A Heart Of Gold - Pollstar News

Neil Young will be honored as MusiCares person of the year at its 20th anniversary gala Jan. 29, MusiCares and Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow announced Aug. 11.

As always, the gala will be a highlight of Grammy Awards week, taking place two days before the actual awards show in 2010. Funds raised at the gala will provide money for essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn to in times of need.

Photo: AP Photo

Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, England

The gala will include a reception and silent auction of luxury items, VIP experiences and unique celebrity memorabilia for bidders, followed by dinner, the awards presentation and tribute concert.

The tribute ceremony is co-chaired by Warner Bros. Records chairman emeritus Mo Ostin, Lookout Management President Eliot Roberts and current WBR Chairman/CEO Tom Whalley.

The two-time Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductee is well known for his philanthropic work, most notably with Farm Aid and for the annual Bridge School Benefit he and wife Pegi organize to raise funds for the Burlingame, Calif., Bridge School for kids with developmental disorders.

“It is an honor to celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Neil Young at our 20th annual MusiCares Person of the year tribute,” Portnow said in a statement. “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.”