Neil Young named Musicares Person of the Year

Neil Young, 64, was named the Musicares person of the year for “influential artistic accomplishments & philanthropic work”.

“It’s been a great night. It wore me out. Now I have got to return & try & write some more songs,” Young said.

Young was honoured for his charity work, including his support of Farm Aid & the Bridge School Concerts, which  have raised money to provide services for kids with severe physical & speech impairments. This is due to the fact that Young has 2 sons who were born with cerebral palsy.

The  Musicares event started off the Grammy weekend -  with the awards taking place on Sunday night. It was atteneded by over 2,000 showing the respect so many people have for Young as a person and his work.

Other performances at the  Event which  was held at the Los Angeles Convention Centre and hosted by actor Jack Black came from artists including James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Keith Urban, John Forgarty, Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crowe & Norah Jones.

“I’d forgotten how many songs I’d written,” Young said.

Young’s former bandmates – Stills, David Crosby & Graham Nash – took to the stage last.

“We made a quantity of the best music of our lives with you, man,” Crosby said, a previous winner of the award himself.

Others who received awards included Aretha Franklin, Neil Diamond & Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

MusiCares was established by the US Recording Academy in 1989 to provide assistance to musicians in times of financial, medical or personal emergency.

Young was born in Canada & rose to worldwide fame in the 1960s. His hits include Heart of Gold & Elderly Man.