Gladys Knight will receive the Raymond Weil International Award at the 2015 O2 Silver Clef Awards.

Gladys Knight

Gladys Knight

The 71-year-old icon will be honoured with the prize at the 40th edition of the annual ceremony - which has raised more than £8.5 million for music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins over the years - at the event on July 3 at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

On being announced as the winner of the prestigious award, she said: "I am thrilled and honoured to be awarded the Raymond Weil International Award by Nordoff Robbins, a charity which does such incredible work. This has been a great opportunity for me to hear about the many people Nordoff Robbins help through their music therapy work. I am really looking forward to collecting my award on 3 July."

The seven-time Grammy Award winner had a string of hits from the 1960s onwards as Gladys Knight and the Pips, including 'Every Beat of My Heart', 'Letter Full of Tears' and the smash hit 'Midnight Train to Georgia', and has recorded more than 38 albums during her career, spanning over five decades.

Gladys - who has collaborated with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick and Sir Elton John during her life - will be presented with the award alongside other already-announced winners Duran Duran, Kasabian, James Bay, Rita Ora, Jake Bugg, Primal Scream, Mark Ronson, Iron Maiden and Il Divo.