OT: Kennedy Center Honorees for 2011 announced

[VAMike23]

Though no show is perfect, the Kennedy Center Honors program is one that I have almost never missed since I first started watching it in the early 80s or so. Occasionally their homages fall flat, and I never envy them when they have to honor a playwright or actor. ( Either is much tougher than honoring a choreographer or a musician.) But usually, some of my favorite TV moments of the whole year come from this show and occasionally you even get some truly transcendent moments. The talent they are able to assemble for these tributes is pretty much unmatched.

This year's honorees:

Meryl Streep
Barbara Cook
Neil Diamond
Y0-Yo Ma
Sonny Rollins

All legends, and all well deserved !

NY Times article

 

[VAUConnFan]

All legends for sure!

I go to the Kennedy Center once a year, religiously, in February.

 

[Kibitzer]

The Kennedy Center list of honorees is stunning and a testimony to the extrordinary level of talent of those named. Five honorees most years, but an occasional sixth person to accommodate Loewe and Lerner, Newman and Woodward, Cronyn and Tandy.

The committee always seemed to include one dancer or choreographer until about ten years ago, as it appeared that the number of great or legendary cinemactors and musicians became almost overwhelming.

It seems that only living persons are honored which may account for Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash passing muster but not Waylon Jennings. Same for Buddy Holly and Janis Joplin not joining Chuck Berry.

I hope that next year the committee takes a long look at some of my favorites: Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Bela Fleck and Mark O'Connor. Brian Lockhart eventually.

And if these folks are not entirely familiar to you, especially Bela, be advised that Maestro Fleck is to the banjo what Lionel Hampton was to the vibraharp or Benny Goodman to the clarinet. "Beyond category," to use Duke Ellington's ultimate term of praise.

 

[Icebear]

Kibitzer, you're a fellow Fleck fan, cool.

 

[ThisJustIn]

What an amazing group... oh, to be a fly on the wall.

 

[RadyLady]

indeed