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Stars to shine for Obama at Lincoln Memorial
2009-01-13
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A galaxy of stars will perform for crowds at a free celebration of Barack Obama's inauguration to take place on Sunday at Washington's iconic Lincoln Memorial. Mega popstars Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and Bono are among a star-studded line-up for the event to be held just two days before Obama is sworn as the first African-American president of the United States on Tuesday, January 20. Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and Herbie Hancock will also entertain the crowds along with Bruce Springsteen, will.i.am and Stevie Wonder at the event on the memorial which overlooks the capital's long grassy national mall. "Our intention is to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and prevail," said George Stevens, the producer of the "Obama Inaugural Celebration." "We will combine historical readings by prominent actors with music from an array of the greatest stars of today." Readings of historical passages will be given by actors Jamie Foxx and Denzel Washington as well Queen Latifah and Martin Luther King III. The producers said the stars had all eagerly agreed to sign up for Sunday's celebration which will be broadcast on HBO channel in the evening. "We have found that the great artists are eager to take part and each one is working with us to find music that expresses the optimism and hope that people bring to the Obama inauguration," said the event's writer, Michael Stevens. "This is a great opportunity to capture an historic event in a very meaningful setting," added director Don Mischer in a statement. "We will have the statue of Abraham Lincoln looking down on our stage and a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people lining the mall -- a tableau any director would relish."
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