MusiCares Person of the Year: Neil Young

REPORT - 1-30-2010: UPDATES: Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year


Jonathan Demme, Pegi Young, Neil Young
48th Annual Grammy Awards - 8 Feb 2006
Getty Images Entertainment photo by Stephen Shugerman

In yet another sign of the impending apocalypse, Neil Young will receive a Grammy Award. Finally. Over the years, Neil has been nominated for at least 13 Grammys but has never made it to the podium.

Neil Young will be honored as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year for "his exceptional and influential artistic accomplishments as well as his philanthropic work, which has included many generous charitable activities over the years."

A dinner and concert honoring Young will be held in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2010, two days before the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. Proceeds from the event will provide support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn to in times of financial, medical and personal need.

Neil Portnow, president/CEO of the MusiCares Foundation and The Recording Academy said:

"It is an honor to celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Neil Young at our 20th Annual MusiCares Person of the Year tribute. Neil has set a standard of artistic integrity and iconoclastic creativity for more than four decades, and his achievements have been matched by his unwavering humanitarianism. He is a shining example of how music people offer their creative gifts to the world, and how they also give back through their commitments to charitable endeavors.

Throughout his career, Neil has stood out as an exceptionally talented performer, and he has stood for causes that are both noble and close to his heart. We look forward to paying tribute to him at this signature Grammy Week gala."

While not an award based strictly on a music release, the Musicares Award strikes us as a recognition by his peers that is far above and beyond the Academy's "traditional" awards.

And it seemed like almost every year we've run some variation on the story of a nomination and the result.

2009 - Grammy nomination for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for 'No Hidden Path' on Chrome Dreams II

2006 - 3 Grammy Awards nominations for 'Living With War', for Best Rock Album, and 'Lookin' For A Leader' was nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance:

2005 - 2 Grammy Nominations Rock Album of the Year for "Prairie Wind", and the other for Rock Solo Performance for song "The Painter"

(etc., over the years....)

Congratulations Neil & Pegi! Well deserved.

Neil's generosity to his fellow musicians' causes has been tremendous. Back in 1994, we compiled a listing of benefit concerts that Neil Young has performed. It's quite impressive and has certainly grown substantially since.

Thanks for the links neilyoung.org for reconnecting thoughts and actions.

UPDATE 8/11: There's been some discussion as to whether this is actually a Grammy Award. Can't say for sure other than it's an award handed out by the Academy.

UPDATE 8/13: Headline and article modified.

Thanks Karen!

REPORT - 1-30-2010: UPDATES: Neil Young Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year