Smokey Robinson Honored with Eighth Annual Gershwin Prize
PBS will air the tribute concert for the legendary Motown and R&B singer and songwriter on February 10, 2017.
By: Sarah Sisk
On November 16, the award ceremony and tribute concert for the eighth annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song was held at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The Gershwin Initiative’s editor-in-chief Dr. Mark Clague and managing editor, Dr. Jessica Getman, traveled to D.C. to attend the annual concert that celebrates each year’s Gershwin Prize recipient. (Perhaps you have seen some of their photos from the evening on our Facebook page, American Music Institute / Gershwin Initiative.)
Smokey Robinson was this year’s awardee of the Gershwin Prize, a distinction given by the Library of Congress to musical artists whose careers “reflect[s] lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding.” The prize’s name is a reflection of the significant contribution made to America’s popular music culture by the Gershwins, whose hundreds of popular songs written for theatre and film were some of the most prominent of their era, and whose legacy continues to influence and inspire artists.
Smokey Robinson accepting the Gershwin Prize at DAR Constitution Hall.
Smokey Robinson, a Detroit-born blues and soul artist, began his musical career in Motown in the late 1950s with his rhythm and blues group that came to be known as The Miracles. From their first hit single “Shop Around” in 1960, the group produced dozens of hits, with Robinson singing, songwriting, and producing through the 1960s. Aside from writing successful songs for other Motown artists, he was also a record executive and talent scout. Some of his other most memorable hits include “Ooh Baby Baby,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” and “The Tears of a Clown,” which was co-written with Stevie Wonder. Spanning inside and outside the recording studio, it would be difficult to name an artist who has made a more definitive impact on the sound and popularity of Motown and its subsequent influence on America’s popular music scene.
Actor Samuel L. Jackson hosted the occasion that celebrated Smokey Robinson’s career. Some of the artists who performed included Kip Moore, Esperanza Spalding, JoJo, Ceelo Green, and BeBe Winans, honoring the Motown Legend with renditions of his songs and other R&B classics. Robinson himself performed his 1981 number “Being With You” and his early 1964 hit “My Girl,” as well as the Gershwin jazz standard “Love is Here to Stay.” “It was a fun and well-planned concert—everything went very smoothly,” says Dr. Getman. “Smokey Robinson was extremely gracious, and it was a good performing opportunity for young stars.”
The concert will be aired on PBS on February 10, 2017. Check your local listings for the precise times. Congratulations, Smokey!
