The 44th annual Kennedy Center Honors special airs tonight on CBS, and the show features star-studded tributes to Joni Mitchell, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. and Bette Midler, as well as Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels and opera baritone Justino Diaz.
You’ll hear Adele narrating the tribute video honoring Bette, while presenters for Bette’s segment include Melissa Manchester and actresses Goldie Hawn, Scarlett Johansson and Barbara Hershey. Stars performing the songs Bette made famous include Billy Porter, Kelli O’Hara and Beanie Feldstein, singing, respectively. Among the tunes they performed are “From a Distance,””Wind Beneath My Wings” and “Friends.”
Ellie Goulding, Norah Jones and Brandi Carlile are among the artists who you’ll see sing in honor of Joni Mitchell, while Paul Simon sings the classic Simon & Garfunkel tune “America” in tribute to his pal Lorne Michaels.
Smokey Robinson will be seen as both a performer and a presenter during the tribute to Berry Gordy. In addition, Andra Day will sing “Glod Bless the Child,” and Stevie Wonder will close the show with a medley of his hits, including “My Cherie Amour,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “Superstition.”
The event took place on December 5 in Washington, D.C.
The Kennedy Center Honors special airs at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on CBS.
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