The Recording Academy honored Charley Pride with one of its 2017 Lifetime Achievement Awards during a ceremony and tribute concert on July 11 at The Beacon Theatre in New York City. PBS will air the show, Grammy Salute to Music Legends, on Oct. 13 at 9 p.m.
Other 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award winners include Jimmie Rogers, who is known as the “Father of Country Music,” as well as Shirley Caesar, Ahmad Jamal, Nina Simone, Sly Stone and the Velvet Underground.
Dwight Yoakam saluted Jimmie Rodgers with a medley of songs, including “Hobo Bill’s Last Ride,” “Mule Skinner Blues” and “T For Texas,” while Neal McCoy paid tribute to Charley by singing “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone.”
Charley also performed his well-known hit, “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin.’”
The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording. The recipients are determined by vote of the Recording Academy’s national board of trustees.
The full musical program is below (honorees in bold; performers in parentheses).
Thom Bell
“You Make Me Feel Brand New” (Russell Thompkins Jr.)
“Then Came You” (Dionne Warwick)
Ahmad Jamal
“But Not For Me” / “Ahmad’s Blues” / “Poinciana” (Stanley Cowell)
Nina Simone
“Mississippi Goddam” (Andra Day)
Jimmie Rodgers
“Hobo Bill’s Last Ride” / “Mule Skinner Blues” / “T For Texas” (Dwight Yoakam)
Ralph S. Peer
“Crazy Blues” (Catherine Russell)
“The Great Pretender” (Russell Thompkins Jr.)
“Georgia on My Mind” (Andra Day)
The Velvet Underground
“I’m Waiting For The Man” / “Sunday Morning” (John Cale Band with Maureen “Moe” Tucker)
Shirley Caesar
Medley: “You Name It” / “It’s Alright, It’s OK” / “You’re Next In Line for a Miracle” / “Satan, We’re Going “To Tear Your Kingdom Down” (Kirk Franklin with Le’Andria Johnson)
“Caught Up” / “Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name” (Shirley Caesar)
Mo Ostin
“A Few Words In Defense Of Our Country” / “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” (Randy Newman)
Charley Pride
“Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone” (Neal McCoy)
“Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” (Charley Pride)
Sly Stone
“I Want To Take You Higher” / “Everybody Is A Star” / “Sex Machine” / “Dance To The Music” (Charlie Wilson, Valerie Simpson, Vernon Reid)
