Tom Petty honored by the Grammy Awards.

Tom Petty, the rocker who has been behind hits like "American Girl", will be recognized at a gala evening before the ceremony of the Grammy Awards next year, the academy announced Wednesday. The National Academy of Arts and Sciences of the Recording, awarded the grand prize of the music industry, Petty named as the 2017 MusiCares Person, to be who offered a concert before the ceremony. The musician of 65 years, born and raised in Gainesville in Florida, came on the scene in the 1970s with his band Heartbreakers, revamping the classic rock style with hits like "American Girl", "I Will not Back Down "and" Free Fallin ".

"Tom burst into our musical consciousness and never left," he said in a statement Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences of the Recording. "His mark on the rock and roll brought benefits with a festive rebellion, an infectious rhythm and unforgettable lyrics that fueled our imagination," he added. The Musicares recognition will be delivered on 10 February in a ceremony in Los Angeles, two days before delivery of the Grammys. In this event money for musicians who need it raises. The award MusiCares Person, mainly a concert to raise funds unexpectedly became news in 2015 when it was delivered to the rock legend Bob Dylan, who in recent years has rarely given an interview, but made a long story about his career . Petty, three times Grammy Award winner, was inducted in June at the Songwriters Hall of Fame where he stressed that considers the "much more important than money music."