Celebrity icons and cultural figures gathered for the annual Kennedy Center Honors in Washington on Sunday night. This year’s recipients of the lifetime achievement award for artistic accomplishment are director Francis Ford Coppola, jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt, and The Apollo performance venue.
Raitt’s trailblazing career as a blues guitarist was praised by Sheryl Crow, who said she wouldn’t be doing her music if not inspired by Raitt. The night kicked off with hostess Queen Latifah performing a musical medley featuring hits from Raitt and the Grateful Dead.
The honorees were recognized with personalized tributes, including performances and testimonials from fellow artists. Medallions were presented during the traditional ceremony at the State Department. President Joe Biden praised each honoree, including actor Robert De Niro, who was in attendance.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors marks a departure from the previous four years under Donald Trump’s presidency, where Kennedy Center officials had to navigate public tension between honoring their honorees and Trump’s presence. Instead, multiple Democratic politicians seemed open to welcoming Trump to this year’s ceremony.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-center-coppola-grateful-dead-raitt-sandoval-ddfda67f219774afc2cf43b574856a81