Elvis Costello will receive an OBE Award from the British government for his “services to music.” Costello, who will be recognized as an “Officer of the Order of the British Empire,” announced the news in a blog post on his website earlier today (June 7). “I am happy to accept this very surprising honour,” Costello wrote on his website. “I have to admit that my first reaction, upon receiving an ‘O.H.M.S.’ letter was, ‘Oh no, they’ve finally tumbled me.’”
Costello admits that he sought his mother Lillian MacManus’ counsel on the issue of accepting the honor. “I began my call by telling my Mam that the Prime Minister, Mrs. May, had put my name forward for an OBE. ‘But she’s rubbish,’ Lillian cut in before I could complete the news,” Costello wrote. “Well, that aside, I said, ‘Of course, I won’t be accepting the award.’ I didn’t get much further with that statement either. I listened carefully to my mother’s argument that if something is deserved then one must be gracious in acceptance. So, as a good lad, who likes to do what will make his Mam most proud, I knew that I must put old doubts and enmities aside and muster what little grace I possess.”
“To be honest,” Costello added, “I’m pretty tickled to receive this acknowledgement for my ‘Services To Music,’ as it confirms my long held suspicion nobody really listens to the words in songs or the outcome might have been somewhat different.” Read his full letter here.
Elvis Costello released Look Now, his latest album with the Imposters, in 2018.
Read “An Ode to Elvis Costello’s Stellar Backing Bands, the Attractions and the Imposters” over on the Pitch.
https://pitchfork.com/news/elvis-costello-to-be-awarded-obe-honor-by-british-empire
