Willie Nelson, Carole King, Annie Lennox to be Given Honorary Berklee Doctorates

On May 11, Willie Nelson, Carole King and Annie Lennox will receive honorary doctorates at the Berklee College of Music's graduation ceremony in Boston, Mass.

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Berklee College of Music president Roger Brown will present the singers with the honorary doctor of music degrees while commencement speaker Lennox will address more than 900 Berklee graduates and their guests.

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This year's recipients are recognized for their achievements and influence in music, and ongoing contributions American and international culture.

Past recipients include Duke Ellington, who was the first to receive this honor in 1971, Dizzy Gillespie, Smokey Robinson, Steven Tyler, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Juan Luis Guerra, Loretta Lynn, Paco de Lucía, David Bowie, the Edge, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Chaka Khan, Bonnie Raitt, George Clinton, Alison Krauss, Kenneth Gamble, and Leon Huff.

As part of Berklee's tradition, students will pay tribute to the honorees by performing their music on the evening before graduation.