The 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors airs this Sunday on CBS honoring five incredible artists who have spent their lives adding to the cultural legacy of their respective genres. This year’s honorees: Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, Midori and Dick Van Dyke, will be saluted by a star-studded group of performers as they receive one of the country’s highest honors for performing artists.
HOST: Gloria Estefan
Multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning singer-songwriter and actress
HONOREE: Debbie Allen
Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actress, dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, director and producer
PRESENTERS: Paula Abdul (Dancer, Choreographer, Singer, Songwriter)
Phylicia Rashad (Actress, Director, Sister of Debbie Allen)
Shonda Rhimes (Television Producer, Screenwriter)
Tracee Ellis Ross (Actress)
TRIBUTE PERFORMERS: Ariana DeBose (Performs “I’m A Brass Band,” “Something Better
Than This,” “Fame”)
Tony Award-nominated actress, singer and dancer
Anika Noni Rose (Performs “Out Here On My Own,” “Fame”)Tony Award-winning and GRAMMY® Award-nominated actress and singer
Vanessa Hudgens (Performs “Fame”)Actress, singer and producer
Vivian Nixon (Performs “I’m A Brass Band,” “Something Better Than This,” “Fame”)Dancer and actress, daughter of Debbie Allen
Tiler Peck (Performs “Out Here On My Own,” “Fame”)New York City Ballet dancer, actress, choreographer and designer
Desmond Richardson (Performs “Out Here On My Own,” “Fame”)Dancer and co-founder/co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Debbie Allen Dance AcademyHONOREE: Joan Baez
GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and multiple GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer, songwriter, musician and activist
PRESENTERS: Jackson Browne (Singer, Songwriter)
Phoebe Bridgers (Singer, Songwriter, Producer)
Tom Morello (Singer, Rapper, Songwriter, Actor, Activist)
TRIBUTE PERFORMERS: Sturgill Simpson (Performs “House of the Rising Sun”)
GRAMMY® Award-winner country music singer, songwriter and
actor
Rhiannon Giddens (Performs “Silver Dagger” with Dirk Powell)GRAMMY® Award-winning and CMA Award-nominated country, blues and old-time music musician
Emmylou Harris (Performs “Diamonds & Rust,” “God is God,” “We Shall Overcome”)GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning singer and songwriter
Mary Chapin Carpenter (Performs “Diamonds & Rust,” “God is God,” “We Shall Overcome”)Multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning country music singer
HONOREE: Garth Brooks
Multiple GRAMMY® Award, ACM Award and CMA Award-winning country music entertainer
PRESENTERS: Bradley Cooper (Actor, Filmmaker)
Jason Aldean (Singer, Songwriter, Producer)
John Travolta (Actor, Singer)
Wayne Gretzky (Professional ice hockey player)
TRIBUTE PERFORMERS: Kelly Clarkson (Performs “The Dance”)
Multiple GRAMMY® Award, ACM Award and CMA Award-winning singer and songwriter
James Taylor (Performs “The River”)2016 Kennedy Center Honoree, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist
Gladys Knight (Performs “We Shall Be Free”) GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and author
Jimmie Allen (Performs “The Thunder Rolls,” “Friends in Low Places”)ACM Award-wining and CMA-nominated country music singer and songwriter
HONOREE: Dick Van Dyke
Emmy Award, GRAMMY® Award and Tony Award-winning actor, comedian, writer, singer and dancer
PRESENTERS: Julie Andrews (Actress, Singer, Dancer, Author)
Bryan Cranston (Actor, Producer, Director, Screenwriter)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Actor, Singer, Songwriter, Rapper, Director, Producer, Playwright)
Chita Rivera (Actress, Singer, Dancer)
Steve Martin (Actor, Comedian, Writer, Producer, Musician)
TRIBUTE PERFORMERS: Derek Hough (Performs “Step In Time,” “Put On A Happy Face”)
Emmy Award-winning dancer, choreographer, actor and singer
Laura Osnes (Performs “Step In Time,” “Put On A Happy Face,” “Jolly Holiday”)Tony Award-nominated actress and singer
Aaron Tveit (Performs “Step In Time,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”)Tony Award and GRAMMY® Award-nominated actor and singer
Pentatonix (Performs “Step In Time,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”)GRAMMY® Award-winning a cappella group
HONOREE: Midori
GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist
PRESENTERS: Gustavo Dudamel (Conductor, Violinist)
John Lithgow (Actor, Poet, Author, Singer)
Bette Midler (Actress, Singer, Songwriter, Author, Comedian)
TRIBUTE PERFORMERS: Yo-Yo Ma (Performs J.S. Bach’s “Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1)
Multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning cellist
Gil Shaham (Performs “Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, II. Largo”)GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist
Adele Anthony (Performs J.S. Bach’s “Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, II. Largo”)Violinist
Hilary Hahn (Performs Bernstein’s “Serenade (after Plato’s ‘Symposium’) III: Eryximachus”)Violinist
Randall Goosby (Performs Paganini’s “Caprise No. 24,” “The Body Electric”)Violinist
Midori’s Orchestra Residencies ProgramPRODUCED BY: White Cherry Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss
DIRECTOR: Glenn Weiss
WRITER: David Boone
SUPERVISING PRODUCERS: Rob Paine & Sarah Levine Hall
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Steve Bass
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Bob Dickinson
CHOREOGRAPHER Sergio Trujillo
MUSIC DIRECTOR: Rickey Minor
CONDUCTOR: Maestro Thomas Wilkins of National Symphony Orchestra
