James Glader; Timothy WhiteThe 39th annual Kennedy Center Honors ceremony takes place tonight in Washington, D.C., and among the artists who will receive the prestigious award this year are The Eagles and James Taylor.
The Eagles originally were to have been saluted at the 2015 edition of the Kennedy Center Honors, but that was postponed because founding singer/guitarist Glenn Frey was experiencing serious health issues that sadly claimed his life this past January.
In a recent interview with ABC Radio, longtime Eagles bassist Timothy B. Schmit discussed the decision for the band to postpone the honor, noting, “We thought Glenn was gonna get better, obviously, and we knew what was happening before the public, but it was still really horrible, and it changed everything.” Schmit and fellow surviving Eagles Don Henley and Joe Walsh will attend the ceremony this Sunday, along with Frey’s wife, Cindy.
The 2016 Kennedy Center Honors also will salute gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples, Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino and classical pianist Martha Argerich. The event, which will be attended by President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and will be held at the Kennedy Center Opera House, will features a series of tribute performances celebrating the artistic contributions of each honoree.
The gala will be recorded for a special scheduled to air December 27 on CBS at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Meanwhile, the Kennedy Center’s official Facebook page will offer live coverage of the pre-show red carpet this Sunday starting at 6 p.m. ET.
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