Bruce Springsteen has added another honor to his list of achievements. The Boss was at the White House Tuesday where President Joe Biden honored him with the National Medal of Arts, which “honors exemplary individuals and organizations that have advanced the arts in America.”
“The work of our honorees is as diverse as the nation that celebrates with them today, but common threads weave them together in many ways,” Biden said at the ceremony. “The pursuit of excellence, the drive to create, the yearning to connect and the boldness to be truth tellers, bridge builders and change seekers.” He added, “Above all you are masters of your craft.”
When it came to Bruce, who received the customary chants of “Bruuuce,” Biden tried to claim him for Delaware instead of New Jersey, which drew laughs. “Bruce Springsteen a poet, troubadour a chronicler of American life, resilience and hope,” Biden said, noting the rocker’s many achievements including the “love of millions of fans across generations.”
In announcing the honor, the National Endowment of the Arts called Springsteen, “one of our greatest performers and storytellers,” adding, “Bruce Springsteen’s music celebrates our triumphs, heals our wounds, and gives us hope, capturing the unyielding spirit of what it means to be American.”
This isn’t the first time Springsteen has been honored in Washington, D.C. He was previously recognized with the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, and President Barack Obama honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006.
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