Billboard requires a JavaScript enabled browser to get the full experience

Bono, Bruce, Beyonce To Play Inaugural Concert

Comments

by Jessica Letkemann, N.Y.  |   January 12, 2009 3:42 EST

Bono

Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Bono and more than a dozen other music stars will kick off Barack Obama's presidential inaugural festivities by performing at the opening celebration at Washington D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 18. The free event, which is open to the public, will also be broadcast on HBO.

Nineteen artists from across genres, including Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Herbie Hancock, Usher, Shakira, and Sheryl Crow, are scheduled to appear at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. Queen Latifah, along with Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III and Denzel Washington, will give historical readings at the event.

The We Are One opening celebration opens a four-day schedule of Inaugural events that will include 10 official Inaugural Balls, as well as an Inauguration-Day-eve youth concert at the Verizon Center.

A number of other music events celebrating Obama's Inauguration are being planned to take place around Washington D.C. as well, including the Beastie Boys and Sheryl Crow headlining a "Hey, America Feels Kinda Cool Again" event on Jan. 19 at the 9:30 club; WAR and Marc Anthony appearing at the Latino Inaugural Gala at Union Station on Jan. 18; Jay-Z Jan. 19 at the Warner Theatre; and Bela Fleck and Wynton Marsalis performing at CNN's Inaugural event on Jan. 19 at the Kennedy Center.

Here is the initial music lineup for "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial":

Beyonce
Mary J. Blige
Bono
Garth Brooks
Sheryl Crow
Renee Fleming
Josh Groban
Herbie Hancock
Heather Headley
John Legend
Jennifer Nettles
John Mellencamp
Usher Raymond IV
Shakira
Bruce Springsteen
James Taylor
will.i.am
Stevie Wonder

Read More: Billboard's Day-By-Day Inauguration Music Guide

Up for Discussion

Post Comment

Sort By

More Features

All features

Get your recommended daily allowance of music news in one two-minute video dose.

The Chart Game: Can you predict the hotness?

Win Seven Nirvana Albums

Thanks For Joining Billboard

Log in to create your profile, speak your mind and connect with listeners like you.

Why Join ?

Don't just hear it. Live it. Go deeper than a casual listen: Voice your feelings, build a profile around your favorite music, connect with people who share your passions and discover new ones. Sign up for free.

Complete Your Registration at Billboard.com!

Haven't Joined Yet ?

For the full Billboard experience, you need to be a member. Sign up. It's free.

Join Billboard

Forgot your password?

Enter the e-mail address you used to sign up and we will email you the password .

Email Sent !

Your password has been sent to the email address you provided. Please sign in below :

Log In

Forget your password ?

Action Successful

We'd love to hear your feedback on the new Billboard.com!

Whether it's a feature request or a bug

We want to hear from you. Please use this form to anonymously give us your input.

open
close

CLICK PLAY TO RESUME