Congratulations are in store for Willie Nelson, who will be honored by the Library of Congress this November with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song!

“Willie Nelson is a musical explorer, redrawing the boundaries of country music throughout his career,” James Billington from the Library of Congress said. “A master communicator, the sincerity and universally appealing message of his lyrics place him in a category of his own while still remaining grounded in his country-music roots. His achievements as a songwriter and performer are legendary. Like America itself, he has absorbed and assimilated diverse stylistic influences into his stories and songs. He has helped make country music one of the most universally beloved forms of American artistic expression.”

“It is an honor to be the next recipient of the Gershwin Prize. I appreciate it greatly,” Nelson said.

The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song honors living musical artists whose lifetime contributions in the field of popular song exemplify the standard of excellence associated with George and Ira Gershwin, by promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations.