George Clooney and the Irish rock band U2 were among the celebrities awarded on Sunday at the Kennedy Center, the most prestigious cultural award in Washington, in the presence of President Joe Biden, reports AFP.
George Clooney and U2, honored at the Kennedy Center HonorsPhoto: Pool/ABACA / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
Several Hollywood stars and Washington dignitaries also celebrated the careers of soul great Gladys Knight, Cuban-born conductor-songwriter Tania Leon and evangelical gospel singer Amy Grant at the 45th annual of the gala, writes AFP.
Joe Biden and his wife Jill, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff, participated in this ceremony in the great cultural center of the American capital, which former President Donald Trump, very unpopular in the world of American culture, avoided during his term or.
A host of stars took the stage at the Kennedy Center to pay tribute to Sunday’s honorees, who earlier attended a private reception at the White House with Biden and select guests, the day after a dinner at the State Department in the presence of the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken.
The gala will be broadcast on American television stations on December 28.
George Clooney: It’s an honor
Oscar-winning actor George Clooney, 61, and his wife Amal, a lawyer specializing in the defense of human rights, were expected on the red carpet this year. The star of the movie “Ocean’s Eleven” and of “Batman and Robin”, who made and produced several movies, declared himself honored.
“Growing up in a small town in Kentucky, I never imagined that one day I would be sitting on the balcony of the Kennedy Center Honorees,” he said in a press release. along with the rest of these incredible artists is an honor.”
Dubbed the “queen of soul music”, Gladys Knight, 78, declared herself “infinitely emotional”. “The Kennedy Center’s commitment to the arts is unparalleled, and I am deeply grateful,” she added.
U2 has sold over 170 million albums worldwide
Singer and philanthropist Bono and his band U2, who have sold 170 million albums worldwide, were honored for their iconic songs such as ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, ‘Desire’ and ‘With or without you’.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in music for her work “Stride”, Tania Leon, 79, is known for her innovative and powerful compositions that combine classical music and Cuban rhythms, as well as chamber music.
Amy Grant, 62, was the first Christian music singer to achieve a platinum record and six Grammy Awards. The first Christian music star to be recognized by the Kennedy Center, she said she “never in her wildest dreams” thought she would receive the award.
“Over the years, I’ve seen many of my heroes celebrated by their fellow artists, always moved by the ability of movies and music to bring us together and bring out the best in us,” she said. “Thank you for widening the circle for all of us”. (source news.ro)
