London
CNN
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Bruce Springsteen became the first international songwriter to be awarded a fellowship of the Ivors Academy in its 80-year historical past – however he needed to put up with some ribbing from one among his most well-known friends first.
On the Ivor Novello Awards ceremony at Grosvenor Home in London Thursday evening, Springsteen was inducted into the fellowship by Paul McCartney, who was the academy’s first-ever fellow.
The ceremony wasn’t broadcast, however the BBC reported the previous Beatle as telling the viewers he “couldn’t consider a extra becoming” recipient of the fellowship – “besides possibly Bob Dylan … Or Paul Simon, or Billy Joel, or Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift.”
“On the subject of expertise, he’d positively be within the high 5,” he added, imagining how Springsteen would have match into the Beatles.
“He’s often called the American working man, you already know?” a clip of the ceremony posted to social media confirmed McCartney saying. “However he admits he’s by no means labored a day in his life.”
“He’s a stunning, beautiful boy,” he additionally stated of the American musician.
The fellowship is the very best honor bestowed by the group, which is the UK’s skilled affiliation for songwriters and composers.
“There isn’t any yet another becoming than Bruce Springsteen to be the primary worldwide songwriter inducted into our Fellowship,” Tom Grey, chair of the academy, stated in a press launch.
“Songwriters are highly effective storytellers, who seize our lives, loves and hardships. Bruce has at all times advised the best tales.”
Springsteen was met with a standing ovation, social media video of the ceremony confirmed, and he accepted the consideration in a hoarse voice, which he attributed to a night spent singing within the quintessentially British rain.
“I’m gonna sound actually bizarre up right here as a result of I sang within the rain, all evening final evening,” he stated in a speech.
He thanked his British followers and audiences, in addition to musicians and artists within the UK for giving him inspiration.
“Their depth of information of my work and their dedication always retains me invested right here, retains me coming again to those shores,” stated Springsteen of his followers. “In order that I can dig deeper, and in order that I can deal extra faithfully with my viewers’s joys and considerations.”
Springsteen rounded off his speech with a efficiency of his 1975 hit “Thunder Highway” – considered by Rolling Stone to be one of many 500 best songs of all time.
Different honorees at this 12 months’s Ivors included Lana Del Rey, Skepta, KT Tunstall and Raye.