JACK WHITE and LORETTA LYNN

The 72-year-old singer will be awarded an honorary doctorate for her contribution to contemporary music at a ceremony at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday (17MAR07).

Lynn has also been praised for penning lyrics about real-life situations facing women across the world.

She explains, "You put out a song that isn't life, nobody is going to care for it, because if nobody is living that life, how are you going to sell a record if it's just RING AROUND THE ROSIE?

"You know, you've got to put your whole heart into a song, and that's what I did with every song that I wrote."

DUKE ELLINGTON, ARETHA FRANKLIN and BONNIE RAITT have been past recipients of honorary doctorates from the college.

Source: WENN