Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Neil Diamond faced a race against time to attend the ceremony in New York on Monday (14Mar11) - he flew into the U.S. from Australia just in time.
The Sweet Caroline crooner is being honoured as part of the class of 2011, alongside such luminaries as Tom Waits, Alice Cooper and Leon Russell.
But Diamond admits he had to stick to a tight schedule in order to make it to the big bash at the Big Apple's The Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where he will be inducted by Paul Simon.
Speaking before the event, he said, "I flew in from Australia and I'm flying back tomorrow, bit I wouldn't miss this for the world.
"It's right up at the top there, it's got a place of its own, because getting accepted by your peers and by people that you idolise is very, very special, so I'm very happy to be part of this whole shindig tonight."