Artists honour Grammy icon Martin Bandier

PRESS RELEASE:

Some of the biggest names in music have paid tribute to Sony/ATV Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Martin Bandier in an amusing video at this year’s Pre GRAMMY Gala.

The 2015 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honored Bandier at the event, which is organized by Clive Davis and The Recording Academy, with the President’s Merit Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the music industry and his numerous philanthropic endeavors.

Past recipients include Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, Sir Richard Branson, Clive Davis, Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, Berry Gordy, Doug Morris, Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Mo Ostin and Lucian Grainge.

To accompany him receiving the award at the ceremony held on Saturday (February 7) at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, a specially-created tribute video was shown starring the likes of Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, Lady Gaga, Iggy Azalea, Sting, Pitbull and Motown founder Berry Gordy.

As a reflection of Bandier’s own great sense of humor, the video dispensed with the usual convention of the great and good delivering serious tributes and instead good naturedly and lovingly made fun of him.

There were also appearances in the video from Curb Your Enthusiasm star Susie Essman, tennis legend John McEnroe, comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried, veteran NBC Sports presenter Bob Costas, music industry executive Irving Azoff and entertainment lawyer Allen Grubman.

The film was directed by Emmy winning comedian, writer and director David Steinberg and written by Alan Zweibel, an Emmy, Writers Guild of America and TV Critics Awards winner and one of the original writers of Saturday Night Live.

The awards ceremony, held in front of a select music industry audience, also featured both Carole King and Pharrell Williams performing in tribute to Martin Bandier.

:: Read Bandier's full Pre Grammy Gala Speech on Record Of The Day