In 1973, the beloved Dick Clark created the American Music Awards to give fans the power to vote for their favorite artists– a departure from the Grammys’ traditional voting system. And although the “eternal teenager” is no longer here to oversee the success of the event, the show must go on.
AMA producers announced Wednesday that Stevie Wonder will perform a special tribute to the late radio/television personality at this Sunday’s live ceremony. Clark died on April 18 at age 82.
“Without a Dick Clark, our entire current musical repertoire might be classical in nature. Not that there’s anything wrong with classical music, but Clark helped Beethoven roll over and tell Tchaikovsky the news,” AMA producer Larry Klein said in a statement. “Sunday’s tribute to Dick Clark performed by the iconic Stevie Wonder is going to be talked about for years to come.”
Ryan Seacrest, who will introduce Wonder, added, “I am honored to be a part of the AMAs tribute to Dick Clark. He was a mentor, friend and a wonderful advocate for popular music, helping make it one of the cornerstones of American culture. We miss him dearly.”
Wonder joins a laundry list of performers set to hit the stage that include Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and more.
The 40th annual American Music Awards will air live this Sunday (Nov. 18) at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.
