Brooks, Nettles, Springsteen play pre-inaugural show

John Mellencamp, Usher, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor will perform as well Sunday afternoon. Obama and his family are expected to attend, with Obama expected to speak.

The performers also include Stevie Wonder, Renee Fleming, Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley and John Legend. Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington will read historical passages

According to Associated Press, the go-ahead for the show was given by the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2 1/2-weeks ago. Executive Producer George Stevens Jr. said, "On that first day, we asked Springsteen, Bono and Garth Brooks within a period of 45 minutes and got three yeses. We said, `This is going to be fun.'"

The theme for the show, titled "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial." "The list of stars is impressive," he said. "But this is not a show biz, glitzy occasion. It's going to be rooted in history, remembering the great president (Lincoln) who led us through difficult times."

Artists are being asked to sing songs pertaining to the occasion. Springsteen is slated to perform The Rising.

HBO will televise the show at 7 p.m. eastern.