May 19, 2007

I grew up with this guy's music

The Library of Congress has instituted a new award.

Named for the brothers Gershwin (Ira and George):

The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song will honor either a songwriter, interpreter, or singer/songwriter whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of artistic expression and cultural understanding.

Paul Simon is the first recipient of the Gershwin Prize; he'll be honored onstage at Warner Theater in DC on May 23. It will be broadcast nationally on PBS on June 27.

Performers include Yolanda Adams, Marc Anthony, Shawn Colvin, Dixie Hummingbirds, Jerry Douglas, Art Garfunkel, Philip Glass, Alison Krauss, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lyle Lovett, Stephen Marley, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder and Buckwheat Zydeco. Presenters include former poet laureate Billy Collins, Bob Costas, Charles Grodin and Lorne Michaels.

I have every album Simon released with Garfunkel, but I only have one two of the solo albums. That's a mistake. I certainly know a lot of the music contained on them.

If you're going to start a new lifetime achievement award with the lofty goal of giving it to someone who has crossed cultural borders his entire career, I'd say Simon is a good choice. From El Condor Pasa to Graceland, he's done about every kind of world music there is.

Posted by Linkmeister at May 19, 2007 12:56 PM | TrackBack
Comments

I realized as I read along that this is only incidentally about Gershwin, but having last night sung in the chorus in an absolutely rockin' performance of Porgy and Bess, with the Oakland East Bay Symphony and a fine collection of local soloists, I have Gershwin on my mind!

Nonetheless, I agree with you fully about Paul Simon, and you're right, I've gotta go get the solo albums. Let's add One Trick Pony to that list...

Posted by: hedera at May 19, 2007 07:25 PM

I hope that the one solo album you have is Graceland.

Posted by: Scott at May 19, 2007 07:51 PM

Heh. I just looked. I'm wrong, I have two, but neither is Graceland. Still Crazy and Rhymin' Simon.

Posted by: Linkmeister at May 19, 2007 07:54 PM