Kennedy Center Announces Recipients Of 2017 Honors Including LL Cool J, Gloria Estefan
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Kennedy Center announced on Thursday its slate of 2017 honorees.
The performers honored with the prestigious award are:
• Actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade
• Singer-songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan,
• Hip hop artist, actor and host LL Cool J
• Television writer and producer Norman Lear
• Renowned musician and record producer Lionel Richie
The 40th Annual Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast Tuesday, December 26 (9-11 pm. PT) on CBS.
The network has broadcast each special since it debuted.
"The Kennedy Center Honors spotlights the extraordinary careers of five artists whose talent and ingenuity have enriched and shaped cultural life in America," stated Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. "Carmen de Lavallade is a national treasure whose elegance and talent as a dancer led to a career touching many art forms; international superstar Gloria Estefan has influenced American music through her infectious Miami sound; landmark hip hop artist LK Cool J taught the world how to rhyme as one of the pioneers of the hip hop phenomenon; Norman Lear spoke to the human condition and sparked poignant cultural conversations with some of the most epochal TV sitcoms of the 20th century; and Lionel Richie's irresistibly recognizable melodies capture the heart and transcend generations."
Past honorees have included Mel Brooks, Diana Ross, Kirk Douglas, Sting, Lucille Ball and Harry Belafonte.