Briefs: Bonnie Raitt Honored, George Jones Ailing

• Nine-time Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt has been chosen as the recipient of the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance. The award will be given to Raitt during the group’s 11th annual Honors and Awards ceremony, slated for Sept. 12 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Previous recipients have included Gregg Allman, Wanda Jackson, Asleep at the Wheel, Jason & the Scorchers, Joe Ely, Alejandro Escovedo, Chris Hillman, Levon Helm and Emmylou Harris.

Raitt, whose music often blends blues, rock and country, has been influential in shaping American roots music, but has had surprisingly little country crossover success in her career. In fact, her only charting country song was “Don’t It Make Ya Wanna Dance,” from the “Urban Cowboy” film soundtrack. That song peaked at No. 42 in 1980.

• An ailing George Jones (right) has postponed all of his performances through May 20, including the entire Canadian run of his tour. The Country Music Hall of Famer is recuperating from upper respiratory infection and continues to rest at his Franklin, Tenn. home. Although his publicist says Jones is doing much better, doctors are ordering mandatory recovery time. In all, nine dates have just been postponed, in addition to several others called off in the last few weeks.

• Country duo Love and Theft will perform their current top 30 single, “Angel Eyes,” during a scene in next week’s episode of ABC’s new drama series, “GCB.” The episode featuring the duo airs Sunday, April 29 at 10 p.m. (ET). “Angel Eyes” is the debut single from Love and Theft’s forthcoming self-titled album, being released on July 24.

“Performing ‘Angel Eyes’ on ‘GCB’ was definitely a killer experience,” says the band’s Stephen Barker Liles. “I started watching the show from episode one and I really love it. I grew up a preacher’s kid so I can closely relate to a lot of the dialog. We are thrilled to be involved with such a fun new show!”

Adds band mate Eric Gunderson, “Being a part of ‘GCB’ was a blast. The cast was so easy to work with and they made us feel right at home. It was cool to see the film side of the entertainment business and get a taste of what acting is all about.”