(Washington) Canadian singer Joni Mitchell will be in the American capital on Wednesday evening to receive new recognition: the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress.
The 79-year-old artist from Alberta is the first Canadian and only the third woman to win this prestigious award since its inception in 2007.
A concert was organized for the occasion, with performances by Annie Lennox, James Taylor, Brandi Carlile and Cyndi Lauper, among others.
It’s another step in the return to prominence for Mitchell, who last summer gave a surprise concert with Carlile at the Newport Folk Festival, his first live performance in more than 20 years.
Mitchell, who now lives in Los Angeles, is gradually recovering from a ruptured brain aneurysm she suffered in 2015.
As a Gershwin Award winner, she joins a select group of legendary singer-songwriters, including Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Carole King.