Entertainment

Sting 'grateful and bemused' to win Polar Music Prize award

The former The Police front man was honoured alongside American musician Wayne Shorter.
The former The Police front man was honoured alongside American musician Wayne Shorter. The former The Police front man was honoured alongside American musician Wayne Shorter.

Singer-songwriter Sting said he is “both grateful and somewhat bemused” to have been awarded the prestigious Polar Music Prize.

The English musician received the accolade, considered Sweden’s biggest music award, alongside American jazz legend Wayne Shorter.

Sting (Matt Crossick/PA)
Sting (Matt Crossick/PA)
Sting (Matt Crossick/PA)

The 2017 laureates were presented with their prizes by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during a gala ceremony held at Stockholm’s Concert Hall.

Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Jose Feliciano read a citation for Sting, with Shorter’s citation being read by American jazz musician Esperanza Spalding.

Sting, 65, said: “I am deeply honoured to be here with all of you this evening.

“I am well aware of the prestigious history of this award: the extraordinary talents of those who have preceded me and their significant contributions to the world of music.“So, I am both grateful and somewhat bemused by my inclusion here.”The musician, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, spoke of his admiration for Shorter, 83, and Feliciano.

He said: “I’m standing alongside Wayne Shorter, a man whose music and philosophy I have admired for many, many years.

“Also, Mr Jose Feliciano, whose influence on my own music both as a singer and guitarist has gone unsaid, until now.”

Reminiscing about the best musical advice he had ever been given, the Fields Of Gold singer quoted Canadian composer, arranger and jazz musician Gil Evans, who told him there is “no such thing as a wrong note”.

He continued: “It is always the note that follows, that will define whether the first note was wrong or not.”

Wayne Shorter performs at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in May 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.(Photo by John Davisson/Invision/AP)
Wayne Shorter performs at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in May 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.(Photo by John Davisson/Invision/AP)
Wayne Shorter performs at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in May 2013 (John Davisson/Invision/AP)

The prize, now in its 26th year, was founded by late Abba manager Stig Anderson and is typically shared by a pop artist and a classical musician.

Shorter said: “My appreciation for the knowledge of your country’s contribution to humanity awakened when I was quite young.

“While watching the films of Ingmar Bergman, and the artistry of your great actors and actresses, I realised how freely your country opened its heart to the world long before the phrase ‘Artists and Doctors without Borders’ came into being. Thank you for this most prestigious honour!”

Laureates each received a specially-designed trophy and a cash prize of one million Swedish Krona (about £89,000).

Previous recipients include Sir Paul McCartney, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Burt Bacharach, Joni Mitchell, Sir Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Cecilia Bartoli, Youssou N’Dour and Mstislav Rostropovich.