Hollywood stars to shine at inauguration kickoff
People who want to celebrate President-elect Barack Obama's move to the White House early can start the party on Sunday, when stars of music, movies and television perform in Washington, D.C.
Bono, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder are among the stars who will sing at an inauguration kickoff at the Lincoln Memorial, the Presidential Inaugural Committee said on Monday.
"The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" will be shown on U.S. cable TV channel HBO, which will allow viewers across the United States with access to cable or satellite television to view it for free.
Other stars performing are: Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, James Taylor and Will.i.am.
Also, celebrities will read historical passages at the event. The readers include actors Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington and activist Martin Luther King III, the son of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
The event at the Lincoln Memorial will be free and open to the public, the Presidential Inaugural Committee said. HBO will show the event on TV on Sunday at 7 p.m.

美国当选总统奥巴马很快将入主白宫、走马上任，想早点庆祝的人们这周日就可以开始了，届时来自音乐、电影和电视界的明星将云集华盛顿，助阵奥巴马就职典礼。
“总统就职委员会”于本周一称，就职仪式启动庆典将于本周日在林肯纪念堂举行，届时来自演艺界的众多明星如波诺、布鲁斯?斯布林顿和史迪威?万德等将登台献唱。
“林肯纪念堂奥巴马就职庆典”将在美国有线电视台HBO直播，届时全美民众将能通过有线或卫星电视免费观看庆典盛况。
其他将献唱的明星包括：碧昂丝、玛丽·布莱姬、加思·布鲁克斯、谢乐尔·克劳、雷内·弗莱明、乔希·格罗班、赫比·汉考克、希思·海德利、约翰·莱珍德、珍妮弗·奈特斯·约翰·梅伦坎姆普、“亚瑟小子”、夏奇拉、詹姆斯·泰勒和Will.i.am。
此外，还有一些名人将在庆祝活动上诵读历史名篇，其中包括演员杰米·佛克斯、奎恩·拉提法和丹泽尔·华盛顿以及已故民权运动领袖马丁·路德·金之子、社会活动家马丁·路德·金 III。
据总统就职委员会介绍，林肯纪念堂的庆祝活动将免费对公众开放。HBO电视台将于本周日晚7点开始直播庆典盛况。