Sir Paul McCartney Receives Gershwin Prize

Sir Paul McCartney Receives Gershwin Prize At White House Performance. President Barack Obama reiterated the role music plays in hard times, referring to the “difficult time” for the Gulf Coast on Wednesday evening while speaking at the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song presentation to Sir Paul McCartney during a star-studded ceremony in the White House East Room. President Obama who sat along with his family in the first row, surrounded by politicians and big names in music, said that his thoughts are with friends in an area (meaning the Gulf Coast) “so rich in musical heritage.”   Obama said it is “heartbreaking” adding that the group in the room is committed to help and see the community “made whole again.” The president noted, “part of what gets us through tough times is music” and that there’s always a kernel of ourselves “that sings even when times are hard.” Obama said the United States stole McCartney and singled out Speaker Nancy Pelosi for praise as being a champion of the arts.He said the Beatles “blew the walls down for everybody else” and “changed everything overnight” by appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show.”  Obama said McCartney and the Beatles “helped to lay the soundtrack for an entire generation.” According to cream colored programs with a yellow tassel and emblazoned with the presidential seal, provided to the journalists, the program was listed as “Selections by” the following artists: Corinne Bailey Rae, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl, Herbie Hancock, Emmylou Harris, Faith Hill, Jonas Brothers, Lang Lang and Jack White. Another notable episode of the evening was at the very close of the event.   After Obama had left the room, McCartney took the mic again and thanked the Library of Congress again for the award. He then said, “After the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is.”  Obama last year presented the same award to Stevie Wonder.  According to the White House communique, the prize commemorates “George and Ira Gershwin, the legendary American songwriting team whose extensive manuscript collections reside in the Library of Congress.  The prize is awarded to musicians whose lifetime contributions in the field of popular song exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.” The program, taped by WETA Washington, D.C., as part of the “In Performance at the White House” series, will air on PBS stations nationwide on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, at 8 p.m. EDT (check local listings) as “Paul McCartney: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song In Performance at the White House.”