President Joe Biden honored Gladys Knight at the White House on Tuesday, presenting the music legend with a National Medal of Arts.
Knight was one of nearly two dozen individuals and organizations recognized for their achievements in the arts and humanities.
During the medal presentation, Biden called Knight an “empress of the soul” and said he was a lifelong fan.
“I’m crazy about his music,” he shared. “Gladys, like I said before, you really are one of the best things that ever happened, music-wise. I’m a fan.”
The “Midnight Train to Georgia” singer hugged the president as she put the medal around her neck.
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Biden also acknowledged you people actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and teased her about playing a politician on the HBO series Veepwho debuted in 2012 when Biden was vice president.
“And my friend, President Julia Louis-Dreyfus,” he said. “I want, I’ll talk to Julia later to find out if she liked being vice president or president better. I have to figure this one out. ”
Below is the full list of winners:
National Medal of Arts
Judith Francisca Baca, artist
Fred Eychaner, philanthropist
Jose Feliciano, musician
Mindy Kaling, actor
Gladys Knight, musician
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, actress
Antonio Martorell-Cardona, painter
Joan Shigekawa, producer and arts administrator
Bruce Springsteen, musician
Vera Wang, designer
The Billie Holiday Theater
The International Association of Blacks in Dance
National Medal of Humanities
Richard Blanco, writer
Johnnetta Betsch Cole, anthropologist
Walter Isaacson, writer
Earl Lewis, historian
Henrietta Mann, Native American scholar
Ann Patchet, writer
Bryan Stevenson, lawyer and activist
Amy Tan, writer
Tara Westover, writer
Colson Whitehead, writer