Paul honored in USA again

December 5th, President Obama honored 5 people, Oprah Winfrey, Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones and Paul McCartney as the 2010 recipients of one of Americas greatest awards for the performing arts, the Kennedy Center Awards. Attendees of the star studded gala and tribute concert included Hilary Clinton, both Obamas, James Taylor, various governors, and more. The awards were musical, but also about charity work and morals of these performing artists. The Kennedy Center Awards Gala was broadcast in full with the concert yesterday on CBS. At McCartney’s request, Steven Tyler performed the Abbey Road medley at the gala. “I got called up by Paul McCartney and he asked me to sing the last four songs of ‘Abbey Road’ so I said ‘Umm OK.’ (I’m) doing it,” Tyler told American radio station 95.9 WATD-FM earlier. Here’s the result, as broadcast by CBS yesterday.

The 41-year-old singer Gwen Stefani and “No Doubt” performed the Beatles songs “Hello Goodbye” and “Penny Lane” for Sir Paul, Dave Grohl and Norah Jones performed Sir Paul’s solo track “Maybe I’m Amazed”, while singer-songwriter James Taylor and gospel vocalist Mavis Staples closed the show with “Let It Be” and “Hey Jude”, bringing Sir Paul and President Obama to their feet.

I believe the inclusion of “Maybe I’m Amazed” in this concert is what prompted Sir Paul to start performing this song at his own concerts again, starting with the gig at the Apollo Theatre in New York City nine days later. The song was a mainstay in McCartney’s live repertoire ever since the first Wings concerts in 1972, but was dropped around five years ago.