Pick a Day

Music History Events: Awards and Honors

January 26, 1998 In a big surprise upset at the American Music Awards, rapper Puff Daddy loses in all five categories in which he is nominated for an award.

November 8, 1997 After a series of scrapes with the law and other misfortunes, Johnny Paycheck is welcomed by the country music community as he officially joins the Grand Ole Opry.

September 29, 1997 The Clinton White House awards Don Henley a National Medal of the Humanities for his work on the Walden Woods Project, which was set up to preserve the area in Massachusetts where Henry David Thoreau did his writing.

September 21, 1997 The life and career of Jimmie Rodgers is celebrated with a concert capping the "Waiting for a Train: Jimmie Rodgers' America" conference in Cleveland. A collaboration between the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame, John Prine, Steve Earle, Levon Helm, Iris DeMent, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore all perform songs by Rodgers.

August 20, 1997 The "Hank Williams Memorial Lost Highway" is dedicated in Alabama, where the singer was born. The 50-mile stretch on Interstate 65 starts at his childhood home of Georgiana and ends in Montgomery, the site of his grave. The ceremony takes place in Montgomery (the state capitol), with Hank Williams Jr. on hand to speak.

August 17, 1997 Liverpool, Nova Scotia, dedicates The Hank Snow Country Music Centre, a museum dedicated to its native country music legend.

February 12, 1997 David Bowie is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located outside the Hollywood Galaxy Theatre.

January 10, 1997 James Brown gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

December 31, 1996 Queen Elizabeth II announces that Paul McCartney will be knighted - these announcements are traditionally made on New Year's Eve.

December 19, 1996 Avenue H in Lubbock, Texas, is renamed Buddy Holly Avenue in honor of the city's hometown hero.

October 24, 1996 Motown founder Berry Gordy is honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

October 4, 1996 Roger Miller is inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

September 19, 1996 George Benson gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

June 14, 1996 Beatles producer George Martin is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

April 12, 1996 The Hollywood Rock Walk inducts Jan & Dean, The Ventures, The Chantays, and The Surfaris.

November 23, 1995 Michael Jackson is crowned best male artist and Björk best female artist at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards in Paris.

October 24, 1995 It's "Tony Bennett Day" in New York City as the singer plays a show at Radio City Music Hall.

October 4, 1995 Alan Jackson wins the prestigious Entertainer of the Year award at the annual Country Music Association's award ceremony. Alison Krauss sweeps Top Female vocalist. Vince Gill wins Top Male vocalist.

July 31, 1995 Jamaica issues a commemorative series of postage stamps honoring local native and reggae legend Bob Marley.

July 24, 1995 A three-night career retrospective honoring Frank Sinatra on his 80th birthday begins at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium. A visibly ailing Sinatra attends but does not perform. Meanwhile, in New York City, the Empire State Building is lit with blue lights in his honor.

May 11, 1995 Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Robert Cray play a tribute concert for Stevie Ray Vaughan in Austin, Texas. They had all played with Stevie Ray at his last concert on August 26, 1990.

May 8, 1995 Rick Nelson receives a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

March 27, 1995 Film composer Hans Zimmer wins his first Academy Award for Best Original Score for his African-inspired music on Disney's The Lion King (1994).

March 1, 1995 Tony Bennett wins the Album Of The Year Grammy for MTV Unplugged, a collection of standards taken from his acoustic performance on the network. It's the lowest-charting album ever to win; it topped out at #69 before the ceremony and the Grammy bump only pushes it to #48. In response, the Grammys establish nominating committees for the major awards to make them more contemporary. The following year, Alanis Morissette gets Album Of The Year for the far more popular and acclaimed Jagged Little Pill.

February 15, 1995 ASCAP honors songwriter Diane Warren with the Voice of Music Award.

January 12, 1995 The 10th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are held in New York. Inductees include The Allman Brothers Band, Al Green, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Martha and the Vandellas, Neil Young, and Frank Zappa.

November 24, 1994 Oasis is named Best UK Band at the first annual MTV European Music Awards.

September 29, 1994 The Pointer Sisters receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star on Hollywood Boulevard was originally set to be unveiled in January, but an earthquake struck Los Angeles three days before the scheduled ceremony. The Pointers are the first African-American female music group to receive the honor.

September 14, 1994 The Temptations are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7060 Hollywood Blvd.

July 23, 1994 The International Astronomical Union names an asteroid in Mars' orbit ZappaFrank, after the musician Frank Zappa, who'd passed away from cancer the year before.