January 11, 2006

News

Celebrated BMI Artists to Receive Special Grammys

Some of BMI's most celebrated artists are among the recipients who will receive the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement honor at the 48th annual Grammy Awards next month.

David Bowie	Merle Haggard	Richard Pryor

Honorees include such BMI legends as David Bowie (PRS), country icon Merle Haggard, blues rockers Cream (PRS), 50s folk quartet the Weavers and late comedian Richard Pryor, the only non-musician on the list.

Al Schmitt	Owen Bradley	The Weavers

While Haggard has two Grammys and Bowie, one, the Weavers and Cream have never been Grammy winners, although Cream guitarist Eric Clapton has earned 16 as a solo artist. Pryor, who died on December 10, picked up five Best Comedy Recording Grammys during his career.

Cream

Also announced were the recipients of the Academy's Trustees Award, including country producer Owen Bradley and 15-time Grammy Award-winning engineer Al Schmitt, who is also up for an additional two trophies this year.

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors lifelong artistic contributions to the recording medium, while the Trustees Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the industry in a non-performing capacity. Both awards are decided by vote of the Recording Academy's National Trustees.

Formal acknowledgment of these special merit awards will be made at a gala ceremony during Grammy Week on Tuesday, February 7, as well as during the 48th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, which will be held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 8 and broadcast live at 8:00pm ET/PT on CBS.

In this story: David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Cream, Merle Haggard, Richard Pryor, The Weavers

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BMI represents more than 400,000 songwriters, composers, and publishers with more than 6.5 million works.