Bruce Springsteen was the first international songwriter to win the prestigious Fellow of the Ivors Academy award, following in the footsteps of Elton John, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, and Paul McCartney. Becoming an Academy Fellow is the highest honour the organisation bestows. With the award, the iconic singer, songwriter and guitarist has become the first American songwriter the Academy has inducted into Fellowship in its 80-year history.
During the Ivor Novello Awards ceremony, Paul McCartney, who brought Springsteen onstage during his headline slot at Glastonbury in 2022 along with Dave Grohl, jokingly said, “Like Bruce’s concerts, I’m going to keep this brief,” referencing the Boss’ three-hour-plus concerts, before adding that he “couldn’t think of a more fitting” recipient “except maybe Bob Dylan, or Paul Simon, or Billy Joel, or Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift. The list goes on.”
He also spoke about his performance at Glastonbury and said he never expected the Boss to show up. McCartney added that Springsteen is a fantastic guy and he’s really a nice guy and he showed up for him at Glastonbury, something he promised to do about three years before then COVID hit.
Springsteen, known as the American working man, has never worked a day in his life, according to McCartney. McCartney also said the Boss has looked after him and his wife and treated them most hospitably when they visited Springsteen at his home in New Jersey.
Springsteen is the 27th Fellow of the Academy, joining a variety of songwriting icons including Sting, who received the award last year. During the ceremony, Springsteen played his song ‘Thunder Road’ and delivered his own lengthy speech.
Other winners during the Ivor Novello Awards ceremony included RAYE, who was crowned Songwriter of the Year, and Yussef Dayes, who won Best Album for his record ‘Black Classical Music.’ Lana Del Rey won the Special International Award, and KT Tunstall took home the trophy for Outstanding Song Collection
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