"Chuck Berry coming to Boston pick up PEN award"The Boston Globe by Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein, January 20, 2012Roll over Beethoven, Chuck Berry is headed to Boston to pick up an award from PEN New England. The writers group has established the Award for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence, and the inaugural recipients are Berry and Leonard Cohen. PEN New England chairman Richard Hoffman told us yesterday that Berry, the 85-year-old rock n' roll pioneer whose hits include "Maybellene" and "Johnny B. Goode," will be at the awards ceremony Feb. 26 at the JFK Library, and Cohen may also attend. "We're hoping he can make it," said Hoffman, noting that the Canadian singer-songwriter has a new CD. "This doesn't require him to perform. All he has to do is receive laurels from us and have a dinner." The recipients were chosen by an A-list panel that includes Bono, Rosanne Cash, Paul Simon, Paul Muldoon, Bill Flanagan, Smokey Robinson, Salman Rushdie, and Elvis Costello, who's expected not only to attend but also to perform a Chuck Berry song."Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence"YouTube by JFKLF, July 11, 2012PEN New England and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum hosted the 2012 Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence which were presented to Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen. Special guests included: Caroline Kennedy, Richard Hoffman, Tom Perrotta, Bill Flanagan, Salman Rushdie, Shawn Colvin, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, and Keith Richards."2012 Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award Ceremony"YouTube by MaartenLC, February 27, 2012"Chuck Berry, Leonard Cohen Honored At JFK Museum"WCVB - TV (Boston) by The Associated Press, February 26, 2012Musicians Receive Awards By Writers GroupBOSTON -- A New England writers group is honoring musicians Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. PEN New England, which promotes literature and writing, is scheduled Sunday to present its 2012 Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence. The 85-year-old Berry is considered a rock pioneer. He wrote enduring songs such as "Johnny B. Goode," ''Maybellene" and "Memphis" that become anthems to America's youth. Last month, the 77-year-old Cohen released his first studio recording, "Old Ideas," in eight years. The poet and singer, whose career spans 45 years, is known for songs such as "Suzanne" and "So Long, Marianne." "Leonard Cohen and Chuck Berry celebrated at the JFK Library"The Boston Globe by Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein, February 26, 2012Stepping to the microphone at the JFK Library Sunday, Caroline Kennedy had a toothy grin on her face. And why wouldn't she? There, sitting in the first few rows, were Leonard Cohen, Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Shawn Colvin, Al Kooper, Peter Wolf, and writers Salman Rushdie, Bill Flanagan, Tom Perrotta, and Peter Guralnick.Cohen and Berry had been summoned by PEN New England to accept the group's inaugural Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award, and some of the celebrated songwriters' famous friends had come to salute them. (A few others, including Rosanne Cash and Bob Dylan, emailed their regrets as only they can. But more on that later) Introducing Cohen, who was looking handsome as ever at 77 and wearing his familiar fedora, Rushdie said the Canadian singer's "extraordinary songbook" was an important influence on him growing up. "I was an undergraduate at Cambridge, the other Cambridge, the old one," joked Rushdie. "When we were kids, Leonard taught us something about how it might be to be a grown-up." The author of "The Satanic Verses" credited PEN New England for recognizing lyrics as literature - he called the award "way way overdue" - and hailed Cohen for his hymn-like songs that weave wit, "jaundiced comedy," and disillusion. "There are not many hymns that would rhyme 'hallelujah' with 'what's it to ya,'" said Rushdie. Colvin then picked up an acoustic guitar and, with Cohen leaning forward to listen, played his song "Come Healing." Speaking slowly and in the same low register as many of his songs, Cohen said he was grateful for the award, but called Berry the best. "If Beethoven hadn't rolled over, there would have been no room for any of us," he said. "All of us are footnotes to the words of Chuck Berry." Flanagan read a few emails he'd received from VIP fans in absentia. "'There's a crack in everything/That's how the light gets in,'" wrote Cash, quoting Cohen's "Anthem." "Just that one line is enough to get Leonard Cohen into any hall of fame." (Sunday would have been Johnny Cash's 80th birthday, and his daughter was busy at his birthplace in Arkansas.) In his missive, Dylan hailed Berry as "the Shakespeare of rock 'n' roll," adding "say hello to Mr. Leonard, the Kafka of the blues, and Lord Byron Keith if he shows up." The Rolling Stones guitarist did indeed show up and, after Simon read a few of Berry's best-known verses, Richards even grabbed a guitar and joined Costello for a version of Berry's song "Promised Land." (Costello had earlier played "No Particular Place to Go," prefacing it by saying "one of the more intense things you'll ever do is play a Chuck Berry song in front of Chuck Berry - without a band.") At 85 and complaining of a bad ear that prevented him from hearing most of the adoring remarks, Berry is still plenty game, demonstrating that with a few rough chords of "Johnny B. Goode" as the crowd sang along. "That's the way rock 'n' roll is. It's all funky," he said. "Is that too bad a word to say?" "2012 Awards For Lyrics Of Literary Excellence"Wire Image, February 26, 2012. Photos by Taylor Hill.      BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Musician Shawn Colvin performs 'Come Healing' for Leonard Cohen at the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)      BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Author Salman Rushdie and honoree Leonard Cohen watch Shawn Colvin perform 'Come Healing' during the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)  BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Honoree Leonard Cohen attends the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)  BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Singer Shawn Colvin embraces musician Leonard Cohen after performing his song 'Come Healing' at the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)  BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Author Salman Rushdie and honoree Leonard Cohen attend the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)    BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Author Salman Rushdie presents songwriter Leonard Cohen with the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)    BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Musician Leonard Cohen accepts from Salman Rushdie one of the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)   BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Musician Leonard Cohen accepts one of the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence as Salman Rushdie watches at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)      BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Musician Leonard Cohen accepts one of the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage) Thanks to Roy on The Leonard Cohen Forum for providing the link to the photos.
"Writers' group honors rock singers Berry, Cohen"The Daily Times (Delmarva, MD) by The Associated Press, February 26, 2012BOSTON (AP) -- Rock 'n roll icons Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen received PEN New England's inaugural award for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence on Sunday. The jury for the award was itself filled with impressive writers, including Bono, Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Paul Muldoon, Smokey Robinson, Salman Rushdie and Paul Simon.Costello, Rushdie, Simon, Keith Richards, Shawn Colvin, Peter Wolf and local novelist Tom Perrotta were all in attendance at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum when the late president's daughter, Caroline Kennedy, opened the ceremony by quoting her father's speech from the dedication of the Robert Frost library: "I see little that is more important to our country and our civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist. In serving his vision of the truth, the artist best serves the nation." The crowd in the packed auditorium quickly rose to its feet when Berry walked in, leading the celebrities to their seats. After opening remarks by author Bill Flanagan, who reminded the crowd that it's been 60 years since Berry's hit "Maybellene" was written, Perrotta repeatedly made the audience laugh with his opening remarks peppered with famous song lyrics. In introducing Cohen, novelist Rushdie spoke about the "great beauty and depth" of his work, saying: "To put it quite simply, if I could write like him, I would." Colvin paid tribute to Cohen by playing his song "Come Healing" on an acoustic guitar. After receiving the award from Rushdie, Cohen thanked the jury in his honeyed, raspy baritone and paid homage to Berry, comparing Berry's "Roll Over, Beethoven" to Walt Whitman's "barbaric yawp," from "Leaves of Grass." Flanagan read an email from Bob Dylan that said: "Congratulations to Chuck Berry, who has written the book with a capital B. Congratulations to Leonard, who's still writing it." Simon introduced Berry, saying he was rightfully considered a "great poet of teenage life" but was much more than that. He went on to read and remark on the lyrics to what he called some of his favorite Berry songs, including "Maybellene," ''Johnny B. Goode" and "Long Distance Information." Costello played Berry's "No Particular Place to Go," which he said he heard for the first time as a 10-year-old. Simon hung the award medal on Berry's neck and in a move that surprised the event organizers, the 85-year-old Berry picked up an electric guitar and played "Johnny B. Goode" to enthusiastic applause. To close the show, Costello coaxed Richards out of the audience to play a duet of Berry's "Promised Land," bringing the crowd to its feet once again. PEN New England promotes literature and writing. "Day in pictures: 27 February 2012"BBC, February 27, 2012. Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/ReutersMusician Leonard Cohen takes the stage as he is honoured at the 2012 Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence awarded to both him and Chuck Berry at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. "PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Awards"Boston Herald, February 26, 2012. Photos by Angela Rowlings. Shawn Colvin performs a Leonard Cohen song during the PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Awards at the J.F.K. Library.  Songwriter Leonard Cohen takes a bow as he is honored during the PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Awards at the J.F.K. Library.  Songrwriter Leonard Cohen kisses Salman Rushdie, who presented him with his award during the PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Awards. "Chuck Berry, Leonard Cohen Get First PEN Songwriting Awards"Rolling Stone by James Sullivan, February 27, 2012. Photo by Rick Friedman.Keith Richards, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon pay tribute at JFK Library Leonard Cohen and Chuck Berry backstage at the PEN New England Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. Midway through Paul Simon's praise of Chuck Berry, who was honored alongside Leonard Cohen as the first two recipients of PEN New England's Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award Sunday at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Berry beckoned Simon to lean over so he could whisper in his ear. The presenter returned to the microphone laughing. Berry, he said, told him he had a bad ear and couldn't hear a word he was saying. Yet fans of Berry and Cohen, unquestionably two of the most original writers the rock & roll era has produced, have been listening very closely from the beginning. Addressing a tony crowd of writers and rock fans, Salman Rushdie presented Cohen's award, and Elvis Costello and surprise guest Keith Richards (introduced as "the best-selling author in this room") performed in tribute to Berry. Given the intent of the Song Lyrics award, the event was peppered with references to great writers. In an email read by organizer Bill Flanagan, Bob Dylan called Berry "the Shakespeare of rock & roll" and Cohen "the Kafka of the blues." Cohen, accepting his award, compared Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" to Walt Whitman's joyful noise -- his "barbaric yawp." "If Beethoven hadn't rolled over," he said, "there'd be no room for any of us." After quoting key lines from Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" -- "Like a bird on the wire/ Like a drunk in a midnight choir/ I have tried, in my way, to be free" -- the author Rushdie, a former president of PEN American Center, said, "Put simply, if I could write like that, I would." Last year the New England chapter of the world's oldest literary and human rights organization convened a panel to select the first recipients of the new songwriters' award. The panel included Costello, Simon, Rushdie, Bono, Rosanne Cash, Smokey Robinson and poet Paul Muldoon. After opening remarks from Caroline Kennedy, who spoke of her father's conviction that "the artist has a special responsibility in our democracy," PEN New England Chairman Richard Hoffman explained the symbolism of the oversize image of a lyre projected above the stage. It was a reminder, he said, that through most of history, "literature was sung." After Shawn Colvin sang Cohen's "Come Healing" from his new album Old Ideas, Costello took the stage to pay tribute to Berry. "This is one of the more intimidating things you'll do," he joked -- "play a Chuck Berry song in front of Chuck Berry, without a band." But his characteristically tweaked version of "No Particular Place to Go" drew smiles and finger-points from the master, who, at 85, looked the same as ever in his sailor's cap and string tie. Rather than take the microphone to make an acceptance speech, Berry surprised the event organizers by indicating he'd just as soon take Costello's hollow-body guitar off his hands. After fumbling with some feedback, he played a muted version of "Johnny B. Goode." "That's the way rock & roll is," he said when he finished. "It's funky. Is that too bad a word to say?" For the event's final surprise, Richards, who famously squabbled with his guitar hero during the filming of Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, stepped out of the front row and onto the stage, where he took Costello's guitar and joined him -- Costello grabbing an acoustic -- on an unrehearsed romp through Berry's cross-country yarn "Promised Land." "We have a Mount Rushmore thing going on here," as Flanagan noted earlier in the program. The guests of honor were, of course, united in rock.  "Listen: Elvis Costello, Keith Richards, Paul Simon, Salman Rushdie pay tribute to Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen at JFK Library"The Boston Phoenix by Carly Carioli, February 26, 2012. Photos by Bill Janovitz.Salman Rushdie called the backstage scene "the best photograph I've ever been in," and Elvis Costello still couldn't quite believe it. At the end, it was Costello with Keith Richards clanging guitars together on stage at the John F. Kennedy Library, playing a suitably sloppy and euphoric version of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" as a shit-ton of famous talent -- almost as much in the audience as made it onstage -- gathered to see Berry and Leonard Cohen receive the first annual PEN New England Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence. The award may have been long in coming, but nobody was about to miss what might be Berry's final appearance in Boston. Unexpectedly, Chuck -- wearing his trademark sailor's cap -- leaped out of his seat and went for Elvis Costello's guitar, belting out a couple of verses of "Johnny B. Good." That wasn't on the program -- and neither was the Elvis/Keef encore.Earlier, Rushdie introduced Cohen by quoting the lyrics to "Bird on a Wire" and opining, "If I could write like that, I would"; he also thought Auden would have liked "Hallelujah." And after Shawn Colvin nervously strummed a sweet version of his "Come Healing," Cohen -- who was not confirmed to appear at the event until this morning -- spent most of his time on-stage praising Berry. The jury that chose the recipients, Cohen pointed out, was comprised of people who could easily have been given the award: Bono, Costello, Smokey Robinson, Rushdie, and Roseanne Cash among them. "But I understand, now, the criteria they based it on," he said. "They chose it on the basis of seniority." With that he turned to Berry, sitting in the front row, and said, "If Beethoven hadn't rolled over, there wouldn't have been room for any of us. All of us are footnotes to the work of Chuck Berry." Among the well-wishers in the crowd were Peter Wolf, Asa Brebner, and the (former Boston Phoenix and Real Paper) critic Peter Guralnick. (Mercifully, Buckcherry stayed home.) Bono was stuck in South America, reportedly writing songs ("and probably curing a few lepers," joked award chairman Bill Flanagan). Roseanne Cash was celebrating what would have been her father's 80th birthday, but sent a letter saying that if Cohen had only written the one line -- "There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in" -- he'd have been worthy of the honor. And Bob Dylan sent a letter with warm regards for both honorees. "To Chuck, the Shakespeare of rock and roll, congratulations on your award, that's what too much monkey business will get ya . . . and give my regards to Leonard Cohen, the Kafka of the blues, and Lord Byron Keith if he shows up." Paul Simon, introducing Berry, broke out in a belly laugh after Berry sidled up to him at the podium. "He just told me he's got a bad ear and he can't hear a word I'm saying," Simon told the audience. "That's probably for the best." After Simon recited some of his favorite Berry lines, Costello strapped on a guitar and said what everyone was thinking: "One of the more intimidating things you'll ever do is play a Chuck Berry song in front of Chuck Berry . . . without a band." He introduced his version of "No Particular Place To Go" by remembering that he'd first heard it as a 10-year-old and that he "didn't know what a safety belt was at the time time. But I suspected it was something . . . rude." The event was way sold out, and was live-streamed by the JFK Library. The full video should eventually show up here, and be downloadable from iTunes here. In the meantime, here are the speeches: AUDIO: Stream the full ceremony at ThePhoenix.com. Backstage photos:   "Chuck Berry, Leonard Cohen honored at JFK Library - Bob Dylan sends his regards"Examiner (US) by Harold Lepidus, February 26, 2012Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen were honored at Boston's John F. Kennedy Library this afternoon, receiving the first annual PEN New England Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence.Bob Dylan could not attend, but sent his regards yesterday: "To Chuck, the Shakespeare of rock and roll, congratulations on your PEN award, that's what too much monkey business will get ya . . . Say hello to Mr. Leonard, Kafka of the blues, and Lord Byron Keith (Richards) if he shows up. In all seriousness, Chuck, congratulations on this prestigious honor. You have indeed written the book with a capital B, and congratulations to Leonard, who's still writing it - Bob Dylan" The "monkey business" Dylan mentioned was no doubt a nod to Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business," an influence on Dylan's 1965 single, "Subterranean Homesick Blues." Dylan and Cohen go way back. Dylan sang back-up on one of Cohen's albums, covered "Halellujah," and dedicated "Isis" to Cohen at a Rolling Thunder Revue gig in Montreal. (More on Cohen and Dylan here.) At today's ceremony, Cohen was first honored in a speech by Salmon Rushdie, then by Shawn Colvin's cover of "Come Healing." (Rosanne Cash also sent a note.) To honor Berry, Paul Simon read some of Chuck's lyrics. Elvis Costello sang a solo cover of "No Particular Place to Go," then Richards joined him for a version of "Promised Land." Berry performed a bit of "Johnny B. Goode" during his speech. Others in attendance included Caroline Kennedy, Al Kooper, Peter Wolf, and writers Bill Flanagan, Tom Perrotta, and Peter Guralnick. The event was live-streamed at the JFK Library. Videos are expected to be posted on the library's website, and made available on iTunes. In the meantime, you can listen to one hour of audio here. "Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence"Facebook - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, February 27, 2012. Photos by Rick Friedman/Kennedy Library Foundation. Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, Leonard Cohen, and Peter Wolf prior to the PEN New England Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence in the President's Room.  Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Keith Richards and Chuck Berry prior to the PEN New England Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence in the President's Room.  Tom Perrotta, Salman Rushdie, Elvis Costello, Peter Wolf, Shawn Colvin, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Bill Flanagan prior to the PEN New England Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence in the President's Room. (Rick Friedman/Kennedy Library Foundation) -- at John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. "Chuck Berry, Leonard Cohen First Recipients Of PEN Songwriting Award"K-Earth 101, February 28, 2012. Photos by Marc Andrew Deley/Getty Images.2012 Awards For Lyrics Of Literary ExcellenceBoston, MA -- FEBRUARY 26: As the very first recipients of the PEN New England Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence, two of the pioneering songwriters/musicians in rock and roll, Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen were honored by their peers in a ceremony at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum. Paul Simon awarded Berry and Salman Rushdie presented Cohen with his award recognizing their achievements in songwriting during their very prolific careers. Bob Dylan also wrote a statement calling Berry "the Shakespeare of rock & roll" and Cohen "the Kafka of the blues," plus rockers Elvis Costello and surprise guest Keith Richards performed a tribute to the artists.    "Leonard Cohen, Chuck Berry win first PEN Songwriting Awards"Radio 3 CBC by Cathy Irving, February 28, 2012PEN New England honoured Leonard Cohen and Chuck Berry on Feb. 26 at the inaugural PEN Songwriting Awards.
The event was held at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Mass. In 2011, the New England chapter of PEN, the world's oldest literary and human rights organization, gathered a panel to select the first recipients of the new awards for song lyrics of literary excellence. The panel consisted of Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Salman Rushdie, Bono, Rosanne Cash, Smokey Robinson and poet Paul Muldoon. The panel chose Cohen and Berry. Novelist Rushdie presented the award to Cohen, saying, "Put simply, if I could write like that, I would." Singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin sang "Come Healing," a song from Cohen's latest release, Old Ideas. Elvis Costello, Paul Simon and Keith Richards paid homage to Chuck Berry, and Bob Dylan sent an email tribute to both Berry and Cohen. The evening closed with Richards and Costello performing Berry's "Promised Land." "2012 Awards For Lyrics Of Literary Excellence (Leonard Cohen)"Zimbo, March 9, 2012. Photos by Marc Andrew Deley/Getty Images North America.Boston, MA - FEBRUARY 26: Honoree Leonard Cohen during the 2012 Awards for Lyrics of Literary Excellence at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library And Museum on February 26, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (February 25, 2012 - Photo by Marc Andrew Deley/Getty Images North America) 
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