Stars head to White House for Ray Charles tribute

Top American music stars including Usher and Demi Lovato will sing at the White House next week in tribute to soul great Ray Charles, First Lady Michelle Obama announced Friday.

Wednesday's concert, organized with the Smithsonian, a network of leading US museums and research centers, will be shown on public broadcaster PBS two days later.

Charles, who died in 2004, was instrumental in defining the genre of soul which took traditional African American Gospel music and infused it with rhythm and blues and jazz.

Blind since childhood, the singer and pianist was one of the first African American artists to cross over to white audiences on a wide scale and to enjoy control over his own music at a major record label.

Michelle Obama's office announced that performers will include Usher, one of the leading R&B singers who has sold more than 75 million albums, and Lovato, the former child star turned pop singer.

Other artists will include pre-eminent Gospel singer Yolanda Adams, rising soul star Andra Day, country group The Band Perry and Brittany Howard, the lead singer of indie rock sensations Alabama Shakes who has won acclaim for her thunderous yet soulful voice.

The Charles tribute will be the 16th such concert at the White House under President Barack Obama, who will speak at the event.

Previous artists to have been honored include Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.

The tribute to Charles will include a workshop for more than 130 students from across the United States.