Gold Badge honour for Dury

Dury's cockney verse has influenced generations of musicians

Veteran rocker Ian Dury is among the stars to be honoured at the annual Gold Badge awards of the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.

Dury, famous for his cheeky lyrics to songs like Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, will join other performers including Elkie Brooks and Steve Winwood at the London ceremony.

The Gold Badges, awarded for a special or lasting contribution to Britain's entertainment industry, will also go to radio DJ Paul Gambaccini and lyricist Bunny Lewis.

Ian Dury: Best known for Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

Ian Dury made his name with the bands Kilburn And The High Roads and then The Blockheads, whose albums New Boots & Panties and Do It Yourself were huge hits in the 1970s.

The 57-year-old singer-songwriter, who is suffering from cancer, made a comeback earlier this year with the album Mr Love Pants.

Rock star Elkie Brooks scored hits with Lilac Wine and Fool If You Think It's Over, while Steve Winwood, who played solo as well as with The Spencer Davis Group and Traffic, had hits including Higher Love and Roll With It.

Steve Winwood's brother Muff Winwood, a producer and A&R man, will also pick up a Basca Gold Badge at the ceremony in the Savoy Hotel.

Other recipients of the Gold Badge accolade will include TV composer Ronnie Hazlehurst, who wrote the themes to Last Of The Summer Wine, Are You Being Served? and Only Fools And Horses.

Centenarian composer Conrad Leonard will also be awarded the honour for his work with stars such as Gracie Fields and Peter Dawson.