George Clooney, Gladys Knight, U2, Amy Grant and Tania León will receive Kennedy Center Honors at the next ceremony, typically held the first weekend of December.The 45th annual ceremony also announced that Dune+Dusted will serve as executive producer, and again will be broadcast on CBS.The honorees have typically attended a reception at the White House in advance of the ceremony, as well as an event the night before hosted by the secretary of state.Deborah Rutter, the president of the Kennedy Center, said in a statement,” The Honors is often referred to by past recipients as the pinnacle of awards because it recognizes not just one performance, album or film, but esteems an artist’s cumulative body of work and influence over many decades.

This level of distinction is important. Through this holistic viewpoint, each year’s Honorees add another layer to the complex and inspiring collage of artists that together tell the story of our collective contribution to global culture.”David Rubenstein, the chairman of the Kennedy Center, cited Clooney’s humanitarian work and that his “unique brand of earnest charisma and his complete embodiment of a character has led us to root for him every time.” He noted that Grant became the first artist to bring Christian music to the “forefront of American culture, then equally thrived after crossing over into mainstream pop with hit after hit.”Rubenstein said that Knight, known as the “Empress of Soul,” has showcased “a boundless vocal range and soulfulness that has stood the test of time.” León, he said, the Pulitzer Prize winning composer, “has blessed America for more than five decades with her astoundingly original compositions and continues to be a major influence on classical music.”

Kennedy Center Honors To Recognize George Clooney, Gladys Knight, U2, Amy Grant And Tania León

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