MUMBAI: The Grammy Awards which are known to honour the musical contribution made by an individual paid a special accolade to Steve Jobs and Diana Ross at Saturday's Grammy Special Merit Awards ceremony.

Celebrating Jobs achievements in the advancement of digital music distribution, the academy awarded the late Apple founder with the Trustees Award for �Outstanding contributions to the industry in a nonperforming capacity'.

Accepting the posthumous award Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue said, "On behalf of Steve's wife, Laurene, his children, and everyone at Apple, I'd like to thank you for honouring Steve with the Trustees Grammy Award.  Accepting this award means so much to me because music meant so much to him. He told us that music shaped his life…it made him who he was.

The Recording Academy also honored 67 year old diva Diana Ross with lifetime achievement title. Ross said, It's been such an incredible ride, I'm very happy, very excited. I look forward to the future - and going into the studio to make new music."

The other lifetime achievement winners were country legend George Jones, 'The Girl from Ipanema' composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, iconic horn section Memphis Horns, 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' wordsmith Gil Scott-Heron, everlasting blues-rock group Allman Brothers Band and country showman Glen Campbell.