Bob Dylan, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson play for President Obama on PBS

Posted Jan 26, 2010 by Walt Belcher

Updated Mar 5, 2010 at 03:05 PM

Talented singers are in the lineup for a Black History Month performance at the White House.

Singer Bob Dylan will be making his White House debut performing along with Natalie Cole, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Seal and the Blind Boys of Alabama on Feb. 10.

It will be taped for airing on PBS on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. as “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement>”
President and Mrs. Obama will host the concert. Also performing will be the Howard University Choir. 

Morgan Freeman and Queen Latifah will serve as television hosts. Additional artists may be announced . The music special, part of the PBS “In Performance at the White House” series, will be taped live by WETA-TV.

The evening will feature songs from the Civil Rights Movement performed by these top entertainers, as well as readings from famous Civil Rights speeches and writings. 

The event, including the president’s remarks, will be streamed live on Whitehouse.gov, PBS.org and NPR.org. NPR will also produce a one-hour concert special for broadcast nationwide on NPR member stations beginning Feb. 12.  The special will be available at NPR.org.

“In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement” will be the third “In Performance at the White House” program during President Barack Obama’s administration.

A February 2009 event, “In Performance at the White House - Celebrating the Music of Stevie Wonder: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize,” honored musician Stevie Wonder’s receipt of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. An October 2009 concert, “In Performance at the White House: Fiesta Latina,” was broadcast for National Hispanic Heritage Month.