The Library of Congress recently announced that Stevie Wonder would be the second recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. (See story on page 179 in this issue.) Named in honor of popular music forebears George and Ira Gershwin, the award recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world’s culture and honors a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions achieve the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.
With headlines like “Little Stevie Wonder’s Still Got It,” “More Sunshine for Stevie Wonder’s Life” and “Just Calling to Say Stevie Wonder Will Receive Gershwin Prize,” media outlets far and wide—from France, Australia and Canada to Kansas, New Jersey, Tennessee, Seattle and Texas—ran news of the commendation. Major outlets running the story included The New York Times, the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, Reuters, E! Entertainment News, Philadelphia Inquirer, UPI and Voice of America.
In his remarks at the event, Wouk quoted philosopher Isaiah Berlin, who once told him: “You’ve been a creative artist. And there’s nothing better to do with a human life.
“This is a moment,” Wouk said, “when I’m inclined to believe it.”
The Washington Examiner was quick to report a mistake made in the Library’s introduction of William Safire, referring to him as “a speechwriter for Lincoln.” (Safire was a former Nixon speechwriter.) Through laughter, Safire said “that was the best introduction I’ve ever had. It would have been nice if he’d mentioned that I came up with the phrase ‘with malice toward none.’”
Also running stories about Wouk were The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday News (Lancaster, Pa.) and blogs from the Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel and USA Today.
