During an event billed as “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme,” on Friday night (9.23) Elton John performed for an intimate audience that included President Joe Biden at the White House.
Scheduled to bring his tour to Washington, D.C.’s Nationals Park on Saturday night (9.24), the superstar singer/songwriter performed a collection of his greatest hits – including “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Your Song” and “I’m Still Standing” – on the White House South Lawn,
Produced in collaboration with A&E Networks and The History Channel, the two networks funded for the event, and as Variety noted, President Biden surprised the legendary singer, who appeared “visibly shocked and humbled,” by presenting him with a National Humanities Medal for his work fighting the AIDS epidemic.
In a statement about the affair the White House said “The President of the United States awards this National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John for moving our souls with his powerful voice, one of the defining songbooks of all time.” “An enduring icon and advocate with absolute courage, who found purpose to challenge convention, shatter stigma and advance a simple truth: that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Raph_Ph