SANTA MONICA; Calif. – James Taylor (search) will be honored as the 2006 MusiCares Person of the Yea (search)r for a career that spans nearly four decades and for his efforts to promote children's health and the environment.
Taylor will be honored Feb. 6 at the group's annual dinner, held by The Recording Academy (search) in the week leading up to the Grammys, it was announced Thursday.
"MusiCares and The Recording Academy take great pride in honoring James Taylor as an extraordinary human being, musician and humanitarian who has made a global impact on music and culture," Neil Portnow, president of the MusiCares Foundation and the academy, said in a statement.
Taylor, 57, has earned 40 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards for songs ranging from 1970s' "Sweet Baby James" to the 2002 Grammy-nominated "October Road."
He has served as a board member of the Natural Resources Defense Council and supported research on issues such as juvenile diabetes.
The MusiCares Foundation was founded by the Academy in 1989 to help musicians in need. This year, the Academy and MusiCares have pledged $1 million for musicians and others in the music industry affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.