Bruce Springsteen has been awarded the 2021 Woody Guthrie Prize. Rolling Stone reported he'll accept the honor online during a May 13th virtual event for Woody Guthrie Center members. The inaugural recipient of the award was the late-Pete Seeger in 2014, with Mavis Staples, Kris Kristofferson, Norman Lear, John Mellencamp, Chuck D, and Joan Baez being honored by the Guthrie Center since.
The annual Woody Guthrie Prize is given to “An artist who best exemplifies Woody Guthrie's spirit and work by speaking for the less fortunate through music, film, literature, dance, or other art forms and serving as a positive force for social change in America.”
Bruce Springsteen said in a statement: “I'm honored to receive the 2021 Woody Guthrie Prize. Woody wrote some of the greatest songs about America’s struggle to live up its ideals in convincing fashion. He is one of my most important influences and inspirations.”