive Davis and Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys (L) and Clive Davis (R) | Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

The 2021 Pre-GRAMMY Virtual Gala took place Saturday (Jan. 30), the night before the Academy initially planned to throw the 63rd GRAMMY Awards. They have rescheduled the ceremony to Sunday, March 14, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Virtual Gala, benefitting MusiCares, was the first of two events. The second will occur Saturday, March 13, the night before this year's GRAMMY show, and will benefit the GRAMMY Museum.

Clive Davis' annual Pre-GRAMMY bash is one of the starriest nights of the year, an opportunity to rub elbows with music industry giants and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alike. But 2021 was no ordinary year, and this was no average gala. Swapping bespoke suits and elaborate dresses for pajamas and leisure suits, the famous guests gave viewers a personal, sometimes awkward, look into their homes and lives. Where it lost the spectacle of someone like Travis Scott bringing a crowd to its knees, this year's virtual event created a sense of intimate beauty and captured the shared feeling of community online.

Taking full advantage of the virtual experience, Davis structured the Virtual Gala around archival footage of what he believes to be the most outstanding performances of all time. (The night featured clips of Frank Sinatra, Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston and others.)

Throughout, Davis acted as a tour guide through past live and televised performances from rock, folk and soul artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. A baby-faced Bob Dylan strums his signature song, "Blowin' in the Wind." The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, brings Barack and Michelle Obama to near-tears at the Kennedy Center in 2015 with "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." (The tune's co-writer, Carole King, can hardly contain herself in the crowd.)

"This performance speaks to why I want to do this event tonight," Davis said of the Franklin performance. "Even through your computer screen, if you don't have goosebumps, you should check carefully for a pulse."

Davis later calls Houston's 1994 set, a medley of "I Loves You Porgy," "I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "I Have Nothing," "the greatest television performance for any artist."

And while Davis' annual Pre-GRAMMY Gala is typically a place where artists shine, the virtual audience was the main attraction this year. Anyone with an internet connection can watch old rock 'n' roll footage; it's a different, surreal experience to watch Joni Mitchell, George Benson and Herbie Hancock as they watch it. Ditto Carl Bernstein, who helped break the Watergate scandal, and "CNN Tonight" anchor Don Lemon.

If there's one silver lining of the Zoom era, it's that we can be a fly in the wall in celebrities' homes. As such, the Gala's format delivered the lion's share of its fun. Martha Stewart picked at the charcuterie in her kitchen, where her enviable pan collection hung from the ceiling. One of the most magnificent harmonic thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries, Hancock smiled in front of a series of laser-beam screensavers. "Will you shut up?" Rod Stewart chided his yapping dog with a smile during his interview. "I'm talking to Clive Davis!"

Clive Davis and Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen (L) and Clive Davis (R) | Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

Despite the fact we're still housebound, the online Gala’s tenor was one of brighter days ahead. "Perhaps the most uplifting and optimistic song you've ever written is 'Land of Hope and Dreams,'" Davis told Springsteen at one point, citing his late-'90s cut released on Wrecking Ball (2012).

"Are you despondent about the nation's future and the American promise? Or are you as hopeful as you were when you wrote about those 'big wheels rolling through fields where sunlight streams'?" he asked.

"The American dream itself is [an] aspiration," Springsteen replied from the Colts Neck, New Jersey, studio where he and the E Street Band recently slugged out their 2020 album, Letter to You. "The distance between American reality and the American Dream, we are always trying to close, whether you're an artist or a politician … I remain hopeful even in the midst of the great difficulties we are going through at this moment that the nation can reunite and find its better angels and move forward, you know? I have to believe that."
 

Clive Davis and Barry Gibb

Barry Gibb (L) and Clive Davis (R) | Photo Courtesy of Clive Davis

For celebrities and everyday folks alike, the past year has taken a toll on all of us. As such, an extra glint of humility shone through these interviews.

"I've never taken anything for granted, and you've never taken anything for granted," Davis told Barry Gibb. (The latter is having a banner 2020 and 2021 with the HBO doc on the Bee Gees, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, and his duets album with Americana artists, Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1.) "To see this album debut at the top of the charts is thrilling for me as a fan, and it's got to be thrilling for you as the architect."

"It's shocking; there's no question about that," Gibb replied. "It's the first No. 1 in 40 years, and that's something extremely special that I can't put into words … It was all like a dream, and the whole thing came like a vision, including the title."

As expected for a whopping five-hour event, some of the celebs tapped out early, leaving their bewildered pets blinking at the camera. Joni Mitchell, however, was a trooper, observing the telecast stoically while her creamsicle-colored cat pranced around for attention.

Seeing Mitchell happy, healthy and hilarious is bittersweet. In 2015, she suffered an aneurysm; in 2020, she still struggled to walk because of it. Yet at the end of the night, there she was, pajama-clad, munching popcorn and cracking jokes. Throughout the broadcast, Mitchell regally sipped white wine with both hands. (Here's to your next 77 years, Joni.)

While this year's Pre-GRAMMY Gala may have missed the usual hobnobbing and rapport, that bug revealed itself to be a feature. Of course, as always, the point was the music, but housebound legends and their assemblage of furry friends stole the show for once. With vaccines rolling out worldwide, music will be back to business as usual in no time."

And just like every year, this year's (virtual) Pre-GRAMMY Gala was unique and unrepeatable—and it hit different as a result.

2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Nominees List

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GRAMMY Rewind: Album Of The Year
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Rewind: Album Of The Year GRAMMY Winners stevie-wonder-adele-album-year-grammy-rewind

Stevie Wonder To Adele: Album Of The Year GRAMMY Rewind

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Take a trip through GRAMMY history and look back at some of the incredible artists and albums that have been recognized for the Album Of The Year
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 19, 2018 - 3:54 pm

For recording artists, the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year represents one of the highest honors for a collection of songs. One look at the storied list of previous winners reminds us of the historic weight the award carries. From seminal albums by Fleetwood Mac, Bonnie Raitt and Lauryn Hill to artists with multiple wins such as Stevie Wonder and Taylor Swift, the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year is the ultimate honor.

While hit singles throughout recorded music's history have always lit up radio's airwaves, electrified DJ sets or racked up massive streaming metrics, the holistic experience of listening to an album has remained meaningful — even essential — for the many passionate music fans. On the artist's side, ever since vinyl-cutting technology introduced the long-playing 33-1/3 format, true artists have labored over crafting a collection of songs that is cohesive, dynamic, inspired, and rich.

Over the years, the album format has yielded masterpieces in many forms, from concept albums to film and TV soundtracks to hit-packed track lists. A great album can come in many shapes and sizes. So what makes an album great? Simply put, when the whole of its collection becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

The first artist to win Album Of The Year at the inaugural GRAMMYs was Henry Mancini for The Music From Peter Gunn, and notable winners in the first three decades of GRAMMY history include three-time winner Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, the Beatles, Carole King, and Michael Jackson.

More recently, the Album Of The Year has been awarded to artists spanning many genres and styles, such as U2, Whitney Houston, Bob Dylan, Alanis Morissette, Norah Jones, OutKast, Dixie Chicks, and Daft Punk.

In 2016 Swift became the first female artist to win Album Of The Year twice for her solo recordings when her landmark pop album 1989 took home top honors at the 58th GRAMMY Awards, closely followed by Adele's second Album Of The Year win for 25 at the 59th GRAMMYs.

Who will be prevail on Music's Biggest Night as this year's Album Of The Year? Tune in to the 60th GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Jan. 28 to find out.

Here Are This Year's Contenders For Album Of The Year | 60th GRAMMY Awards

Tom Petty at the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year gala

Tom Petty

Photo: Michael Kovac/WireImage.com

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Who Are The Person Of The Year Recipients? who-are-all-musicares-person-year-recipients

Who Are All The MusiCares Person Of The Year Recipients?

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Take a look at the entire roster of 28 MusiCares Person of the Year honorees and learn about their philanthropic activities
Renée Fabian
MusiCares
Dec 22, 2017 - 9:22 am

Since its inception in 1989, MusiCares has provided a safety net for music people in times of need, including resources and services covering a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies.

In order to support these life-saving programs, MusiCares created their signature gala, Person of the Year, in 1991 when they honored David Crosby in New York prior to the 33rd GRAMMY Awards.

Hosted each year during GRAMMY Week, the Person of the Year gala has continued to grow in size and prominence, while the theme has remained constant: to honor an artist who has not only made lasting contributions to the music world but who has also demonstrated extraordinary humanitarian and philanthropic efforts.

It's also doubled as an important reminder of the critical work that MusiCares undertakes year-round, oftentimes with the honorees themselves providing compelling testimonials.

"I'm proud to be here tonight for MusiCares. I think a lot of this organization. They've helped many people," Bob Dylan said during his Person of the Year acceptance speech in 2015. "I'd like to personally thank them for what they did for a friend of mine, Billy Lee Riley. … MusiCares paid for my friend's doctor bills, mortgage and gave him spending money. They were able to at least make his life comfortable, tolerable to the end. That is something that can't be repaid. Any organization that would do that would have to have my blessing."

You already know their music accomplishments, so let's take a focused look at the generous giving that helped gain these 28 esteemed artists the honor of MusiCares Person of the Year.

Fleetwood Mac, 2018

The first band to receive the honor, Fleetwood Mac — Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks — have supported numerous causes both together and individually. Organizations supported include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, U.K. music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins, the Red Cross, Starkey Hearing Foundation, and the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

GRAMMYs

Tom Petty, 2017

Watch: Tom Petty's 2017 MusiCares speech

Leaving his mark on the world of giving, the late Petty supported a variety of causes throughout the years. This included Los Angeles-based program for the homeless Midnight Mission, for which Petty played numerous benefit concerts. He was honored with the organization's Golden Heart Award in 2011. He also supported Safety Harbor Kids, which helps orphan, foster and homeless children, environmental organization Rock the Earth, and the Special Olympics.

Lionel Richie, 2016

Lionel Richie In Conversation With Pharrell Williams

Richie's philanthropic contributions span anti-poverty and anti-human trafficking initiatives, fighting famine, and support for HIV/AIDS research and women's issues. Most notably, he co-wrote "We Are The World" with Michael Jackson in 1985, the proceeds of which went to famine relief through USA For Africa. Other organizations he has championed include the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, Unicef, and the Art of Elysium.

Bob Dylan, 2015

Dylan has quietly donated to causes such as Amnesty International, City of Hope, End Hunger Network, and K9 Connection across his career. He performed during George Harrison's Album Of The Year-winning The Concert For Bangladesh in 1971 to benefit relief efforts for East Pakistan refugees. In 2009 he donated all the royalties from his best-selling Christmas album, Christmas In The Heart, to Feeding America.

Carole King, 2014

Carole King: MusiCares Person Of The Year Interview

King tirelessly works to give back. She raised more than $1.5 million with fellow Person of the Year honoree James Taylor for environmental causes during their 2010 Troubadour Reunion tour. In 2016 she lent her voice to a reimagining of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "What the World Needs Now Is Love" to benefit victims of the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting. She's also been an ardent supporter of MusiCares and the GRAMMY Museum.

Bruce Springsteen, 2013

The all-American singer/songwriter has taken on a variety of causes across his career. This includes the Thrill Hill Foundation, which he founded in 1987 to provide grants for AIDS and medical research, food services, and youth programs. He has worked with Stand Up for Heroes, which provides support to veterans, and regularly contributes to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Paul McCartney, 2012

The former Beatles member has supported more than 40 charities in his career, spanning issues such as disaster relief, animal rights, hunger, and more. McCartney had a hand in organizing the Concert for New York City in 2001, which raised more than $36 million through the Robin Hood Foundation for families of victims who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In 2012 he headlined the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief, another benefit concert hosted by the Robin Hood Foundation.

Barbra Streisand, 2011

Founded in 1986, The Streisand Foundation has provided grants to a number of organizations over the years, awarding more than $25 million to more than 800 groups. More recently, Union of Concerned Scientists, Brennan Center for Justice, Planned Parenthood, and Mother Jones, among others, received noteworthy grants from the legendary singer's foundation.

Neil Young, 2010

Young has a long history of giving back, including co-founding Farm Aid and participating in the organization's annual concert series to raise funds for family farms in the U.S. Since 1986, he and his ex-wife, Pegi, organized and hosted the all-acoustic Bridge School Benefit Concert, which supports the Bridge School he helped found to support children through augmentative and alternative means of communication.

Neil Diamond, 2009

With a career's worth of charity efforts spanning three decades, Diamond's initiatives have included donating proceeds from tour program books at concerts to various charities, giving royalties from his 1969 hit "Sweet Caroline" to organizations benefitting the victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, raising $1.7 million to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Ike on Oak Island, Texas, in 2008, and performing at the 2010 Stand Up To Cancer telecast.

Aretha Franklin, 2008

Franklin contributes regularly to the United Negro College Fund and was the first woman to receive their Award of Excellence in 2007. She has also contributed to Easter Seal, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Feeding America, Sting's Rainforest Foundation, and to food banks in her local Detroit area.

Don Henley, 2007

Eagles band member Henley is a co-founder of the Recording Artists' Coalition, now part of the Recording Academy's Advocacy office. To honor the literature and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, Henley also founded the Walden Woods Project in 1990, and established the Caddo Lake Institute in 1993 to fund and promote the vast wetland areas of East Texas.

James Taylor, 2006

Taylor performed at No Nukes, the anti-nuclear power benefit concert in 1979. He has donated proceeds from his ticket sales to causes such as the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, which works toward land conservation and environmental advocacy. In 2017 Taylor donated used guitar strings to be recycled into jewelry benefitting Tuberville, a non-profit that helps build stronger communities through potatoes, and headlined a Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis benefit.

Brian Wilson, 2005

Wilson's philanthropic efforts have focused on the Carl Wilson Foundation to help fund cancer research, founded in 1999 on behalf of his late brother Carl, who was also a member of the Beach Boys. He also partnered with the Campaign to Change Direction in 2015, which promotes mental health awareness. He performed at Live Aid in 1985 and the 20th-anniversary companion, Live 8, making him one of the few artists to perform at both benefit concerts.

Sting, 2004

Over the years, Sting has been a passionate supporter of Amnesty International, which advocates for human rights worldwide. In 1989 he and wife Trudie Styler started the Rainforest Foundation International to promote global awareness of the need to conserve tropical rain forests and to support forests' indigenous peoples.

Bono, 2003

U2's Bono is a co-founder of the global campaign and advocacy organization ONE, which takes action to end extreme poverty by lobbying world leaders. For example, in 2003 he helped lobby for overseas aid to Africa, which resulted in a promise from former President George W. Bush to increase aid by an extra $5 billion a year for poor countries.

Billy Joel, 2002

In 1978 Joel founded Charity Begins At Home with the mission to fund nonprofit agencies in need in the Tri-State area. In 2007 more than $400,000 was distributed to 80 nonprofit agencies that provide care for those afflicted by child abuse, autism, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson's disease, emotional disabilities, and cancer. He has given to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Rainforest Foundation and provided funding for an arts scholarship for students in need in Long Island, as well as advocacy to preserve his current hometown of Oyster Bay, N.Y.

Paul Simon, 2001

In 1987 Simon, along with pediatrician/child advocate Irwin Redlener, founded the Children's Health Fund, which provides comprehensive health care to medically underserved children in the United States by developing and supporting innovative primary care medical programs. Simon has also raised funds for worthy causes such as amFAR, Autism Speaks and the Nature Conservancy.

Elton John, 2000

John established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 to support innovative HIV prevention programs, eliminate discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS, provide care and support services for people living with the disease, and to eradicate HIV/AIDS completely. The U.S. and U.K. branches of the organization have jointly raised more than $385 million for projects in 55 countries around the world.

Stevie Wonder, 1999

Wonder was one of the strong proponents behind making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday, which former President Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1983. In 1985 Wonder participated in the recording of "We Are The World" to raise funds to end hunger through USA For Africa. Wonder has also earned recognition for his work with the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the Children's Diabetes Foundation and Junior Blind of America. He provides toys for children and families in need with his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert.

Luciano Pavarotti, 1998

In 1992 Pavarotti created Pavarotti & Friends, a series of charity concerts that brought together a diverse group of artists to benefit medical, vocational and education initiatives in Bosnia, Cambodia, Kosovo, Guatemala, Liberia, and Tibet, and for Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, Angola, Zambia, and Iraq. The concert ran almost yearly through 2003, and included performers such as Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, and B.B. King, among others.

Phil Collins, 1997

Collins supported Live Aid in 1985 for Ethiopian famine relief by playing both in the U.S. and abroad. He founded the Little Dreams Foundation in 2000 with his now ex-wife Orianne to support young talents in both the arts and sports. He is also an advocate for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Quincy Jones, 1996

Jones was one of the architects, along with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, behind USA For Africa's We Are The World benefit concert and album in 1985, which has raised more than $63 million for Ethiopian famine relief. Through the Quincy Jones Foundation, the GRAMMY winner raises awareness and resources for global initiatives that support conflict resolution, malaria eradication, clean water, and efforts to restore the Gulf Coast.

Tony Bennett, 1995

In 2001 Bennett established the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, a New York public high school offering an extensive arts curriculum. He and his wife, Susan Benedetto, expanded on this initiative by founding Exploring the Arts in 1999, which works to provide an arts education to students in New York and Los Angeles. The United Nations presented Bennett with its Humanitarian Award in 2007.

Gloria Estefan, 1994

Estefan established the Gloria Estefan Foundation in 1997, which promotes health, education and cultural development. The foundation has made donations to the American Red Cross, Save The Children and UNICEF, among others. Each year the foundation also donates to no-kill shelters throughout the U.S. Estefan was feted as the 2008 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, making her the first artist to receive both Person of the Year honors.

Natalie Cole, 1993

After beating addiction early in her career, Cole learned in 2009 she would need a kidney transplant as a result of an addiction-related complication. Following her kidney transplant, Cole became a spokesperson for the University Kidney Research Organization. The late GRAMMY winner also supported charity events benefitting multiple sclerosis and teamed with Aloe Blacc in 2015 to sing at the annual Songs of Hope charity benefit with proceeds benefitting the independent cancer research institution City of Hope.

Bonnie Raitt, 1992

Social activism has always been part of Raitt's career. She co-founded Musicians United for Safe Energy and performed at the No Nukes benefit concert in 1979. She's also a founding member of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation, which works to advocate for early generation R&B artists. Recently, she partnered with the Guacamole Fund to donate a portion of her tour proceeds to benefit local organizations that work toward safe and sustainable energy, environmental protection, and peace.

David Crosby, 1991

The inaugural Person of the Year honoree, Crosby was chosen for his philanthropic efforts for Farm Aid. He performed at the annual Farm Aid in 1990 and 2000 in support of the organization's mission of raising awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep families on their land.

2018 MusiCares Person Of The Year: Fleetwood Mac

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