HONORED Diana Ross perfroms onstage at the Pre-Grammy Gala & Salute to Industry Icons with Clive Davis honoring Richard Branson, Saturday, Feb. 11 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Vince Bucci)
LOS ANGELES—Diana Ross thinks she should receive a lifetime achievement Grammy for being a mother—not a music legend.
The 67-year-old diva, who served as the leader of the Motown group The Supremes before striking gold on her own as a singer and actress, giggled at the notion of such an accolade while on hand to accept her trophy at Saturday’s Grammy Special Merit Awards ceremony.
“It’s been such an incredible ride,” said Ross, who was joined by her five children and one grandchild on stage at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. “I’m very happy, very excited. I look forward to the future—and going into the studio to make new music.”
The other lifetime achievement winners were country legend George Jones, “The Girl from Ipanema” composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, iconic horn section Memphis Horns, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” wordsmith Gil Scott-Heron, everlasting blues-rock group Allman Brothers Band and country showman Glen Campbell, who is set to be joined by Blake Shelton and The Band Perry on stage at Sunday’s Grammy ceremony.
The technical Grammy Awards recipients were music software developer Celemony and pioneering recording engineer Roger Nichols.
The Trustees Awards, which recognize contributions to the music industry in areas other than performance, were awarded to band leader Dave Bartholomew, jazz recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder and Apple impresario Steve Jobs.
“Accepting this award means so much to me because music meant so much to him,” said Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Internet software and services at Apple. “He told us that music shaped his life. It made him who he was. Everyone who knows Steve knows the profound impact that artists like Bob Dylan and the Beatles had on him.”
The ceremony, already a somber event because many of the recipients recently passed away or weren’t healthy enough to attend, was further marred when those in attendance learned Whitney Houston died Saturday afternoon. The news of the 48-year-old pop-music queen’s death — and a brief rainstorm — dampened the mood at the Grammy nominees reception following the ceremony.
“I didn’t know her, but she was a hell of a talent,” said Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks. “I hate to see somebody like that go. She was damn too young.”