LEGENDARY HONORS Illustration by Amanda Weisbrod PERFORMANCES Since its opening in 1971, The John F. Kennedy Center for the 2021 | The Kennedy Center kicks off its 50th anniversary Performing Arts has served as one of the nation’s premiere Each year, The Kennedy Center Honors celebrates those 50 YEARS creative hot spots. This timeline highlights a brief history of the year with an oral history exhibit in the performing arts for their contributions to American titled “If These Halls Could Talk.” center, showcasing renovations, improvements and legendary culture. A tribute performance, ranging from musical acts performances of the past. to comedy routines, is put on for each honoree.
Below features a tribute performance from each decade THE PERFORMING ARTS the Honors has been presented. Follow along on the 2021 inner timeline to see when they take place in history.
2020 1960 6 1 2019 | The REACH, an outdoor pavilion dedicated to November 22, 1963 JFK’s assassination showcasing the process of the performing arts, opens. 1979 | Joe Williams, Peggy Lee, John Hendricks and Count Basie belt out a tribute to honor jazz singer Ella 1958 | President Eisenhower Fitzgerald, one of that year’s honorees. signs the National Cultural Center Act, which financed a structure dedicated to the 2 performing arts. 5
1970 2010 1983 | Carol Burnett, an actress, comedienne, singer and writer, takes the stage to honor actor Jimmy Stewart. 2014 | Deborah Rutter is Burnett later receives her own honors in 2003. 1971 appointed as president of the Kennedy Center. She is the first woman to hold 3 1962 | The Kennedys host An this position. American Pageant of the Arts, 4 a televised fundraiser for the National Cultural Center. 1996 | Robert Duvall, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash perform a musical tribute honoring country star Johnny Cash.
1 2000 4 1980 2 3 2011 | The Washington National Opera officially 1964 | President Johnson renames the joins the Kennedy Center. 2005 | Beyoncé hits the stage with her own version National Cultural Center as The John of “Proud Mary,” a tribute to honoree Tina Turner’s F. Kennedy Center for the Performing 1990 rendition of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic. Arts. He breaks ground for the Center later that same year. 5
2012 | Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart join Jason The life of the arts, far from 2005 | The Family Theater Bonham, the son of Led Zeppelin’s original drummer, to being an interruption, a opens. With 324 seats, honor the rock band by performing “Stairway to Heaven.” it serves as a venue for 1971 | The Kennedy Center distraction, in the life of a world-class, family-friendly opens. It was designed by performances dedicated to nation, is very close to the architect Edward Durrell 6 the youth of the nation. center of a nation’s purpose... Stone, who also designed and is a test of the quality of the Modern Museum of Art. 1978 | The first Kennedy Center 1986 | The National 1997 | The Kennedy Honors take place. Honorees Symphony Orchestra, led Center opens Millennium Sources: kennedy-center.org. Photos: Courtesy of The Kennedy Center a nation’s civilization.” include Marian Anderson, Fred by conductor Mstislav Stage, which was created for the Performing Arts; Wikimedia; 1978 Honors, Richard Braaten; 2020 | Gladys Knight honors country icon Garth 1979 Honorees, Richard Braaten; 1983 Carol Burnett, Jack Buxbaum; — President John F. Kennedy, 1962 Astaire, George Balanchine, Rostropovich, officially to bring the performing 1996 Honors, Joan Marcus; 2005 Beyoncé, Joan Marcus; 2019 Brooks by putting her signature gospel spin on the Richard Rodgers and Arthur joins the Kennedy Center. arts to everyone. Chuck Brown Band, John Shore; 2020 Gladys Knight, courtesy of CBS. musician’s 1992 release, “We Shall Be Free.” Rubinstein.