Diverse Group Of Kennedy Honorees

Each December for the past 26 years, the nation's glitterati have descended on the nation's capital for one of the biggest cultural events of the year: the Kennedy Center honors.

This year, the honorees were James Brown, the godfather of soul; funny lady Carol Burnett, country crooner Loretta Lynn; film director Mike Nichols; and violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman.

And Sunday night, The Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen had one of the best seats in the house.

It was a weekend of parties and presidential praise. To the honorees, President George Bush said, "Each of you in your own way has given America a body of work that reflects so very well on our nation."

All leading up to what has been called: the Dom Perignon of award shows. It began with a tribute to Loretta Lynn - always topping the country charts. She sang her way out of poverty and into the nation's heart.

Actress Sissy Spacek praised the country legend for reflecting her Appalachian upbringing in her songs.

"In a way we all know Loretta because she's sung us the story of her life in her songs." Spacek's portrayal of Lynn in the biographical film, "Coal Miner's Daughter," won Spacek an Oscar and catapulted Lynn to superstar status.

Former president George Bush paid tribute to Lynn, as well, "Though I come from a musically oriented family, I am afraid there is a genetic power outage in my case. There's no note I can sing, no beat I can hold. And I can't tell if the president is laughing, but the truth be told, he's a couple of chords low on musical talent too. And so I feel very confident in speaking for the entire Bush family in expressing our love and our respect for this national treasure, Loretta."

Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Lyle Lovett and Patty Loveless delved into a medley of Lynn's lyrical tunes, highlighted by a Brooks and Yearwood duet on "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man."

The show's rhythm changed when hip-hop performers honored Brown, and singer Anastacia led the show's black-tie audience in a clap-along rendition of Brown's "Sex Machine."

He's had countless nicknames, Brown told Chen. "Mister dynamite was first." His favorite one, "Godfather of soul."

Rapper LL Cool J said Brown blazed a path for black musicians. "You broke down mental and social barriers and made it possible for me, a black kid from Queens, to stand in front of presidents and say, 'Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud,'" he said.

And if James Brown is famous for music that moves us, Itzhak Perlman is famous for music that transforms. Perhaps what makes Perlman so beloved is not just his virtuosity, but his versatility: from performer, to mentor.

Students from Perlman's New York-based music program brought tears to the violinist's eyes when they thanked him for influencing their work.

Fellow violinist Pinchas Zukerman led the students in a performance of Vivaldi's "Summer" from "The Four Seasons" to honor Perlman, an Israeli-born musician who has performed all over the world and contributed to the Oscar-winning "Schindler's List" soundtrack.

While a childhood bout with polio limited the use of his legs, it seems Perlman's musical talents are limitless. Asked what was the pinnacle of his career, Perman told Chen, "The most outrageous thing I have ever done is sing." He sang with Luciano Pavoratti - on live television.

He said, "All I can remember is the look of the faces of the members of the New York Philharmonic when I opened my mouth at the rehearsal that morning. They were impressed."

Equally impressive is the dramatic versatility of director Mike Nichols. He has done stage, television, and more than 20 films. Nichols's impact on American culture is tough to measure.

Playwright Tom Stoppard saluted Nichols by noting his many other prizes. "The Mike Nichols Every Medal or None International Committee — or MNEMONIC, as we like to call ourselves — has so far awarded Mike Nichols 87 medals," Stoppard said, for movies, plays, albums and "personal hygiene."

While the latest buzz is all about, "Angels in America," it all started with his fabled partnership with Elaine May. Candice Bergen, Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Christine Baranski performed a musical-comedy salute to Nichols' career as director of Broadway shows, including the original production of "The Odd Couple," and movies, including "The Graduate."

Nichols' fathered one of the funniest lines in movie history:

From "The Graduate" - Mr. McGuire (Walter Brooke) to Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman): "I just want to say one word to you...just one word."
Benjamin Braddock: "Yes, sir."
Mr. McGuire: "Ben. Are you listening?"
Benjamin Braddock: "Yes, sir. I am."
Mr. McGuire" "Ben. Plastics."

If Nichols is comic royalty, then Carol Burnett is a comic queen. But being famous is something she says she does not think about. "Whatever has happened came very slowly. It's nice, though," Burnett told Chen.

Julie Andrews introduced Burnett as an old friend who "seems to bring out some devil in me." Andrews joined Scott Bakula, John Schneider, Elaine Stritch, Kim Cattrall, Florence Henderson, Tim Conway and Bernadette Peters, who came onstage wearing costumes from "The Carol Burnett Show" and sang a musical tribute culminating in the show's theme song. Burnett's show won 22 Emmy awards in its 11-year run on CBS.

Asked if there is anything left out there that she hasn't done, and would like to do, Burnett said to Chen with a straight face: "Opera." But soon after, broke into laughter.

Burnett said she was kidding. But with the talent of these artists, anything is possible.

The honorees shared the presidential box with President Bush, his wife, Laura, and his parents, former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush.

The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast on CBS-TV Dec. 26.