The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences founded the Grammy Awards in 1958, it was designed to honor and recognize outstanding achievements in the music industry. The Grammy Legend Award or the Grammy Living Legend Award was introduced in 1990, it is a special merit award given to recognize “ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field.” In 1990, the award was issued to four artists who had made significant contributions to the field of music, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Liza Minnelli, Smokey Robinson and Willie Nelson. The following year in 1991, the Grammys honored four other music greats with the Grammy Legend Award; it was given out to Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Johnny Cash and Quincy Jones. Michael Jackson received the award in 1993, and the Bee Gees became the only band to ever receive the award in 2003. Since its addition to the categories at the Grammys, the Grammy Legend Award has been given out to fourteen solo musicians and one band.
Winners: Grammys Legend Award
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Year
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Winner/s
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1990
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Andrew Lloyd Webber, Liza Minnelli, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson
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1991
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Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones
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1992
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Barbra Streisand
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1993
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Michael Jackson
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1994
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Curtis Mayfield, Frank Sinatra
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1998
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Luciano Pavarotti
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1999
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Elton John
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2003
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Bee Gees
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