The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is an award given to a composer or performer for their lifetime contributions to popular music. Created in 2007 by the United States Library of Congress, the prize is named after brothers George and Ira Gershwin, whose contributions to popular music included songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", and "Someone to Watch Over Me", the orchestral pieces Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris , and the opera Porgy and Bess . [1]
The national prize for popular song, eventually named the Gershwin Prize, was created by Peter Kaminsky, Bob Kaminsky, Cappy McGarr, Mark Krantz, and Dalton Delan, subsequent to their creation of the national humor award, the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize. The project was presented to the librarian, James Billington in 2003. The executive producers then secured a partnership with WETA, PBS, and CPB. The librarian bestowed the first award in 2007 to recognize "the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world’s culture" as part of the library's mission to recognize and celebrate creativity. The recipient of the Gershwin Prize is said to "exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins". In selecting the honoree, the librarian of Congress works with staff of the library's Music Division as well as the broader music community. [1]
On March 1, 2007, the library announced Paul Simon as the first honoree of the new award, which joins other awards bestowed by the library including the Living Legend and Kluge Prize. Simon received the prize during a concert gala featuring his music at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., on the evening of May 23, 2007. The event was nationally broadcast on PBS the evening of June 27, 2007. [1] Performers included Yolanda Adams, Marc Anthony, Shawn Colvin, The Dixie Hummingbirds, Jessy Dixon and the Jessy Dixon Singers, Jerry Douglas, Philip Glass, Alison Krauss, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lyle Lovett, Stephen Marley, Dianne Reeves, James Taylor, Grover and Elmo [2] Stevie Wonder, and Buckwheat Zydeco, as well as Simon's former collaborator Art Garfunkel. [3] [4]
On September 3, 2008, the library announced that Stevie Wonder would become the second recipient of the honor. [5] President Barack Obama presented Wonder with the Library of Congress's Gershwin Prize at a February 25, 2009 White House ceremony. [6] Performers included Wonder as well as India.Arie, Tony Bennett, Wayne Brady, Anita Johnson, Diana Krall, Mary Mary, Martina McBride, Rickey Minor, Paul Simon, Esperanza Spalding and will.i.am.
On November 18, 2009, the library announced Sir Paul McCartney as the third recipient of the honor. [7] The ceremony for McCartney was held June 2, 2010, in the East Room of the White House with President Obama and Mrs. Obama in attendance. Performers included McCartney as well as Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Jonas Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Corinne Bailey Rae, Dave Grohl, Faith Hill, Emmylou Harris, Lang Lang and Jack White, with remarks by Jerry Seinfeld. [8]
On September 27, 2011, the library announced Burt Bacharach and Hal David as the fourth recipients of the honor. [9] The presentation ceremony was May 9, 2012, during a White House tribute concert (recorded for later broadcast on PBS) with the president and Mrs. Obama in attendance. Performers included Stevie Wonder, Diana Krall, Lyle Lovett, Sheléa, Rumer, Sheryl Crow, Mike Myers, Arturo Sandoval, and Michael Feinstein, who spoke of Ira Gershwin's admiration of the pair's songs. The singer most closely associated with the Bacharach-David songbook, Dionne Warwick, sang “This Guy’s in Love With You” which was not included in the PBS broadcast. [10]
On December 13, 2012, Carole King became the honoree of the fifth Gershwin Prize, the first time it was awarded to a woman composer. [11] Tuesday, May 21, 2013, The library hosted an invitation-only concert at Coolidge Auditorium in honor of King. The all-star tribute included performances by Siedah Garrett, Colbie Caillat, Gian Marco, Shelby Lynne, Patti Austin, Arturo Sandoval and King's daughter, Louise Goffin. [12] The following night at the White House, the First Family joined King and star performers including James Taylor, Gloria Estefan, Emeli Sandé, Trisha Yearwood, Jesse McCartney and Billy Joel. [13]
On July 22, 2014, Billy Joel was announced as the sixth honoree of the Gershwin Prize, [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] named by the librarian of Congress under advisement of Library of Congress subject matter experts and an expanded advisory board that included Mary Chapin Carpenter (songwriter), Wesley Bulla (Belmont University), Anthony DeCurtis (Rolling Stone Magazine), Emilio Estefan (producer), Gregg Field (producer), Ed Hardy (CMA), Joel Katz (Global Entertainment), Stinson Liles (brand advisor), Rickey Minor (music director), Neil Portnow (President/CEO NARAS), Karen Sherry (ASCAP Foundation), Michael Strunsky (Ira and Leonore Gershwin Trusts) and Michelynn Woodard (Dr. Phil Foundation). [21] The honor ceremony along with a concert was held in Washington D.C. at DAR Constitution Hall [19] November 19, 2014, and aired by PBS January 2, 2015. [22] Kevin Spacey acted as emcee and Twyla Tharp (director of the Movin' Out musical) and Sir Paul McCartney gave special verbal tributes. [23] Performers included Boyz II Men ("The Longest Time"), Leann Rimes ("Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)"), Josh Groban ("She's Always a Woman"), Gavin DeGraw ("It's Still Rock and Roll To Me"), Michael Feinstein, Natalie Maines ("She's Got a Way"), John Mellencamp ("Allentown") and Tony Bennett ("New York State of Mind"). Joel ended the night by performing four songs: "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)", "Vienna", "You May Be Right", and "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song))". The show's finale was Kevin Spacey leading the performers singing "Piano Man". [24]
Willie Nelson was named the 2015 honoree. The two-day celebration began with a presentation and special display on Tuesday, November 18, 2015 in the library’s historic Thomas Jefferson Building with a group of the nation’s lawmakers, who recognized Nelson for his contributions to popular music. The Library of Congress recognized Willie Nelson as the honoree of the seventh Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Nelson was the first country music singer-songwriter to be awarded the prize.
Smokey Robinson was named the 2016 honoree. [25]
Tony Bennett was the 2017 honoree. [26] The celebration for the beloved 91 year old singer-songwriter began Wednesday afternoon November 15, 2017 and was hosted by Bruce Willis in the Jefferson Building.
There was no honoree in 2018.
The 2019 honorees of the prize were the husband-and-wife team of Emilio Estefan and Gloria Estefan. They received the prize in March 2019 at an all-star tribute concert in Washington, D.C. The concert aired on PBS stations nationwide. [27]
Garth Brooks was the 2020 honoree; he is the youngest recipient of the prize to date. [28]
There was no honoree in 2021.
Lionel Richie was the 2022 honoree. [29]
Joni Mitchell was the 2023 honoree. [30] She was celebrated with a concert delivered on March 2 in Washington, D.C. Performers included Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Angélique Kidjo, Herbie Hancock, Cyndi Lauper, Graham Nash, James Taylor, Ledisi, Lucius, Marcus Mumford, Sara Bareilles, and Celisse. Mitchell herself performed the George Gershwin song "Summertime" as well as participating in all-star renditions of her own compositions "Big Yellow Taxi" and "The Circle Game". [31] [32] [33]
A ceremony for 2024 honourees Elton John and Bernie Taupin was held on March 20, featuring performances from Garth Brooks, Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Jacob Lusk, Metallica, Joni Mitchell, Maren Morris, Billy Porter and Charlie Puth.
| Year | Inductee | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |  | Elton John | [34] |
 | Bernie Taupin | [34] | |
| 2023 |  | Joni Mitchell | [30] |
| 2022 |  | Lionel Richie | [29] |
| 2020 |  | Garth Brooks | [28] |
| 2019 |  | Gloria Estefan | [27] |
 | Emilio Estefan | [27] | |
| 2017 |  | Tony Bennett | [26] |
| 2016 |  | Smokey Robinson | [35] |
| 2015 |  | Willie Nelson | [36] |
| 2014 |  | Billy Joel | [37] |
| 2013 |  | Carole King | [38] |
| 2012 |  | Burt Bacharach | [39] |
 | Hal David | [40] | |
| 2010 |  | Paul McCartney | [41] |
| 2009 |  | Stevie Wonder | [42] |
| 2007 |  | Paul Simon | [43] |
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 20th century. With George, he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love", and "Someone to Watch Over Me". He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess.
Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her personal lyrics and unconventional compositions which grew to incorporate pop and jazz elements. Among her accolades are eleven Grammy Awards, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Rolling Stone called her "one of the greatest songwriters ever", and AllMusic has stated, "Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century."
William Martin Joel is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his signature 1973 song of the same name, Joel has had a successful career as a solo artist since the 1970s. From 1971 to 1993, he released 12 studio albums spanning the genres of pop and rock, and in 2001 released a one-off studio album of classical compositions. Joel is one of the world's best-selling music artists and the fourth-best-selling solo artist in the United States, with over 160 million records sold worldwide. His 1985 compilation album, Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II, is one of the best-selling albums in the United States.
Stevland Hardaway Morris, known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. One of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the 20th century, he is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include R&B, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-man band, Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of contemporary R&B. He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder.
Carole King Klein is an American singer-songwriter and musician. One of the most successful songwriters in American history, she wrote or co-wrote 118 pop hits appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 over the latter half of the 20th century. King also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts between 1962 and 2005.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heritage and legacy of a spectrum of the most beloved English language songs from the world's popular music songbook. It not only celebrates these established songwriters, but is also involved in the development of new English language songwriting talent through workshops, showcases, and scholarships. There are many programs designed to teach and discover new English language songwriters. Nile Rodgers serves as the organization's chairman.
Harold Lane David was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick.
The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five Honorees in the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C. While the awards are primarily given to individuals, they have occasionally been given to duos or musical groups, as well as to one Broadway musical, one television show, and one performing arts venue.
Carole Bayer Sager is an American lyricist, singer, songwriter, and painter.
Philip Rabinowitz, better known as Phil Ramone, was a South African-born American recording engineer, record producer, violinist and composer, and co-founder of A & R recording studio. Its success led to expansion into several studios and a record production company. He was described by Billboard as "legendary", and the BBC as a "CD pioneer".
"Carey" is a song from the 1971 Joni Mitchell album Blue. It was inspired by her time spent with Cary Raditz, living with a cave-dwelling hippie community at Matala, on the Greek island of Crete.
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2005. Irish rock band U2 were the main recipients with five awards including Album of the Year. Mariah Carey, John Legend, and Kanye West were each nominated for eight awards and won three; Alison Krauss & Union Station also won three awards; and Kelly Clarkson won two. Green Day were amongst the big winners, winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
Gershwin's World is a thirty-seventh studio album by the American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock.
Dalton Delan is an American writer, syndicated columnist, and television producer. He pens his syndicated column, the Unspin Room, for the Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper The Berkshire Eagle. His work with PBS and Sundance have won him numerous awards for documentaries and primetime shows. A number of his projects include working alongside notable figures like actor Robert Redford, Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates Jr. Delan oversaw the production of sixteen In Performance at the White House programs in collaboration with the Obama administration, as well as several under the Bush and Clinton administrations years prior. As executive producer, Delan brought music giants like Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach, and Carole King to the White House. The final program under the Obama administration, The Smithsonian Salutes Ray Charles, is documented on YouTube as "WETA at the White House", features singers like Demi Lovato, Usher, and Anthony Hamilton.
In Performance at the White House is a PBS television series of performances from the White House, the residence of the president of the United States. The series began in 1978.
Gregg Field is an American record producer and musician, who has worked with many well-known artists. He is a recipient of multiple Grammy and Emmy awards.
Cappy McGarr is an American entrepreneur, fundraiser, author, and Emmy-nominated producer based in Dallas, Texas. He is a co-creator of the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, as well as the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He was appointed to the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Bill Clinton in 1996, and re-appointed by President Barack Obama in 2011. He has also produced several shows for PBS’s In Performance at the White House series.
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