At a tribute concert in Washington, D.C., musical artists from Metallica to Annie Lennox to former Gershwin honorees Garth Brooks and Joni Mitchell honored the songwriting duo Elton John and Bernie Taupin, who received the 2024 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
Hosted by Billy Porter, the two-hour program covers the range of the duo’s best-known works, with Jacob Lusk of Gabriels raising the roof with “Bennie and the Jets” and Brooks singing ballads “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” and “Daniel.” Charlie Puth sings “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” and Maren Morris offers her version of “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.” By special request of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, John sings the duo’s first hit, “Your Song,” with lyricist Taupin standing beside the piano, as the concert finale.