The Recording Academy has renamed its two-year-old Special Merit Award for Best Song for Social Change in honor of the late Harry Belafonte, who was a powerful voice for social justice throughout his career. The award will henceforth be known as the Harry Belafonte Song for Social Change Award. It will continue to honor songwriters of message-driven music that speaks to the social issues of our time and has demonstrated and inspired positive global impact.
“The greatness of Harry Belafonte's artistic legacy is matched by his profound impact on advancing social justice for all,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “We are honored to recognize his enduring influence with the Harry Belafonte Song of the Year Award for Social Change and continue to celebrate the works that have inspired global communities toward social impact.”
“The Belafonte estate is deeply honored and thrilled that the Recording Academy Award for Best Song for Social Change will now be named the Harry Belafonte Award for Best Song for Social Change,” said Belafonte's daughters Adrienne, Shari and Gina and his third wife, Pamela, in the joint statement. “This recognition not only celebrates Harry Belafonte's lasting legacy in music and activism, but also inspires future generations to continue using their voices and art for justice and positive change.”
The Recording Academy generally does not name awards after individuals, although in recent years it has introduced the Dr. Dre Global Impact (which was awarded to Dre at the 2023 Grammy telecast and to Jay-Z at this year's telecast).
Many have forgotten that the academy's lifetime achievement award was originally called the Bing Crosby Award. The legendary singer was the first recipient in 1963. There were seven more recipients until 1972. The award was not presented for the next 12 years, but when it returned in 1984, seven years after Crosby's death in 1977, the academy had quietly abandoned the Crosby's name from the award so it is not associated with any artist or genre.
Formerly the Special Merit Award, the Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award will now be categorized as the CEO's Merit Award, with finalists and recipients selected annually by a committee comprised of a community of peers dedicated to artistic expression, the craft of composition songs and the power of songs to affect social change.
The first two winners of the award, under its previous name, were Servin Hajipour's “Baraye” (2023) and K'naan, Gerald Eaton and Steve McEwan's “Refugee” (2024).
The submission period for the current cycle of the Harry Belafonte Song for Social Change Award is July 17 – August 30, 2024. For instructions and to submit a submission, visit www.Grammy.com.
From his debut in the 1950s until his death in 2023 at the age of 96, Belafonte's artistic career ran parallel to his work as a pioneering activist. Friend of Reverend Dr. A Martin Luther King Jr. advisor, organizer, and contributor to the civil rights movement, Belafonte helped organize the 1961 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and contributed to the 1961 Freedom Rides and the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer. Belafonte appeared at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball in 1961 and was later named by Kennedy as a cultural adviser to the Peace Corps.
A supporter of global humanitarian causes, including the anti-apartheid movement, Belafonte in 1985 was a key promoter of the US single for Africa “We Are the World”, which raised money for famine relief in Africa . The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and won four Grammy Awards, including record and song of the year. Belafonte became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1987 and traveled internationally to raise awareness of the needs of children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Belafonte won two Grammy Awards – both in the folk categories, for “Swing Dat Hammer” and An evening with Belafonte/Makebaa collaboration with South African singer Miriam Makeba.
Belafonte was not the first black artist to receive a Grammy Award for album of the year – Ella Fitzgerald was, at the first Grammy ceremony, for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook. But Belafonte was the first black artist to receive it two The Grammys give a nod for album of the year. He was nominated in the second and third ceremonies for Belafonte at Carnegie Hall and Belafonte returns to Carnegie Hall.
In addition, he had his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. His second album, Belafonte, was No. 1 in March 1956 when the chart became a regular weekly feature on Billboard. (Prior to that, he had appeared sporadically.) Belafonte's third album, West India's type of dancehe remained at the top of this table for 31 weeks in 1956-57.
Belafonte received the Recording Academy Award in 2000. Three of his recordings are in the Grammy Hall of Fame – “Banana Boat (Day-O)” (1956) and the albums West India's type of dance (1956) Harry Belafonte at Carnegie Hall (1959).
His many other awards include the Kennedy Center Honors (1989) and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early influence in 2022.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/recording-academy-renames-best-song-for-social-change-award-to-honor-harry-belafonte-1235732864/
