A star-studded gala concert held May 23 at Washington's Warner Theatre makes its way to PBS tonight as "Paul Simon: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song."

Simon is the inaugural recipient of the lifetime achievement prize, named in honor of composers George and Ira Gershwin.

Compiling a list of Simon's greatest songs is impossible, says host Bob Costas, given that the artist's work spans "five decades and so many different styles."

The songs featured in the show mostly date from the mid-'60s Simon and Garfunkel era to Simon's 1986 masterpiece "Graceland."

South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo grace "Homeless" with their rich a cappella chorale and choreography before joining Simon on the rhythmically ebullient "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes."

Stephen Marley accents the Jamaican roots of "Mother and Child Reunion," while Yolanda Adams and Jessy Dixon grace "Gone at Last" with genuine gospel fervor. Other musician friends of Simon's performing include James Taylor, Marc Anthony, Dianne Reeves, Lyle Lovett and Buckwheat Zydeco.

Stevie Wonder plays harmonica during Simon's performance of "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" and joins Simon and the Dixie Hummingbirds for a sprawling finale of "Loves Me Like a Rock."

Among several historical clips interspersed in the two-hour program, there's a montage of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" performances by a stellar group that includes Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Johnny Cash.

Later in the evening, Simon is joined by his "dear friend and partner in arguments" Art Garfunkel. Garfunkel is now less strong and steady in voice, but he's still rich enough in spirit to remind folks why "Bridge" will long be considered the classic among the cache of Simon's perpetually popular songs.