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Stevie Wonder honoured by Obama | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
President Obama has honoured Stevie Wonder, his musical hero, with America's highest award for pop music at a ceremony at the White House. | |
The president said the Motown legend had been the soundtrack to his youth and he doubted that his wife would have married him if he hadn't been a fan. | |
Presenting him with the Library of Congress' Gershwin prize, Obama said Wonder's style was uniquely American. | |
His song Signed, Sealed, Delivered was a theme song during Obama's campaign. | |
Here I am baby | |
The First Couple also used You and I, a Wonder song, as their wedding song. | |
Michelle Obama - no date unless Barack was a Stevie fan"I think it's fair to say that had I not been a Stevie Wonder fan, Michelle might not have dated me, we might not have married," President Obama said. | |
"The fact that we agreed on Stevie was part of the essence of our courtship." | |
In an interview with Rolling Stone last year, the then senator said: "If I had one musical hero, it would have to be Stevie Wonder." | |
Michelle Obama called Wonder "one of the world's greatest artists" and said that Wonder's Talking Book was the first album she bought. | |
No one-hit Wonder | |
Wonder has sold more than 70 million albums since he was signed by Motown Records at the age of 11. | Wonder has sold more than 70 million albums since he was signed by Motown Records at the age of 11. |
He was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys in 1996 and inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two years later. | He was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys in 1996 and inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two years later. |
In 2005, he released his first album in 10 years, A Time to Love, following it with concerts in the US and Europe in 2007 and 2008. | In 2005, he released his first album in 10 years, A Time to Love, following it with concerts in the US and Europe in 2007 and 2008. |
The Library of Congress had decided to honour Wonder before President Obama won the election last year. | |
This is only the second time the Gershwin prize for Popular Song - which honours George and Ira Gershwin - has been awarded. | |
Paul Simon won the first prize in 2007. |