Robinson, Crow to perform at White House

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- The White House has announced plans to celebrate Black History Month with a tribute to the legacy of Motown Records featuring a performance by Smokey Robinson.

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have invited music icons and contemporary artists to perform Thursday in a program called "The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House."

The lineup of performers will include Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Foxx, Gloriana, Nick Jonas, Ledisi, John Legend, Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Seal and Jordin Sparks, with Greg Phillinganes as the night's music director.

Produced by public broadcaster WETA, Washington, in association with Bounce, a division of AEG, and the National Black Programming Consortium, the program will be broadcast on PBS stations nationwide March 1. It will be broadcast via the American Forces Network March 11 to American servicemen and women and civilians at U.S. Department of Defense locations around the world, the White House said in a news release this week.