In Performance at the White House – Celebrating the Music of Stevie Wonder
An evening of celebration with President and Mrs. Obama at the White House in honor of musician Stevie Wonder's receipt of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song took place February 25, 2009. The concert included performances by Wonder with a cavalcade of popular musicians, performing a selection of Wonder's hit songs. The sixty-minute program aired Thursday, February 26, 2009, at 8 p.m. ET on PBS stations nationwide. (check local listings)
Watch the broadcast of "In Performance at the White House – Celebrating the Music of Stevie Wonder".
The Performers
The performers for "In Performance at the White House – Celebrating the Music of Stevie Wonder," included India.Arie; Tony Bennett; Wayne Brady; Anita Johnson; Diana Krall; Mary Mary; Martina McBride; Rickey Minor; Paul Simon; Esperanza Spalding; and Will.i.am.
In Performance at the White House
"In Performance at the White House" began with an East Room recital by the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz in 1978, and since then has embraced virtually every genre of American music: pop, country, gospel, jazz and the blues among them. The series was created to showcase the rich fabric of American culture in the setting of the nation's most famous home. Past programs have showcased such talent as the United States Marine Band, singer Natalie Cole, the best of Broadway musicals and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. "Stevie Wonder In Performance at the White House: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize" will be the first "In Performance at the White House" program during President Barack Obama's Administration.
The Gershwin Prize for Popular Song
The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is named in honor of the legendary George and Ira Gershwin. This award recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world's culture. The prize is given annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins. The first Gershwin Prize was awarded to Paul Simon in May 2007.
"In Performance at the White House: Fiesta Latina" is a production of WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Latino Public Broadcasting. The executive producers of "In Performance at the White House: Fiesta Latina" are Dalton Delan and David S. Thompson of WETA and Tim Swift of Bounce, a division of AEG. Corporate funding for the program is provided by Pepsi-Cola. Foundation support is provided by The Annenberg Foundation.
Major funding is also provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television viewers.
