Bruce Springsteen, Bono among acts tapped for inaugural concert
Bruce Springsteen , Bono, Stevie Wonder and Garth Brooks top a roster of big-name acts who'll gather in Washington, DC, next Sunday (1/18) for a free concert that will mark the official start of inaugural festivities for President-Elect Barack Obama.
Dubbed "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial," the event will also feature Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, James Taylor, Will.I.Am, and Beyonce. Additional performers will be announced, according to organizers.
Veteran producer Rob Mathes will serve as musical director and arranger for the event's house band, which will back all of the aforementioned artists.
In addition to the musical performances, the event will also feature Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington, all of whom are scheduled to give readings of historical passages.
"Our intention is to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and prevail," executive producer George Stevens, Jr. (The Kennedy Center Honors) said in a prepared statement "We will combine historical readings by prominent actors with music from an array of the greatest stars of today."
According to a press release, HBO will "televise the event on an open signal, working with all of its distributors to allow Americans across the country with access to cable, telcos or satellite television to join in the Opening Celebration for free." Full details about the event are available at the Presidential Inaugural Committee's website.
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