"Obama Inauguration Celebration," with Beyonce, Headley, Usher, Latifah, Broadcast Jan. 18

By Andrew Gans
18 Jan 2009

Tony winner Heather Headley will perform at "We Are One."
Tony winner Heather Headley will perform at "We Are One."
Photo by heatherheadley.com

A stellar array of artists from the worlds of theatre, film, opera and pop music are scheduled to be a part of "We Are One: The Obama Inauguration Celebration," which will be presented Jan. 18 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

The line-up of performers includes Tony Award winner Heather Headley, "Dreamgirls" star Beyonce, Chess in Concert's Josh Groban and former Chicago star Usher as well as Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renée Fleming, Mstr. Sgt. Caleb Green, Herbie Hancock, Bettye Lavette, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, U2, will.i.am and Stevie Wonder.

The invocation will be delivered by Rev. Gene Robinson, and historical passages will be read by Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington.

Guests will also include Jack Black, Steve Carell, Rosario Dawson, Tom Hanks, Ashley Judd, Laura Linney, Kal Penn, Forest Whitaker and Tiger Woods.

HBO will broadcast the event, which will be attended by both President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM ET with encore airings at 7 and 11:30 PM ET. The ceremony, which is free and open to the public, is available free-of-charge not only to HBO subscribers but to anyone whose cable or satellite services carry the channel. The celebration can also be viewed on HBO.com.

National Public Radio (NPR) will also broadcast the starry event. Lisa Simeone, host of NPR's World of Opera, will anchor the simulcast. NPR's special will air from 2-5 PM ET with the official celebration scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM.

For more information about the broadcast and updates about local stations airing "We Are One," visit www.NPR.org/weareone. Also visit HBO.com