A Grammy Salute to Music Legends

Each year, The Recording Academy (the organization behind the Grammy Awards) honors a handful of musical giants through its Special Merit Awards, which include the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award, and Technical Grammy Award. And each year, artists and others in the music-making community are invited to write heartfelt tributes to the honorees. These tributes are published in the exclusive Grammy Awards program book distributed to the stars and VIPs in attendance at the Grammy Awards telecast. Sometimes the relationship is obvious (Quincy Jones honoring Michael Jackson), and sometimes the influence is more indirect (Queen's Brian May paying tribute to Doris Day or Patti Smith writing on Jefferson Airplane). This captivating book gathers nearly 20 years' worth of these sometimes touching, sometimes humorous, always inspiring essays. For music fans of all kinds, these essays offer a glimpse into how artists are personally affected by their musical heroes, and the debt of gratitude, influence, and inspiration they owe each other.