AP Photo/Gerald HerbertFresh from performing with the Jonas Brothers at the Grammys, wunderkind Stevie Wonder was honored last night in Washington, D.C., by the very people for whom he's shown immeasurable support—the First Family.
President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama presented the 26-time Grammy winner with the Library of Congress' second-ever Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The award was established to recognize "lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding."
"We honor a man whose music and lyrics I fell in love with when I was a litte girl," the First Lady said during the festivities. "The first album I ever bought was Stevie Wonder's Talking Book. Years later, when I discovered what Stevie meant when he sang about love, Barack and I chose the song 'You and I' as our wedding song."
Other guests and performers at the event included India.Arie, will.i.am, Martina McBride and gospel duo Mary Mary. Planning for the concert celebration, which airs tonight on PBS, began last September.
The Motown legend had a significant presence throughout Obama's path to the White House. Wonder's music often played at rallies, and more importantly, the soul singer performed at the Democratic National Convention, when the now-president accepted the nomination, and twice during Obama's inaugural week.