Dr. John and Allen Toussaint, two favorite sons of New Orleans, will receive honorary degrees from Tulane University in New Orleans at its 2013 Commencement, the school announced earlier today. Both Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees will receive honorary doctor of fine arts degrees at the school's May 18 commencement ceremony, to be held at the Superdome. The Dalai Lama, who is set to deliver the keynote address at the event, will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Natasha Trethewey, the United States poet laureate and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, also will be awarded a doctor of humane letters.

University President Scott Cowen, in making the announcement, cites Dr. John, whose latest album, Locked Down, is up for Best Blues Album at next month's Grammy Awards, for his "one-of-a-kind blend of voodoo mysticism, funk, rhythm and blues, psychedelic rock and Creole roots music." Cowen describes Dr. John, aka Mac Rebennack, as "a tireless advocate for New Orleans recovery, through fundraising concerts and recordings."

Cowen goes on to describe Toussaint, whose 2009 Nonesuch debut album, The Bright Mississippi explores the work of his New Orleans forebears, as "one of contemporary music's most influential songwriters, composers and producers ... [who] has been helping to keep New Orleans music alive and thriving for decades."

Both Dr. John and Allen Toussaint will perform at the 2013 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at the end of April. For additional details on this and other upcoming shows on their tour schedules, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.