LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — MusiCares, the non-profit organization established by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, announced that The Grateful Dead have been selected as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year.
The honor, which coincides with the iconic band’s 60th anniversary, will see founding members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bobby Weir recognized for their contributions to music and their philanthropic efforts.
The band will be presented with the honor at the 34th annual Persons of the Year benefit gala, which is scheduled to take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on January 31st, 2025, as part of the lead-up to the Grammy Awards.
The event will include a cocktail reception, followed by a dinner and tribute concert featuring notable, yet-to-be-announced artists.
In a joint statement, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bobby Weir said:
It’s simple: we all need music. It speaks to each of us, offering what we need to face what life presents—enhancing our joys, helping us spread them, and making our sorrows easier to bear. We can’t imagine a world without it. As our ol’ pal, Jerry, used to say, ‘You get some, you give some back,’ a tremendously effective way to share those benefits.
While we can’t prove that the Muse—the force behind what we do—is working to build a support system for the show, over sixty years in music has taught us that it takes a lot of dedicated people to bring everything to life. Each person behind the scenes has honed their skills to meet the many needs of the show. Without them, it wouldn’t be what the Muse intends, and each of them is essential, pouring their hearts and spirits into it.
We also want to recognize the community of Dead Heads for their unwavering support over the years—we wouldn’t be here without you.
We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us—it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip. It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.
The event will again be produced by live event broadcast outfit Lewis & Clark, made up of Joe Lewis and R.A. Clark. Don Was will join the special evening as Musical Director and is sponsored by AEG.
