McCartney gets Gershwin Prize from Obama

Former Beatle Paul McCartney is to be honoured at the White House next week when President Barack Obama will present him with the third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress.

Named after the legendary songwriting team George and Ira Gershwin, the prize was created in 2007 and is awarded for a lifetime of songwriting. McCartney is the first non-American to be given the honour: the two previous recipients are Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.

McCartney (pictured above with his American girlfriend, Nancy Shevell) will celebrate with a special concert in the East Room of the White House on June 2, two weeks short of his 68th birthday.

Stevie Wonder, who received his Gershwin Prize from Obama last year, will also perform, along with Elvis Costello, Faith Hill, Jack White, Emmylou Harris and Corinne Bailey Rae. Jerry Seinfeld will do the jokes and the show will be broadcast in the US on July 28.

The award was confirmed after McCartney hinted at it during a webcast last week when he mentioned the White House. "If there is an announcement, remember where you heard it first," he said.

Between now and the White House appearance, McCartney has two concerts in Mexico City as part of his current Up and Coming Tour of north America, Latin America and Europe. ·