The Grammys immediately bring to mind music awards, awesome live performances, and star-studded after parties. The annual award ceremony also supports a charity called Musicares. Each year, the Grammys select one artist to be their Person of the Year. In 2017, Tom Petty received that honor, gave an amazing speech, and overall helped raise $8.5 million.
Established in 1989, Musicares supports the music industry by providing for musicians in need. According to their website they have, “services and resources that [sic] cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community (Musicares).” In order to achieve those goals, they fund raise each year through a gala.
This past February, Tom Petty was selected as the Musicares Person of the Year and he gave an amazing speech. The night was full of legendary musicians: Don Henley, Randy Newman, Stevie Nicks, Guy Clark Jr., Foo Fighters, and so many others. Solid performance after solid performance hit the stage, and just when the event couldn’t get any better, it did. Tom Petty took to the podium (Rolling Stone). Feeling very honored, the singer-songwriter gave a moving speech on the history of rock and roll, and his own career, but first and foremost he thanked the Heartbreakers.
(Tom Petty gives a moving speech for Musicares Person of the Year. Video courtesy of Recording Academy/Grammys)
Overall, the gala was able to raise $8.5 million for Musicares. The charity will be able to continue its mission of helping musicians and their families. The organization further supports the music industry as a whole, “the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community (Musicares).” Honoring Petty gave the charitable organization the support it needed to continue.
(Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Dhani Harrison perform “I Won’t Back Down” at the Musicares gala in February 2017.)
Each year the Grammys pick a Musicares Person of the Year. This year, Tom Petty was their recipient. Through star-studded performances and Petty’s speech, the organization was able to raise $8.5 million towards their cause, and continue their efforts to not only support the music industry, but to also support musicians and their families in times of crisis.
~Jenna Jakes, WOGB
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