Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton join the bill for Lionel Richie’s Gershwin Prize concert

ABC/Lou Rocco

Luke Bryan and Chris Stapleton are repping the country genre in an all-star tribute show this month, honoring pop legend Lionel Richie.

Lionel is receiving the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, an award that recognizes an artist’s lifetime achievement of musical expression through song. An artist of any popular format may win the prize; Garth Brooks won in 2020 and Willie Nelson, in 2015.

Luke is an obvious choice to pay tribute to Lionel at the show; he and the guest of honor are both judges on American Idol. It’s also not the first time that either Luke or Chris have performed at a tribute show for Lionel. Both singers were on the bill when Lionel was feted at the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year event.

Others joining the Gershwin Prize concert lineup include Gloria Estefan, Boyz II Men, Andra Day, Miguel and Yolanda Adams. Lionel himself will perform, too.

The concert takes place in Washington, D.C. on March 9, and it’s not open to the public. However, it’ll be broadcast as a concert special on PBS on May 17 at 9 p.m. ET.

Thursday, March 3, 2022 at 12:00PM by Carena Liptak Permalink