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Springsteen, Bono Among Inaugural Performers

An overstuffed bill of actors and musicians helped celebrate the looming inauguration of Barack Obama at the National Mall in Washington, DC, on Sunday. Setting things off was Bruce Springsteen, who performed a rousing rendition of "The Rising" alongside a choir. On the celebrity side, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Tiger Woods all made appearances, and Jamie Foxx took some time out to impersonate Joe Biden and invoke "Chi-town!" As for performances, they included Garth Brooks ("Shout"), a duet between will.i.am and Sheryl Crow ("One Love"), and a special version of "Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder, Shakira and Usher.

"Look around you," Joe Biden—who watched the proceedings from behind bulletproof glass with Obama and the pair’s wives—said at one point. "Look at the grace and the grandeur that surrounds us and you’ll see the work of American hands."

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
01.19.09