The legendary Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana, and American musicians Cher, Paul Simon or Whitney Houston were honored this Saturday with the Special Merit Award given by the Grammy Recording Academy.
The award, which recognizes the achievements and influence of artists beyond the music industry, was one of the awards presented Saturday at a gala prior to the 68th Grammy Awards, to be held Sunday in Los Angeles.
Grammy Special Merit Awards 2026
Cher did not attend the Special Merit Awards Ceremony in person, she accepted her Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award through a pre-recorded video message. pic.twitter.com/yDV2FKxhQ7
– Cher Universe (@TCherUniverse) February 1, 2026
This list of honorees was joined by Chaka Khan and Fela Kuti, who also received the Special Merit Award.
Bernie Taupin, Eddie Palmieri and Sylvia Rhone were recognized with the Board of Directors Award, while John Chowning received the Technical Grammy.
The Mexican guitarist, a key figure in rock music, fused various styles such as blues and Latin rhythms with his band Santana, with which he became known in 1966.
Santana is the author of such classics as ‘Oye Como Va’ and ‘Black Magic Woman’.
For her part, Cher, known as “the goddess of pop”, has marked six decades of pop culture with hits like ‘Believe’, while Chacka Khan, nicknamed “queen of funk”, left classics like ‘I’m Every Woman’.
Paul Simon is credited with the innovation of Latin American and African sounds in albums such as ‘Graceland’ and Fela Kuti with the creation of Afrobeat, a genre that mixes African rhythms, jazz and funk.
The recognition of Witney Houston comes posthumously, following her passing in 2012, to honor her profound and lasting impact and unparalleled musical talent as one of the most influential voices in modern music.
Witney broke sales records with songs like ‘I Will Always Love You’.
The 2026 Grammys will be held on Sunday, February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
They will be broadcast live on CBS Television Network and live and on-demand on Paramount+.
Filed under: Grammy Special Merit Awards
With information from EFE
