Garth Gets a Gershwin

Garth Brooks, Buffy Cafritz, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and Trisha Yearwood (Photo by Tony Powell)

Country music legend Garth Brooks may have every honor the recording industry can bestow, but becoming the latest — as well as the youngest — recipient of the Library of Congress’ prestigious Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is a national accolade that only the most rare and accomplished musical artists receive. “Winning this prize is something that won’t hit me until somewhere further down in my life,” Brooks, 56, told VIP guests attending a dinner in his honor on the eve of the all-star tribute concert and awards ceremony at Constitution Hall.

The honor, he added, “is only as good as the name on it, “ referring of course to the legendary songwriting team of brothers George and Ira Gershwin.

“Being the guy sitting in the box seems kind of weird,” he joked, well aware of the honorees who preceded him in previous years, including Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Tony Bennett, Carole King, Billy Joel and Burt Bacharach.

Congressional leaders joined Administration officials and music industry figures including Keith Urban and Trisha Yearwood (Brooks’ wife) at the dinner hosted by philanthropist Buffy Cafritz prior to an intimate performance of “Someone to Watch Over Me” and other Gershwin favorites by Thomas Vogt.

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE EVENING HERE.