Mitchell feted with Gershwin Prize
When Joni Mitchell finally took the stage near the end of an all-star tribute concert honoring her as this year’s recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, she opted to perform a cover rather than one of her own songs.
Mitchell, 79, leaned against the piano Wednesday as she crooned a sultry version of “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess” by George Gershwin, the award’s namesake.
The evening’s other performers then came to the stage and surrounded Mitchell as she launched into one of her more popular tunes, “The Circle Game.” Graham Nash, James Taylor, Ledisi, Cyndi Lauper, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Mumford, Brandi Carlile and others brought the crowd to their feet in an evening filled with love and admiration.
Before the show, Mitchell walked the red carpet with a cane, responding to a question saying the honor was “very exciting.”
Nash, who dated Mitchell in the 1970s, spoke of her indelible spirit overcoming gender and physical obstacles.
“She has had many, many difficulties in her life with polio when she was young. And now there’s a brain aneurysm several years ago. But to see her come back and be singing again and playing again is incredible. I mean, talk about resilience,” he said.
Nash later performed “A Case of You,” the song Mitchell wrote about their breakup.
Carlile was one of the night’s busiest performers, adding backing vocals as well as taking on Mitchell’s “Shine.”
“Joni Mitchell: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song” will be broadcast March 31 on PBS stations.
Leno shows off ‘brand-new face’:
Jay Leno appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” Wednesday, where the host marveled at how good Leno looks less than four months after he suffered serious facial burns in a car fire.
“You’d think there’d be a zipper here, but no,” Leno joked of his face. “This is like a brand-new face. Only for the second time in my career am I the new face of comedy . ... That’s a brand new ear.”
Leno, 72, spent eight days at a California burn center after a car he was working on in his Los Angeles garage burst into flames Nov. 12.
Leno ended his appearance on “Kelly Clarkson” by gifting three nurses who treated him with trips to the Bahamas.
Smith gives first acceptance speech since Oscars:
Will Smith delivered his first acceptance speech since the 2022 Oscars after
he received the Beacon Award on Wednesday at the African American Film Critics Association Awards. While accepting the honor alongside director Antoine Fuqua for their movie, “Emancipation,” Smith thanked everyone in the “room for keeping our stories alive.”
The ceremony marked the actor’s first award show appearance since he was banned from the Oscars for 10 years after slapping presenter Chris Rock at last year’s ceremony, where Smith won the prize for lead actor.
March 3 birthdays: Singer Mike Pender is 82. Filmmaker George Miller is 78. Actor Hattie Winston is 78. Singer Jennifer Warnes is
76. Actor Robert Gossett is
69. Actor Miranda Richardson is 65. Actor Laura Harring is 59. Rapper
Tone Loc is 57. Actor Julie Bowen is 53. Actor Jessica Biel is 41. Singer Camila Cabello is 26.