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Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on this day in 1968, so it’s a good time to reflect on some of the powerful songs that supported or were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. I’ve selected some gems from some very diverse artists. Enjoy.

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President Obama and the First Lady hosted a “Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement” at the White House on Tuesday night. The concert was the fifth in a series that is dedicated to what President Obama calls “Music that tells the story of America.”

The first performance was by Yolanda Adams who sang the Sam Cooke classic “A Change is Gonna Come.” This was followed by performances from Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Smokey Robinson, John Mellencamp, Natalie Cole, John Legend, Seal, The Blind Boys of Alabama, the Howard University Choir, The Freedom Singers, and Dr Bernice Johnson Reagon. Everyone, including President Obama, finished off the concert with a sing-along of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

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On 13 February 2010, the Halcyon Gallery in London will open an exclusive exhibition of Bob Dylan’s first paintings on canvas.

The paintings in the ‘Bob Dylan on Canvas’ exhibition are based on drawings and sketches made while on the road during the period of 1989 to 1992 – ‘The Drawn Blank Series.’

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Neil Young won his first-ever Grammy and Springsteen won his 20th at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony tonight (31 January). The biggest winner was Beyonce who took away a record six Grammys, including song of the year for “Single Ladies.”

Young won the Grammy for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package for ‘Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972),’ and he shared the award with his co-art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo.

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