Academy honours Lennox

Two of Scotland's biggest stars are to be honoured by the country's leading performing arts academy.

Singer Annie Lennox and comedian Billy Connolly will both be awarded honorary doctorates by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD).

The pair, who have no links to the institution, will receive the awards in person at the academy's summer graduation ceremony in Glasgow on July 4.

RSAMD principal John Wallace said honouring the stars would send an important message to students.

The awards follow a recent similar honour for Russian piano virtuoso Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Also receiving an honorary doctorate from the academy on the day is Ian Green, the head of Celtic music specialist label Greentrax Recordings.

Mr Wallace said: "Scotland's Royal Academy is on a roll and we are delighted to be able to follow our honorary doctorate to Vladimir Ashkenazy last Monday by bestowing the same honour on similarly high-performing individuals in their own fields.

"The academy is living through exciting times and the presence of Annie Lennox, Billy Connolly and Ian Green will send an important message of encouragement to our students from the peaks of the professional attainment - you can do it too."

Former Eurythmics singer Lennox, 51, was recently honoured with a Founders Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, joining the likes of Elvis Costello, Sir Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

She is also on the bill of this Saturday's Prince's Trust 30th anniversary concert in London.

Glasgow-born Connolly, who is 63, has successfully branched out into acting and is currently in the middle of a 20-show run in New York.

Around 180 graduates in courses such as stage management and composition will be presented with degrees at the ceremony.