http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&e=1&u=/nm/20040103/e n_nm/music_sting_dc LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Tony Bennett (news), Elvis Costello (news), Elton John (news) and Dave Matthews are among the artists who will pay tribute to Sting when the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honors him Feb. 6 as the MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year. The gala will be held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, Calif. Other acts paying tribute will include Charles Aznavour, Black Eyed Peas, Dido, Diana Krall (news), k.d. lang, John Mayer (news), Rufus Wainwright (news) and Wynonna. Each artist will sing a Police or Sting tune. Money raised from the evening goes to the MusiCares financial assistance program, which aids people in the music industry financially and medically. Past events have raised more than $1 million. Previous honorees include John, Bennett, Bono, Billy Joel (news), Paul Simon (news), Bonnie Raitt (news), Quincy Jones (news), Phil Collins (news) and Stevie Wonder (news). "With the Person of the Year, we've got a fortunate history of some phenomenal honorees," NARAS president Neil Portnow says. Last year's tributed to Bono, he says, "was one of those incredible nights. I said, 'Great. What are we going to do next year to top this?' We felt that, for the benefit of MusiCares, seek out an individual of great stature, of great respect, but also someone who filled the bill -- someone who's not only a great artist but also humanitarian and philanthropic. "As you begin to look at the artist community for that, some folks just stand out," Portnow continues. "Sting certainly did, and we've had him on our radar for a few years. We always thought he would be a great honoree, and this was the right time for all of us to do this, and he graciously accepted. We're absolutely thrilled." For Sting -- who recently was honored with the Billboard Century Award -- lending his name to the cause was an easy decision. "MusiCares looks after musicians who are less fortunate than people like myself: people who are on hard times who have given their services to the industry and have fallen foul of circumstances, people on the street or with drug problems or whatever," Sting says. "You call MusiCares up and they say, 'Well, what do you need? Your rent paid? Your rehabilitation program?' I think it's important work. So I'm the figurehead this year, and I'm very proud to do that." The MusiCares board of directors, key staff and senior NARAS management select the annual honoree. "It's pretty much internal and staff-driven," Portnow says. "MusiCares has its own board of directors, separate and independent of the Recording Academy. Ultimately, between the board's suggestions and the staff's considerations, and then I get to put my two cents in, we've come up with our decision." In addition to MusiCares, Sting has a long history of supporting causes. He and his wife, Trudie Styler, co-founded the Rainforest Foundation. Among the other organizations he has endorsed are Amnesty International, Live Aid and the Juvenile Diabetes' Carousel of Hope.