WASHINGTON, DC (CelebrityAccess) – Elton John and Bernie Taupin are set to be honored with the Library of Congress’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song on March 20 at the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The invitation-only, all-star concert will premiere on PBS stations on April 8.
As the third pair to receive this prestigious award, following Burt Bacharach and Hal David (2012) and Gloria and Emilio Estefan (2019), the renowned songwriting duo’s works will be recognized for their significant impact on society. Established in 2007, the Gershwin Prize pays tribute to artists whose contributions are preserved and accessible by the Library of Congress. It acknowledges the role popular song(s) play within society. The prize is named after the legendary songwriting team George and Ira Gershwin.
Past recipients of the Gershwin Prize include Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Lionel Richie, and Garth Brooks.
Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, praised John and Taupin, stating, “Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some of the most memorable songs of our lives. Their careers stand out for their music’s quality and broad appeal and their influence on their fellow artists.”
The duo, with a career spanning over 50 years, have written numerous pop and rock classics, including hits like “Your Song,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Bennie & the Jets,” and “Tiny Dancer,” among others. Their impact on the Billboard Hot 100 is evident, with eight No. 1 hits as a songwriting team.
John expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’ve been writing songs with Bernie for 56 years, and we never thought that this might be bestowed upon us one day. It’s an incredible honor for two British guys to be recognized like this. I’m so honored.”
Taupin added, “To be in a house along with the great American songwriters, to even be in the same avenue, is humbling, and I am absolutely thrilled to accept.”
The Librarian of Congress consulted leading members of the music and entertainment communities, as well as curators from the Library’s music division, American Folklife Center, and National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, in making this selection.
John holds the record for the biggest-selling physical single of all time with Taupin’s rewritten lyrics for “Candle in the Wind 1997,” which sold over 33 million copies and is Billboard’s top-selling solo male artist. News of the Gershwin awards comes on the heels of John winning an Emmy for his Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium special, making him only the 19th performer to reach EGOT status for winning an Emmy, Oscar, Tony, and Grammy.
Taupin and John were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992, John into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and Taupin entered the same in 2023. Performers for the March 20 event will be announced closer to the event.
