Paul McCartney was named Tuesday as the 2012 MusiCares® Person of the Year and will be honored at its 22nd annual benefit gala early next year. The honor was announced Tuesday by Neil Portnow, President and CEO of the MusiCares Foundation and the Recording Academy, and Scott Pascucci, chair of the MusiCares Foundation Board.
The dinner and concert to honor McCartney will be held in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2012 during Grammy Week. The event will benefit MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.
"I've been given a great gift — a life making music — and it's my privilege to try to make the world a better place by giving back," said McCartney in a statement. "For more than 20 years, MusiCares has helped so many music people in times of crisis, whether with emergency financial assistance or access to addiction recovery resources, and it is an honor to be recognized as the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year."
The announcement of the honor said McCartney is being honored "in recognition of his singular creative accomplishments as well as his charitable work, which has included an extraordinary range of philanthropic activities over the years."
"Paul McCartney exemplifies the phrase 'artist/philanthropist,' and his extraordinary career is certainly a testament to the multifaceted power of his creative genius," said Portnow in a statement. "The unique talent, dedication, and spontaneity he brings to his projects and live performances are unsurpassed, but are equaled by the impressive generosity and commitment he consistently devotes to a range of important charitable causes."
"Paul immediately brings to mind artistic excellence and passion for causes that are dear to him," Pascucci said. "It is very inspiring that one of music's true icons makes philanthropy such a force in his life."
The 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year gala, one of the highlights of Grammy week, will begin with a reception and silent auction, followed by a dinner, the award presentation and a tribute concert. The 54th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles, which ends Grammy Week, takes place on Feb. 12, 2012. The awards show will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Those previously given the honor include Neil Young, Brian Wilson, David Crosby, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Elton John, Sting, Luciano Pavarotti, Bono, Aretha Franklin and Barbra Streisand.
Among the awards McCartney has received in the past include 14 Grammy Awards, an honorary doctorate of music from Yale University and the Gershwin Prize For Popular Song. In 1996 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music. McCartney is a strong supporter of animal rights and humanitarian charities and has participated in several significant benefit concerts, including Live Aid in 1985, the Concert for New York City in 2001 and Live 8 in 2005.
For information on purchasing tables and tickets to the event, please contact Dana Tomarken atMusiCares at (310) 392-3777.
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