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 Cher, the Oscar-winning actress and pop icon, and McEntire, a
country music singer and songwriter who has acted on stage and
television, joined jazz musician Wayne Shorter and composer
Philip Glass to receive the awards, which recognize a lifetime
of contributions to the arts.
In an unusual move for the arts organization, the Kennedy Center
also recognized the creators of "Hamilton" with a special award
for a "transformative work that defies category," recognizing
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote and starred in the show; Thomas
Kail, who directed it; Andy Blankenbuehler, who designed the
show's choreography; and Alex Lacamoire, who did the
orchestration.
Though celebrities and high-ranking Washington politicians
attended the annual gathering, President Donald Trump and his
wife, Melania, stayed away for the second year in a row.
That drew mixed responses from the attendees.
Cher, who has made no secret of her disdain for the Republican
president, suggested she would not have shown up if Trump had
been present.
"If he came ... someone would have to give me the little Honor
in a bathroom," she told reporters on Saturday night at a gala
at the State Department ahead of the Sunday program.
Some others lamented the fact that the president was not there.
Politics, however, were not a theme of the night, with the
exception of a tribute by the show's host, Gloria Estefan, to
former President George H. W. Bush, who died on Friday.
The Sunday night program was filled with stars who came to
commemorate this year's crop of winners.
Singer Kelly Clarkson sang a rousing rendition of "Fancy" in a
tribute to McEntire. Country music groups Lady Antebellum and
Brooks & Dunn also performed.
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McEntire, who has attended previous Honors as a performer, said she
was excited to become an honoree herself. "It just means a lot for
me to be here and get to join the club of the best friends that I
have already in here," she told reporters.
Famed opera singer Renee Fleming sang "Aurora Leigh," in tribute to
jazz artist and saxophonist Shorter.
Then to close the first act, in a rare move at the Honors
performances, Miranda, an honoree, took to the stage for a duet with
Christopher Jackson, an original cast member of "Hamilton," singing
"One Last Time." The crowd roared.
Kicking off the second act, singer-songwriter Paul Simon heralded
Glass as the most influential composer of modern times.
Then a group of stars finished off the evening with a tribute to
Cher. Singer Adam Lambert delivered a powerful rendition of her hit
song "Believe" and Cyndi Lauper sang a rousing version of "If I
Could Turn Back Time."
Cher, surprised to see Lauper, yelled from her seat in the balcony
of the theater that she thought the singer told her she was going to
Los Angeles.
"I lied," Lauper said back from the stage.
The show will be broadcast on CBS on December 26.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Michael Perry)
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