Jimmy Carter presents Bob Dylan with Person of the Year Award at MusiCares event

Dozens of artists took the stage Friday night to honor famed singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year, at a benefit gala dinner and concert at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Among the performers and attendees at the tribute were Beck, Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne, Neil Young, David Crosby, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Jones, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Bridges, Alanis Morissette, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett.
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter presented Dylan with the award, proclaiming the 73-year-old icon's words "are more precise... and permanent than anything said by a president of the United States," Billboard noted.
Dylan didn't sing live at the event, but the famously laconic performer did give a powerful acceptance speech that lasted between 30 and 40 minutes during which he recognized the contributions of music trailblazers such as Joan Baez, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, The Byrds, the Turtles, Nina Simone and Peter, Paul and Mary, and also called out country-western star Merle Haggard, the songwriting duo of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and songwriter Tom T. Hall for criticizing his music, Rolling Stone magazine reported.
"I didn't really care what Leiber & Stoller thought of my songs. That was all right they didn't like them. 'Cause I didn't like their songs, either," Dylan said. "Yakety yak, don't talk back. Charlie Brown is a clown. Baby, I'm a hog for you. Novelty songs. They weren't saying anything serious."
Three-time Grammy-winning producer and recent Emmy winner Don Was was the evening's musical director.
Proceeds from the event -- which was held two nights before the Grammy Awards are to be handed out -- will provide essential support for MusiCares, an organization that says its mission is to ensure "music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need."
Dylan is best known for his songs "Blowin' in the Wind," "The Times They Are a-Changin'," "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Mr. Tambourine Man."