Some of the biggest names in entertainment were awarded with the Kennedy Center Honors over the weekend.
Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, country singer Merle Haggard, Broadway composer Jerry Herman and dancer Bill Jones were honored Sunday night at the Kennedy Center.
Since the 1960s, the new Kennedy Center honorees have helped define television, dance, theater and music.
It was also a who’s who in the audience. John Travolta, Julia Roberts and Barbara Walters were just a few of the stars in attendance.
The honorees sat with first lady Michelle Obama and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
President Barack Obama spoke at the event, saying the honorees weren’t just being awarded for their successful careers.
“They’re being honored for their unique ability to bring us closer together and to capture something larger about who we are, not just as Americans, but as human beings,” the president said
There were also several musical stars who performed covers of songs by McCartney and Haggard, including Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Jennifer Hudson, Dave Grohl and Norah Jones.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
