Heart's Ann & Nancy Wilson and Nirvana to receive Lifetime Achievement Grammy Awards
The award honours 'legends' who inspire and shape the music world.'
The Recording Academy has announced that Nirvana and Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson are among the recipients of their 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Held during Grammy week on Saturday 4th February 2023 at the intimate Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, The Recording Academy's Special Merit Awards Ceremony celebrates recipients of four different categories – the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award, Technical Grammy Award, and Best Song For Social Change Award.
Alongside Nirvana and Heart’s Wilson sisters, other winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award this year are Bobby McFerrin, Ma Rainey, Nile Rodgers, Slick Rick "The Ruler" and The Supremes.
The Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award celebrates performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.
Past recipients over the past five decades include Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath, Queen, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Cream and John Lennon.
Praising 2023 honourees Nirvana, The Recording Academy wrote: ‘With a 2014 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and more than 75 million records sold, Nirvana continues to be a singular inspiration for generations of fans and musicians the world over.’
Explaining why Ann and Nancy Wilson are being honoured this year, The Recording Academy commented: ‘Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson are being recognized as Lifetime Achievement Award honourees for their creative work with the rock band Heart.
'Heart's influence can be palpably felt everywhere from rock and heavy metal to hip-hop and pop. As a result, their music resonates in nearly every corner of pop culture.’
Elsewhere, music photographer Henry Diltz, Jazz pianist and music educator Ellis Marsalis (posthumously) and Stax Records founder Jim Stewart (posthumously) are all Trustees Award Honourees.
The Technical Grammy Award Honourees are The Audio Engineering Society (AES) and auto-tune inventor Dr. Andy Hildebrand.
"The Academy is proud to celebrate this diverse slate of influential music people spanning numerous genres and crafts as our 2023 Special Merit Awards honorees," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.
"Each creator on this list has made an impact on our industry — from technical to creative achievements — representing the breadth of music's diverse community. We're excited to celebrate this group of legends next month that continues to inspire and shape the music world."
Kurt Cobain's life in photos:
Kurt’s childhood home in Aberdeen, Washington
His parents Wendy and Donald Cobain bought the house in 1969 when Kurt was two and he lived there until they separated when he was nine.
Kurt with younger sister by three years Kimberly in the mid 1970s
Kurt celebrates a childhood birthday with his family
Kurt and Kimberly stand outside their Aberdeen home
When their parents split in 1976, Kurt went to live with his father and Kim lived with her mother.
Showcasing an early talent for music, Kurt plays piano at his childhood home
Kurt’s attic bedroom pictured in 2013
More than a quarter of a century after Kurt last habited the room, his graffiti – including an Iron Maiden logo – still adorns the walls.
Led Zeppelin graffiti Kurt penned on his bedroom wall
An Aberdeen Junior High School photo of a young Kurt Cobain
A teenage Kurt at his Washington home
Kurt playing guitar in his attic room
His walls are decorated with Black Flag and hardcore punk band Dr. Know gig posters.
May 1986: Kurt was arrested aged 19
He was arrested for trespassing on an abandoned building in Market Street, Aberdeen. He was also arrested a year earlier for spray painting on pick-up trucks.
1991: Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl in London
August 1991: Nirvana perform at Reading Festival
September 1991: A 'Nevermind' launch show at New York’s Tower Records
5th November 1991: Kurt onstage at Nirvana’s sold-out gig at The Astoria Theatre in London
November 1991: Kurt crowdsurfing in Frankfurt, Germany
1991: Kurt at Hilversum Studios, Holland
1991: Kurt at Hilversum Studios, Holland
August 1992: The Kerrang! Magazine cover featured a very sombre Kurt
It included a play on The Smiths lyrics 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now'.
December 1993: A second Kerrang! Magazine cover
16 months later and the tone of the cover is very different with the title: 'Hugs Not Drugs! Kurt Gets Happy!'.
1992: Kurt performing live in a maid’s outfit
1992: Nirvana at the MTV Video Music Awards
August 1992: Nirvana’s legendary Reading Festival performance
9th April 1993: Kurt on-stage with Nirvana at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California
Appearing alongside L7 and The Breeders, the gig was a Bosnian Rape Victim Benefit.
July 1993: Performing at the Roseland Ballroom, New York
1993: Kurt with his wife Courtney Love and one-year-old daughter Frances Bean at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles
Kurt and Courtney married in Hawaii in March 1992 with Kurt infamously wearing his pyjamas to the ceremony!
1993: Kurt at the MTV VMAs ceremony, Los Angeles
1993: At the 10th annual MTV Video Music Awards
Nirvana pose with director Kevin Kerslake after receiving an award for best alternative video for 'In Bloom' at the 10th annual MTV Video Music Awards.
Kurt pretends to pick his nose with daughter Frances Bean
November 1993: Recording Nirvana’s legendary MTV Unplugged session
December 1993: Performing at MTV Live and Loud, Seattle
February 1994: Live at The Palace, Melbourne
25th February 1994: Nirvana live at Palatrussardi indoor arena in Milan Italy
Their last ever gig took place at Terminal 1 in Munich, Germany six days later.
April 1994: Kurt Cobain dies
171 Lake Washington Blvd East Seattle, Washington, the site of Cobain's death.
16th April 1994: The Kerrang! Magazine cover, 11 days after the Nirvana’s legend’s untimely death
The Sonic Youth t-shirt Kurt wore at Nirvana’s final live performance in Munich, March 1994
The garment was auctioned at the Hard Rock Café in London in July 2012.
2011: A small park in Aberdeen was named ‘Kurt Cobain Landing’ in Kurt’s honour
This plaque quoting Something In The Way lyrics overlooks the Wishkah River.