The 2025 Woody Guthrie Prize celebration, hosted by the Woody Guthrie Center, brought together music legends and guests in Tulsa to honor the spirit of folk icon Woody Guthrie. The recipient this year was the world-renowned band U2, represented by Bono and The Edge, who accepted the award and participated in an on-stage conversation about art and activism with legendary producer and musician T Bone Burnett. The evening included a surprise six-song performance from Bono and The Edge.
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Why?
The Woody Guthrie Prize seeks to recognize artists who reflect Woody Guthrie’s belief that music can be a force for social justice and change. By honoring U2, the Woody Guthrie Center underscores the enduring relevance of that legacy in today’s global music and activism landscape. The event not only celebrates artistic achievement but also raises critical funds to fuel the center’s mission of education, public programs and preservation of Guthrie’s message for future generations.
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When speaking with T Bone about the songwriting process relative to protest songs, Bono and Edge both spoke about needing to be moved. Bono said, “you can’t write a song to order.” He elaborated with a surprise to the audience by reading lyrics to a song that is a work in progress, written about the killing of Awdah Hathaleen, the Palestinian activist and consultant on the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land” murdered in July 2025 by an Israeli settler. It’s been widely reported that U2 is in the studio working on new music and this was the first glimpse of any content. Bono cited lyrics that began:
One father shot
three children crying
if there is no law
is there no crime
if there is no hope
what’s there to rhyme
history is written
one life at a time
ONE LIFE AT A TIME
