The Recording Academy announced today its Special Merit Awards recipients. This year's Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Black Sabbath, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam & Dave, and Dionne Warwick.

Lou Adler, Ashford & Simpson, and Johnny Mandel are Trustees Award honourees, and Saul Walker is the Technical Grammy Award recipient.

"Each year, the Recording Academy has the distinct privilege of celebrating music industry giants who have greatly contributed to our cultural heritage," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "This year, we have a gifted and brilliant group of honourees and their exceptional accomplishments, contributions, and artistry will continue to influence and inspire generations to come."

A press release states: "From their power riffs to their dark, gothic imagery, Black Sabbath arguably invented the heavy metal signposts and influenced every heavy rock band that followed."

A special award presentation ceremony and concert celebrating the honourees will be held on May 11th, 2019, in Los Angeles. Additional details regarding the ceremony will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording, while the Trustees Award honors such contributions in areas other than performance. The Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees determines the honourees of both awards. Technical Grammy Award recipients are voted on by the Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing Advisory Council and Chapter Committees, and are ratified by the Academy's Trustees. The award is presented to individuals and companies who have made contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording industry.