The Velvet Underground, Nina Simone and Sly Stone are set to be honoured at the 2017 Grammy Special Merit Awards.

The honourees will be celebrated as part of the pre-Grammy Awards festivities in February.

They will each received Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Grammy Special Merit Awards.

Gospel singer Shirley Caesar, jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, guitarist Charley Pride and “Father of Country Music” Jimmie Rodgers will also receive Lifetime Achievement Awards.

In honouring The Velvet Underground, the Recording Academy wrote: “Despite a relatively brief lifespan and limited commercial success, The Velvet Underground are now recognised as one of the most influential rock bands of all time. Comprising Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen ‘Moe’ Tucker, the band was, perhaps, ahead of their time, both visually and sonically. Often dubbed the quintessential proto-punk band, they’ve continued to be the benchmark for countless modern-rock movements over the past 50 years.”

Stone was credited by the Recording Academy as playing “a critical role in the development of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia,” reports Rolling Stone.

Meanwhile, John Cale recently announced that he’ll be playing The Velvet Underground’s debut The Velvet Underground & Nico at three special shows in New York, Paris and Liverpool.

The February 2017 issue of Uncut is now on sale in the UK – featuring our cover story on Leonard Cohen. Elsewhere in the issue, we look at the 50 Great Modern Protest Songs and our free CD collects 15 of the very best, featuring Ry Cooder, Jarvis Cocker, Roy Harper, Father John Misty, Hurray For The Riff Raff and Richard Thompson. The issue also features our essential preview of the key albums for 2017, including Roger Waters, Fleet Foxes, Paul Weller, The Jesus And Mary Chain, the Waterboys and more. Plus Leon Russell, Mike Oldfield, Ty Segall, Tift Merritt, David Bowie, Japandroids, The Doors, Flaming Lips, Wilco, The XX, Grateful Dead, Mark Eitzel and more plus 139 reviews