Female Announcer:
From the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Matt Raymond:
Well, good evening, everybody.  Thank you for coming.  My name is Matt Raymond.  I'm the director of Communications here at the Library of Congress (Library).  We are the largest library in the world and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States.  Before I introduce our speakers -- again, a reminder to please silence any mobile phones or PDAs.  

Joining Stevie Wonder to make remarks today are the Librarian of Congress Dr.  James H.  Billington and Peter Kaminsky, who is executive producer of the Gershwin Prize.  But first let me introduce the 13th Librarian of Congress, Dr.  James Billington.

James Billington:
Thank you very much, and welcome to all of you for coming on this special event of what we might call "Wonder Week" here in Washington, D.C.  We're really tremendously honored to have you all with us. 

In association with the four executive producers of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, this will be the second presentation, but a very special one.  This award is given because it is a matter of fact that the Library of Congress is a repository of our nation's creativity via the Copyright Office and by other means.  We have the world's largest music collection -- part of which is among the three million sound recordings of our new Packard Audio-Visual Conservation Center, about three million items there -- about 20 million items in the Music Division including sheet music, manuscripts, libretti and books, and about three million in our American Folklife Center.  So we are in many ways a repository of America's creativity, and we have one of our most creative Americans here today to honor.  

The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize recognizes the central and vital role of popular song and popular music in America.  It was created in tribute to the incomparable Gershwin brothers, George and Ira, whose collections reside here and who, in their own time, were enormously influential to popular song.  We're delighted to have the privilege, in consultation with a panel of some of the eminent individuals from the fields of music and entertainment, of selecting Gershwin Prize recipients.  The first one was Paul Simon, and the second is the incomparable Stevie Wonder.  The epitome of what the Gershwin Prize stands for, he's created musical and cultural boundaries, he's gone across them, he's made contributions to humanity far beyond the realm of entertainment.  He has brought diverse listeners together, fostered mutual understanding and appreciation among people the world over, and over a long career has created a very distinctive body of music that has become an important part of America's cultural fabric.

There are some added distinctions this year: First of all, tonight we will hear the world premiere of a musical piece that the Library commissioned of Stevie Wonder entitled "Sketches of a Life," which promises to be a unique departure from his previous work.  Stevie Wonder and 21 other talented musicians will perform, for the very first time, a remarkable chamber ensemble using a variety of instruments - a great variety of instruments, including two pianos, a harp and a harmonica.  This is a great occasion.  We believe he'll be performing on the same stage where, for 80 years, there have been almost 500 commissions, including many jazz works, but also the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Bela Bartok, Samuel Barber, Igor Stravinsky, and Aaron Copeland.  We're also honored that President and Mrs. Obama will present the Gershwin Prize to Stevie on Wednesday at the White House's private all-star salute to the work of Stevie Wonder, which will be broadcast the following night on PBS in honor of African American History Month.  

It's very appropriate that we have this wonderful figure with us.  It's Black History Month, of course.  We're also the home of the national service for the blind [National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped]  which takes 23 million items every year -- talking books and braille and other materials -- out through the local library systems of America.  

But above all, what a hero of creativity, and without any further ado, I'm pleased to introduce the winner of the second Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Stevie Wonder.

[applause]

Stevie Wonder:
Thank you so very much.  I never imagined being here, but I know that God did, and so I'm very thankful to God for this day, this opportunity, and all of you that have made it possible.

I have read about the Library of Congress, gotten books from the Library of Congress, talking books as a little boy from the Library of Congress.  And it is truly an honor to be standing here knowing that you commissioned this piece that I started working on as far back as 1976, and I finished on the day that Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa.

"Sketches of a Life" really is sketches of my life, the different experiences that I've had in my life, the influences musically that I've had -- even though not all of them, so many of them -- and it talks about, as well, my life experience.  There's a part, in particular, that in rehearsing today, I realized how much I missed my mother.  And it became very emotional for me because in it I could hear her voice, I can hear her joy, I can hear my cry of missing her.  

But not just that; missing so many of those that we have lost who have wanted for this world to have a time and space of peace, in specifically this country.  So I know that those cries are really tears of joy, knowing that we are closer than ever before in becoming a united people of the United States of America.  I'm excited because I've always believed that it would happen.  I have never seen a person who was black, or white, red, yellow or brown, so you all look the same to me.

[laughter] 

But, I do look at your souls and hearts, so I'm convinced that if you use your hearts in the right way, and that we can come together in the right way, we will experience miracles never imagined, created by just those positive spirits.  We are going to have challenges as we always do, no different than writing a song or creating a piece.  But at the end of the day, the celebration is in that we did it together for the good of everyone.

So I thank all of you that are here in this room.  I thank all of you that will hear or see this, and I thank all of you for believing in giving hope to those who feel hopeless, allowing those who feel faithless, a sense of faith in music, in life, in love, in this country and in today and tomorrow.  I thank you so much for this honor of - I thank all of you so much for just encouraging me.  This is crazy - I never imagined this but  I know that God did, so thank you.

[applause]

I just want to add one other thing.  I truly want to thank, along with you here, I want to thank Paul Riser, who orchestrated this piece for me, and of course, not only he as a friend, but as well a very special friend who put this all together like magic, Mr. Rickey Minor.

[applause]

So you'll hear it, you'll check it out, you'll see how good it is.

[laughter]

No, [laughs] I'm just excited.  I just have to remember all my parts so, cool.

[applause]

Matt Raymond:
Peter Kaminsky is the executive producer and head writer of the Gershwin Prize.  The Kaminsky brothers -- Bob and Peter -- along with Mark Krantz and Cappy McGarr created the Gershwin Prize here at the Library.  Those same partners also created the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.  I should also mention that Peter studied under Dr. Billington at Princeton University.  So Peter, if you'd give us a few words?



Peter Kaminsky:
I never dreamed I'd ever be following Stevie Wonder, so it's a spectacular moment in my family's life.  So all I will add to that is, I took seven courses with Professor Billington at Princeton because that was all he gave.  Otherwise I would have taken some more.  And I fell in love with "Fingertips" when I was 16 years old and I believe Stevie was 13, and I've not stopped loving his music since.  I simply want to say, from what I have heard, and it's just been on a tinny old Macintosh computer from rehearsal, you're about to hear an amazing, intelligent and spiritual piece of music.  So, God bless Stevie Wonder and Dr. Billington.

Thank you.

[applause]

Matt Raymond:
As Stevie mentioned, we do have Rickey Minor here as well.  He's known, probably best, to tens of millions of Americans as the music director for "American Idol."  He has also done music direction duties on a number of very large scale projects including the Grammies and the Super Bowl.  His client list reads like a who's who of American popular music, including Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Beyonce and the late Ray Charles.  So Rickey, if you would, please.

[applause]

Rickey Minor:
Thank you.  You know, it's interesting.  I, like Stevie, never thought I'd be standing here.  But the thing is, when Stevie calls, you just don't ask what or where, you just say when, and make it happen.  That's really what I think what he counts on us to do.  Paul Riser and I and our team really came to bat to make this happen tonight and there's a lot of love.  I'd like to bring Paul up with me.  Paul has worked with Stevie arranging for him for many years --

[applause]

-- and so this is how we look after not sleeping for three days in making this happen.  

[laughter]

So imagine how good we looked earlier.  But Paul and I worked very hard in bringing this forward, and given the task that this is such an amazing piece that will move you and really touch you in a special way, and Paul loved on every single note written, and so we really hope that you enjoy it.  Paul?

Paul Riser:
Yes, and I just want to say a few words.  Stevie and Rickey have said practically everything, but I want to just say that this is a very special moment for a dear friend, Stevie, a very dear friend.  I met Stevie when I was 19 years old.  We were both kids at Motown, okay?  And we've maintained this friendship and this spiritual togetherness, I call it, for the past probably 47-48 years, and I have nothing but love for this man, as the world does.  And Rickey Minor?  I mean, he's just a super, super talent.  This is a team effort.  Trust me.  This whole piece is a team effort, without it, the team.  There are people in Los Angeles who have contributed; I want to mention in particular Diane Louie.  It would just never have happened without the team work and the love for Stevie and his music.  All right? We love you.

[applause]

Thank you to the Library of Congress.  Thank you, thank you.

Matt Raymond:
With that we'll field any questions that you might have.  We have at least a few minutes.

Stevie Wonder:
Can I just say one other thing?

Matt Raymond:
Certainly.

Stevie Wonder:
I wanted to bring Dr.  Billington up because I remember sitting at a piano with he and Bob Kaminsky, and playing this piece and saying, "You think the people would like this?"  "Come on, you got to do this.  Put a little harmonica in this.  Come on, it's amazing," because I -- every single part of it I did write.  I played it for years and years and years, was practicing it and learning how to play it in different keys and all that kind of stuff, challenging myself, but when I heard the musicians play it today, it was such an amazing experience, and I hope that you know that you have made such an incredible dream of mine come true.  Thank you so much for that.

[applause]

Dr. James Billington:
I can't tell you how moved I was by hearing the generosity, the richness of the energy of this wonderful man as he was in the process of playing an early version of this great work.  So we're all going to be, I think, thrilled and energized to hear it tonight.  I'll have to tell you that way above and beyond the mere conferring of a prize, listening to you in your home and talking with you about it has been a source of inspiration for me, as I think it will be for all of us for whom music is the international language that brings people together.  

So, anyhow, I think we're ready for any questions you may have real rapidly?


Matt Raymond:
Yeah, I think we are running a little bit behind but we will take questions for just a few minutes and will you please state your name and affiliation.

Bob Kramer :
My name is Bob Kramer from Germany.  You said music is the international language.  Your audience is much wider than one country or one nation.  Maybe a few words for your German friends?

Stevie Wonder:
Ich liebe Dich.

[laughter]

Bob Kramer [spelled phonetically]:
That's good.

Stevie Wonder:
Yes, I think "I love you" always works wherever you go.  

[laughter]

I just thank all the people in Germany for your support. And for just you being here to hear what we've done and know that great classical musicians from your country as well influence what you'll hear today.

Wisdom Martin:
Wisdom Martin, from Fox 5, here in Washington, D.C.  Stevie, did I hear you say you started on this in '76 -- 1976?

Stevie Wonder:
Yes, uh-huh.  Yes, '76.

Marshall:
Was there something that inspired you to start this in that year, or to keep working on it all this time? 

Stevie Wonder:
Well, you know, obviously, to say that I worked on it every single day between then and now, when President Mandela became president would be a little small story.  

[laughter]

But the truth is I did spend, you know, X amount of time messing with it, playing the piece, and you know, it was just something I was doing for just fun; you know, because of my love for classical music, and listening to Stravinsky and Bach and Beethoven, and the various incredible composers, I just wanted to just do it.  It was fun.  And so what was fun became various movements that also expressed my life and my experiences in this life of mine, and so I just kept on.

Matt Raymond:
One more.

Female Speaker:
What is your new song about?

Stevie Wonder:
My new song?

Female Speaker:
Yes.

Stevie Wonder:
I did a song called "All About the Love Again," which is on the CD.  It was a celebration of the inauguration of our president, but this is a piece.  This is where you don't hear Stevie Wonder sing, you hear him play and the harmonica and all that kind of stuff.

Matt Raymond:
Let me see if there are any other outlets.  Are there any other folks?  Back there, please.

Judith Bouphal [spelled phonetically]:
Hi.  My name is Judith Boupal.  You said you finished the piece when Nelson Mandela was president, but why did it take a long time to perform this? 

Stevie Wonder:
Well, because I didn't know that anyone would ever ask for me to do it, and so I just did it.  I just did it.  And then, you know, when I heard of this incredible surprise of me possibly receiving the Gershwin Prize for honoring song, and knew that I could do a recital and be commissioned, you know, I thought of this piece and so, here we go.

[laughter and applause]

Matt Raymond:
Thank you all so much and obviously we want to thank Stevie for his presence here, and also the wonderful talented team that is behind tonight's concert.  And of course, we would be remiss if we did not thank the Gershwin family who make this possible, and obviously this wonderful collection that we have as well.  

Thank you all.

[applause]

Female Announcer:
This has been a presentation of the Library of Congress.  Visit us at loc.gov.

[end of transcript]