Lionel Richie will be honored for his musical achievements.
The Library of Congress reported Thursday that Richie will receive the National Library’s Gershwin Popular Song Award at a star-studded concert in Washington on March 9.
PBS networks will air the concert on May 17.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime honor, and I am very grateful to receive the Gershwin Award for Popular Song,” Richie said in a statement. “I am proud to join all the other artists above, whom I also admire and am a fan of their music.”
Previous honorees include Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett, Emilio and Gloria Estefan and Garth Brooks.
Richie is known for a catalog of hits including “All Night Long,” “Endless Love,” “Lady,” “Penny Lover,” “Truly,” and “Stuck on You.” He also co-wrote the iconic “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson.
Before reaching superstardom as a solo artist, Richie was a founding member of the Commodores, a funk and soul band that caused a sensation in the 1970s. The group had tremendous success backed by chart-topping hits such as “Three Times. a Lady “,” Still “and” Easy “.
The singer has received four Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and MusicCares Person of the Year in 2016. He was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2017.
Richie has mentored aspiring music artists as a judge on ABC’s “American Idol” for the past four seasons. He hopes to return for the show’s 20th season.
Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, said Richie has been an inspiring artist who helped “strengthen our global connections.”
“Lionel Richie’s unforgettable work has shown us that music can bring us together,” said Hayden. “Even when we face problems and disagree, songs can show us what we have in common.”
