PBS tonight airs the long-awaited “Paul McCartney: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song In Performance at the White House” at 8 p.m. EDT, with an encore showing at 9:30.
It’s an all-star concert that features music from McCartney himself and 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.
The Library announced in May that Sir Paul was to be the third recipient of the Gershwin Prize, which celebrates a lifetime of creative output in the realm of popular music. President Barack Obama conferred the Prize on the legendary rocker last month at the White House during the taping of the performance that airs tonight.
To whet your palate, enjoy a couple of videos. The first is a backstage look at the Jonas Brothers and their White House performance of “Drive My Car.” The second is White Stripes frontman Jack White’s rendition of the hauntingly beautiful “Mother Nature’s Son.”
You can read a little more about it on the Music Division’s blog, “In the Muse.”
Comments (7)
I find it ironic that your blog is governed by the rules of respectful discourse, yet you choose to honor someone who is so disrespectful. What hippocrites. Gershwin must be rolling over in his grave. We should eliminate funding for PBS.
USA is all about Freedom of Speech.
Lighten up, Bill Tell.
Bill, you are probably referring to McCartney’s (silly) private remark about Bush. You certainly wouldn’t deny anyone that freedom of speech would you? The only hippocrite may be you.
Thanks to LOC for putting the full Gershwin Prize concert online! Who would you like to see as the next Gershwin Prize recipient? Dolly Parton, Bill Monroe, Stanley Brothers, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Randy Newman…. Suggestions?
I have never heard a comment about unfunding PBS or APR from anyone who actually watches it. Everyone is , of course entitled to their opinion but PBS and NPR remain consistent and dependable.
They are refreshingly unbiased for the most part and in the news segments, they spend the proper amount of time to tell the story. They have no political entertainers and for that alone, they are just about the only touch of class left in media.
My choice for the next prize would be Steely Dan (Fagen and Becker). consistently high quality pop with a few masterworks thrown in for good measure.