The Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb, pop legend Dionne Warwick, and hip-hop great Queen Latifah are among the artists who were saluted at the 2023 edition of the Kennedy Center Honors. A special featuring highlights from the star-studded event airs tonight, December 27.
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How to Watch
The 46th Kennedy Center Honors special premieres tonight on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. The show also will be available for streaming on the Paramount+ service.
Details About the Event
The event was taped in early December at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C. The show was hosted by Gloria Estefan—a 2017 Kennedy Center honoree herself.
[Buy Dionne Warwick Concert Tickets]
The annual celebration, now in its 46th year, features musical performances, spoken-word presentations and other tributes to noteworthy people who have made important artistic contributions throughout their careers. Honored alongside Gibb, Warwick, and Queen Latifah this year were comedian/actor Billy Crystal and opera singer Renée Fleming.
The Performers and Presenters
Paying homage to Gibb were Michael Bublé and Little Big Town, who respectively performed the Bee Gees classics “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” and “Lonely Days, Lonely Nights.”
Warwick was honored by Gladys Knight, Chloe Bailey, and Cynthia Erivo, who sang Dionne’s respective hits “Say a Little Prayer,” “Walk On By” and “Alfie.”
[RELATED: Dionne Warwick, Barry Gibb, Queen Latifah to Receive 2023 Kennedy Center Honors]
Queen Latifah’s salute included a spoken-word tribute from fellow hip-hop great Missy Elliott and a performance of “Just Another Day” by rapper Rapsody.
The evening’s other presenters and performances included Jay Leno, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Robert DeNiro, Meg Ryan, Whoopi Goldberg, Sigourney Weaver, Dove Cameron, and Tituss Burgess.
Previews from the Show
You can check out a variety of video clips from the show, as well as red-carpet interviews and other coverage, at The Kennedy Center’s official YouTube channel and Kennedy-Center.org. The sites also have clips of President Joe Biden presenting the honorees medallions during a pre-event White House reception.
Barry Gibb’s Red Carpet Comments
In one of the red-carpet interviews, Gibb shared how he felt about receiving the honor, while also acknowledging his late brothers and Bee Gees bandmates Maurice and Robin Gibb.
“It’s surreal, shocking. And I think … a lot of the wonderful things that happen in your life are not the things you expect,” the 77-year-old singer/songwriter said. “And … I’ve always sort of lived that way. So if it comes around the corner, it’s a wonderful thing.”
He also noted that he’d watched the Kennedy Center Honors specials for years, adding, “I always thought, well, you know, maybe one day [I’ll be honored too], but I didn’t know I was gonna be without my brothers. So it’s just the way things happen in life, you know? But they deserve this too.”
Dionne Warwick’s Red Carpet Comments
Warwick also discussed what the honor meant to while being interviewed on the red carpet.
“It was very exciting to hear … ’cause it’s one of the most prestigious honors that can be given,” the 83-year-old vocalist said.
“It’s like old home week, actually,” Warwick added. “I know every single Black person that’s being honored today. … And it’s a wonderful feeling that … you’re walking into a room that you know people and they know you. … It was wonderful.”
She also talked about the important impact that music has on the world.
“Music is a steadfast bastion,” Warwick maintained, “that we should all not only continue to recognize, but know it as something that is absolutely necessary for the world to survive.”
Warwick’s 2024 Concert Plans
Warwick has a handful of U.S. concerts lined up for February, March, and April of next year. She also will be touring the United Kingdom in May. Visit OfficialDionneWarwick.com to check out her full schedule.
Tickets for her concerts are available now at various outlets, including StubHub.
