Pop music icon Lionel Richie will be awarded with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced that Richie will be honored with an all-star tribute concert in Washington, D.C., that will be broadcast nationally on PBS stations on May 17.
A songwriting superstar of the first order, Richie is known for his mega-hits such as “Endless Love,” “Lady,” “Truly,” “All Night Long,” “Penny Lover,” “Stuck on You,” “Hello,” “Say You, Say Me,” and “Dancing on the Ceiling.” He co-wrote one of the most important pop songs in history, “We Are the World,” for USA for Africa.
Richie has mentored young artists as a judge on ABC‘s “American Idol” for the past four seasons and is set to return for the show’s 20th season.
“In so many ways, this national honor was made for Lionel Richie whose music has entertained and inspired us – and helped strengthen our global connections,” Hayden said. “Lionel Richie’s unforgettable work has shown us that music can bring us together. Even when we face problems and disagree on issues, songs can show us what we have in common.”
Richie’s songs are part of the fabric of pop music and American culture. The Tuskegee, Alabama, native has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide. He has won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, four Grammy Awards, the distinction of MusicCares Person of the Year in 2016, and was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2017.
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