Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Friday that Lionel Richie will be the next recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
Posted at 11:27
Awarded in honor of legendary songwriters George and Ira Gershwin, the Gershwin Prize recognizes the lifetime achievement of a musical artist. Past winners include Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney, Carole King, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett and Garth Brooks.
“This is truly the honor of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to receive the Gershwin Award for Popular Song,” Richie said in a statement. I am proud to join all the other previous artists, whom I also admire and whose music I am a fan of. »
Pop music icon Lionel Richie has sold over 125 million albums worldwide. He won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, four Grammy Awards. He is the creator of megahits such as Endless Love, Lady, All Night Long, Say You, Say Me… He co-wrote one of the most famous pop songs on the planet, We Are the World, for the USA for Africa humanitarian event.
“Lionel Richie’s unforgettable work has shown us that music can bring us together. Even when we face issues and disagree on certain issues, songs can show us what we have in common,” Carla Hayden said in a statement.
Lionel Richie will receive the Gershwin Award at a multi-star tribute concert in Washington, DC on March 9. PBS will broadcast the concert nationwide on May 17 at 9 p.m.