who was the black person with a dress emcee on the elton john bernie taupin gershwin music awards show

Short answer: That was Billy Porter, who hosted and performed in a black fringe dress during the Elton John & Bernie Taupin Gershwin Prize tribute concert.

Details and context

• Event and role: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize tribute for Elton John and Bernie Taupin featured Billy Porter as an exuberant host/emcee who also performed onstage.

• Costume and performance: Coverage specifically notes Porter navigating the stage in a black fringe dress while delivering a cheeky rendition of “The Bitch Is Back.”

• Coverage sources: The performance and Porter’s hosting were reported by multiple outlets covering the Gershwin Prize concert and the PBS special.

Short chronology

• The tribute concert took place in March 2024 at DAR Constitution Hall and later aired as a PBS special.

• Billy Porter both emceed segments and performed during the show, contributing to several highlights noted in reviews.

Bottom note
Information gathered from public reporting and entertainment coverage of the Gershwin Prize concert.