LOS ANGELES: Lionel Richie will be honored all night long for his musical achievements.
The Library of Congress said Thursday that Richie will receive the national library’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He will be bestowed the prize at an all-star tribute in Washington, D.C., on March 9.
PBS stations will broadcast the concert on May 17.
“This is truly an honor of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to be receiving the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song,” Richie said in a statement. “I am proud to be joining all the other previous artists, who I also admire and am a fan of their music.”
Past recipients include Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett, Emilio and Gloria Estefan and Garth Brooks.
Richie is known for his catalog of hits including “All Night Long,” “Endless Love,” “Lady,” “Penny Lover,” “Truly” and “Stuck on You.” He co-wrote the historically popular song “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson.
Before his superstar solo career, Richie was a founding member of the Commodores, a funk and soul band that made waves in the 1970s. The group had tremendous success backed by chart-climbing hits such as “Three Times a Lady,” “Still” and “Easy.”
The singer has won four Grammys, an Oscar and the distinction of MusicCares Person of the Year in 2016. He was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2017.
Richie mentored aspiring music artists as a judge on ABC’s “American Idol” for the past four seasons. He expects to return for the show’s 20th season.
Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, said Richie has been an inspiring entertainer who helped “strengthen our global connections.”
“Lionel Richie’s unforgettable work has shown us that music can bring us together,” Hayden said. “Even when we face problems and disagree on issues, songs can show us what we have in common.”
Lionel Richie to receive Gershwin Prize for pop music
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Lionel Richie to receive Gershwin Prize for pop music
- The Library of Congress said Thursday that Richie will receive the national library's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song
- “This is truly an honor of a lifetime, and I am so grateful,” Richie said
Rhea Seehorn opts for Elie Saab look in Los Angeles
DUBAI/ LOS ANGELES: US actress Rhea Seehorn attended this weekend’s American Film Institute Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles in a monochrome look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab.
The “Pluribus” and “Better Call Saul” actress opted for an ankle-length daytime dress from Saab’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection that featured a sharp collar, cap sleeves and two pockets placed on the bodice.
She was dressed by celebrity stylist Jessica Paster, who regularly works with the liked of Emily Blunt and Quinta Brunson.
Other attendees at the luncheon event included Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Coogler, Timothee Chalamet and George Clooney.
According to The Associated Press’s Jonathan Landrum Jr., the institute celebrated the collaborative nature of film and television by honoring creative teams — in front of and behind the camera.
Inside the ballroom on Friday there were no acceptance speeches in the traditional sense and no suspense over envelopes. Instead, the AP reported, AFI’s ceremony unfolded as a series of thoughtfully written tributes: eloquent rationales for each honored film and television program, followed by brief clips designed to place the year’s work within a broader cultural and artistic context.
Films honored include “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Bugonia,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Jay Kelly,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Train Dreams” and “Wicked: For Good.”
Television shows recognized were “Adolescence,” “Andor,” “Death by Lightning,” “The Diplomat,” “The Lowdown,” “The Pitt,” “Severance,” “The Studio” and “Task.”
Closing the ceremony was US comedian and actress Carol Burnett, who delivered AFI’s annual benediction, celebrating the honorees’ achievements while reflecting on her own lifelong love of cinema and television.
“I’ve never lost the deep respect and love that I have for all the stories we tell through cinema and television and by all of those behind and in front of the camera,” Burnett said. “Creative collaboration has always remained at the heart of our work, and AFI brings us all together. The world is a better place for having heard your voices.”
The luncheon also featured AFI’s signature March of Time video montage, a sweeping look at cinematic and television milestones from decades past, situating this year’s honorees within the evolving history of the medium.
