The Kennedy Center Honors honored actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, singer-songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan, hip hop artist LL COOL J, television writer and producer Norman Lear and renowned musician and record producer Lionel Richie.
They were recognized during THE 40th ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS on Sunday night, which will air Tuesday, Dec. 26 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS.
The following star performers and figures paid tribute to each honoree….
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HONOREE: |
Gloria Estefan Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman |
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TRIBUTE PRESENTERS/ PERFORMERS: |
Eva Longoria (Spoken Tribute) Actress, producer, director, activist and businesswoman
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The Cast of “On Your Feet! The Musical” (Performs “1, 2, 3”) Broadway musical based on the life and music of Gloria and Emilio Estefan
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Chaka Khan (Performs “Coming Out of the Dark” with the Howard University Gospel Choir) Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist
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Jon Secada (Spoken Tribute) Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning singer and songwriter
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Becky G (Performs “Mi Tierra”) Singer, songwriter, rapper, actress and model
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Emily Estefan (Performs “Reach”) Daughter of Gloria and Emilio Estefan; drummer, guitarist, singer and songwriter
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Miami Sound Machine (Performs “Rhythm is Gonna Get You”/“Oye”/ “Conga”/“Turn the Beat Around”/“Everlasting Love”/“Get on Your Feet”) Latin-influenced band established by Emilio Estefan Jr. featuring the vocals of Gloria Estefan
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HONOREE: |
Norman Lear Multiple Emmy Award and Peabody Award-winning television writer, producer and political activist |
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TRIBUTE PRESENTERS/ PERFORMERS: |
J.J. Abrams (Spoken Tribute) Multiple Emmy Award-winning director, producer, screenwriter, actor and composer
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United States Airforce Singing Sergeants (Performs “America, the Beautiful”)
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Dave Chappelle (Spoken Tribute) Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, writer and producer
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Rob Reiner (Performance Tribute from “All in the Family”) Multiple Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, director, producer and activist
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Rachel Bloom (Performance Tribute from “Maude”) Actress, comedian, writer and producer, currently starring in the television series CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND
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Kenya Barris (Performance Tribute from “Good Times”) Writer, producer and creator of numerous television shows and winner of the NAACP Image Award for “Black-ish”
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Anthony Anderson (Performance Tribute from “The Jeffersons”) Actor, comedian and writer; star and creator of the television comedy “Black-ish”
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Rita Moreno (Performance Tribute from “One Day at a Time”) Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Emmy Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning actress and singer; 2015 Kennedy Center Honoree
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HONOREE: |
LL COOL J Rapper, actor, author and entrepreneur |
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TRIBUTE PRESENTERS/ PERFORMERS: |
Queen Latifah (Spoken Tribute) GRAMMY Award, Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, rapper, songwriter, singer, actress, model, television and record producer
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Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (Spoken Tribute) GRAMMY Award-winning instrumentalist, DJ and producer; co-founder of the band The Roots
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DJ Z-Trip (Performance Tribute) DJ and record producer
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Busta Rhymes (Performs “Mama Said Knock You Out”) Rapper, actor and record producer
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MC Lyte (Performs “I’m Bad”) Pioneering female rapper
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Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter (Performs “It Gets No Rougher”) Rapper, lead MC and co-founder of the band The Roots
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Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels (Performs “Rock the Bells”) Musician; founding member of the hip hop group Run-D.M.C.
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HONOREE: |
Carmen de Lavallade Actress, dancer and choreographer |
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TRIBUTE PRESENTERS/ PERFORMERS: |
Meryl Streep (Spoken Tribute) Multiple Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and Emmy Award-winning actress and philanthropist
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Jon Batiste (Performs “Soul Bossa Nova” with dancers Stella Abrera and Brandon Victor Dixon) Singer, multi-instrumentalist, educator, comedian and bandleader for THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT
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Sheléa Frazier (Performs “Wade in the Water” with dancers Alicia Graf Mack, Linda Celeste Sims and Matthew Rushing) Singer and songwriter
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Jacqueline Bolier (Performs “Deux Bourées: N’aï Pas léu De MîO” with dancer Lindsey Croop) Vocalist
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Misty Copeland (Spoken Tribute) Ballet dancer for the American Ballet Theater
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Rebecca Luker (Performs “Bill” with dancers Misty Copeland and Tony nominee Robert Fairchild) Tony Award-winning Broadway actress and singer
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Finale Tribute Performance (Performance of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” featuring all of the Carmen de Lavallade tribute participants and the Howard University Gospel Choir)
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HONOREE: |
Lionel Richie Multiple GRAMMY Award, Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and record producer |
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TRIBUTE PRESENTERS/ PERFORMERS: |
Stevie Wonder (Performs “Hello” and “Easy”) Multiple GRAMMY Award and Golden Globe Award-winning musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist; 1999 Kennedy Center Honoree and recipient of the 2014 Presidential Medal of Freedom
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Kenny Rogers (Spoken Tribute) GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and record producer
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Luke Bryan (Performs “Penny Lover” and “Sail On”) Country singer and songwriter
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Quincy Jones (Spoken Tribute) Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning record producer, actor, conductor, arranger, composer, musician, television producer, film producer, instrumentalist and humanitarian
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Nicole Richie (Spoken Tribute) Fashion designer, author, actress and television personality; daughter of Lionel Richie
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Leona Lewis (Performs “Say You Say Me” and “All Night Long”) Singer and songwriter
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Finale Tribute Performance (Reprise Performance of “All Night Long,” featuring all of the Lionel Richie tribute participants) |
