IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE

IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE:

India.Arie. This singer-songwriter-producer has sold over 8 million albums worldwide. Her honors include 17 Grammy nominations, 2 Grammy Awards, 4 NAACP Image Awards, and various awards from BET, Billboard, MTV, VH–1, Vogue, Essence, and others. Arie launched her own label, Soulbird Music, in June 2008 through Universal Republic, with the release of Anthony David’s album Acey Deucy and the Grammy-nominated single “Words,” a duet with Arie.

Tony Bennett. An international treasure honored by the United Nations with its Citizen of the World Award. He has received thirteen Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Bennett became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2005, and was named an NEA Jazz Master in January of 2006. He was also named the recipient of Billboard magazine’s elite Century Award. He has raised millions of dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. The Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta bestowed their “Salute to Greatness Award” upon him for his efforts in fighting discrimination.

Wayne Brady. One of the most versatile performers in show business today, well known for his improvisational skills on ABC’s Whose Line Is It Anyway?, for which he won one Emmy and earned four nominations. Brady picked up two Emmys for Outstanding Talk Show Host for The Wayne Brady Show. In September 2008 Brady’s debut R&B album A Long Time Coming was released by Peak Records. He continues to tour the country with his own live shows featuring improvisational comedy as well as song and dance. Currently, Brady can be seen at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

Anita Johnson. This soprano has been blessed with a voice of unfailingly lyrical grace, impeccable musicianship, and an onstage persona which has been described as “brilliant.” She has achieved critical and popular success both in the United States and abroad. Johnson has also been a frequent prize winner of various vocal competitions and awards, including National Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition; the Arnold Petersen Prize in Mannheim, Germany; the Opera Index Judges’ Award; and the Liederkranz Competition. Johnson created and performed a unique one-woman show entitled “ABC’S: American Black Composers’ Contributions to Our Musical Heritage.”

Stevie Wonder's music was frequently heard at Obama campaign events in 2008. His song Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours became a theme song during the campaign.

Stevie Wonder performed at the Democratic National Convention in Denver on the night Obama accepted his party's nomination. He also performed at two inaugural events in January. Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m., KUAT6 and KUAT-HD.