Autry, Martin to be honored with Grammys

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Gene Autry, the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Four Tops and Dean Martin are to be honored with lifetime achievement awards at a Grammys ceremony in Los Angeles.

Also slated to receive the accolades are Hank Jones, Brenda Lee and Tom Paxton, the Recording Academy announced Monday.

George Avakian, Elliott Carter and Allen Toussaint are to be honored with the Trustees Award, and Clarence "Leo" Fender and Universal Audio have been named recipients of the Technical Grammy Award, the Academy said.

The special invitation-only ceremony is to take place Feb. 7 during Grammy Week. A formal acknowledgment is to be made during the 51st annual Grammy Awards telecast, which will be held at Staples Center in Los Angeles Feb. 8 and broadcast live on the CBS Television Network.

"This year's recipients are a prestigious group of legendary performers, creative architects and technical visionaries who have made lasting contributions to the music and global communities," Neil Portnow, president and chief executive officer of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. "Their outstanding accomplishments, legendary passion and artistry have positively affected our culture and will continue to influence and inspire generations to come."