Willie Nelson To Receive Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song

Willie Nelson. Photo: Danny Clinch

Willie Nelson will be honored by the The Library of Congress tonight (Wednesday, Nov. 18) as he has been named the 2015 recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The event will take place in Washington D.C. and will include a concert event featuring performances by Nelson himself along with Edie Brickell, Leon Bridges, Rosanne Cash, Ana Gabriel, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Cyndi Lauper, Raul Malo of The Mavericks, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Paul Simon, Neil Young and Buckwheat Zydeco. The master of ceremonies for the event will be actor Don Johnson.

“It is a great honor to be receiving the Gershwin award,” said Nelson.  “I have been a fan of Ira and George Gershwins‘ music since I was a little guy and in appreciation for the award-and also I wanted to make some great music-I’ve just recorded a complete Gershwin album. It’s called Summertime.”

The two-day celebration began with a presentation yesterday (Tue. 11/17) and special display on in the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building with a group of the nation’s lawmakers, who recognized Nelson for his contributions to popular music.

“Willie Nelson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize” will air on PBS stations nationwide at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 15. The program also will be broadcast at a later date via the American Forces Network to U.S. Department of Defense locations around the world.