In recent years, Higgins has moved into film production with his sons Julian and Aaron, producing "Beast Beneath" (distributed by Entertainment One), 2009's "Poker Run" (also distributed by Entertainment One) and 2012's "The Colombian Connection", starring Tom Sizemore and "Christmas in Hollywood". He was inducted into the Florida Music Hall of Fame with a lifetime achievement award in January 2016 along with Jimmy Buffett, Julio Iglesias and Tom Petty. He was inducted into the Las Vegas Entertainers' Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2017 Higgins was knighted in a ceremony in Los Angeles, received an honorary PhD (doctorate) from Hannover University, and was inducted into both the Mozart and Beethoven societies. In 2019 he was also inducted in the Florida Artists Hall of Fame along with such notables as Ernest Hemingway. This is a legislative decision and will be displayed on the wall of the state capitol in Tallahassee, FL.