Lionel Richie is set to receive the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s most prestigious honour in June.
Richie will follow in the footsteps of songwriters including Carole King, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Stephen Sondheim when he receives the Johnny Mercer Award, the Hall of Fame’s highest honour, reserved for artists whose work “upholds the gold standard” set by the late Mercer.
“Lionel’s songs made you love and dance and will last forever in American culture; but he truly demonstrated the power of songwriting with his masterful co-writing of the global song We Are The World with Michael Jackson,” said songwriting duo Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in a statement to USAToday.com.
The musicians, who are in their inaugural year as co-chairmen of the Songwriters Hall, received the Johnny Mercer Award in 2014.
Lionel will receive his prize on June 9 at New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel, while Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Nile Rodgers and Chip Taylor will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Marvin Gaye and Nile’s late Chic bandmate Bernard Edwards will be inducted posthumously.
Lionel’s illustrious career is still going strong after spawning hits including Three Times a Lady, Hello and All Night Long. In February he was honored at the MusiCares Person of the Year ceremony, where fellow music star Stevie Wonder shared some kind words. They first collaborated in 1985 for a group performance of We are the World, which Lionel penned alongside late singer Michael Jackson.
“As you know he’s a great songwriter, a great musician and most of all a great human being,” Stevie told Access Hollywood, recalling the concert.
“The truth of the matter is that we are honoring a man who was part of the duo who wrote a song that changed the world. We all came together in the spirit of love and doing something to make a difference. It literally woke the world up, through the idea and concept of giving back to our fellow man.”
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