Edith ?! .......... !!!! :
http://www.pollstar.com/news_article.aspx?ID=825355" Eagles, Mavis Staples and James Taylor Among Kennedy Center Honorees "
" This year’s Kennedy Center honorees include musicians who span genres including pop, rock, gospel, blues, folk and classical – and an actor known for his extraordinary range. "
" The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced Thursday that actor Al Pacino, rock band the Eagles, Argentine pianist Martha Argerich, gospel and blues singer Mavis Staples and singer-songwriter James Taylor will be honored for influencing American culture through the arts.
For the Eagles, the recognition will be bittersweet. The band was tapped for the honor last year but postponed its appearance because of founding member Glenn Frey’s failing health. Frey died in January, about a month after the honors gala.
For Pacino, the star of “The Godfather” trilogy who has long been regarded as one of the great American actors, the honor is arguably overdue. Many of his peers who became leading men in adventurous 1970s Hollywood have already been honored, including Warren Beatty, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson and Robert Redford.
Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter, who’s had the job for two years, said she didn’t know why Pacino hadn’t been selected sooner.
“When I called and invited him, it was an enthusiastic yes,” Rutter told The Associated Press. “You could say all of them are overdue or all of them are exactly at the right moment. We have a great opportunity to recognize people who are still active and yet have accomplished so much.”
The honorees will be celebrated at a gala on Dec. 4, featuring performances and tributes from top entertainers. The show will be broadcast on Dec. 27 on CBS.
Here’s a look at this year’s honorees:
Martha Argerich
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the pianist was a child prodigy who gave her first concert at age 8 and moved to Europe with her family as a teenager to continue her studies.
She made her U.S. debut in 1965 at Lincoln Center in New York. Since then, she has been considered one of the world’s most prominent pianists. Her repertoire includes performances of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Shostakovich. She has won three Grammy awards.
Argerich, 75, said in a statement that her mother always dreamed that she would study and perform in the United States.
“My late mother would be very proud today, and I would like to share this wonderful tribute with her,” Argerich said.
Eagles
One of the most successful rock bands of all time, the Eagles have sold more than 120 million albums with their signature laid-back sound, and their 1976 greatest hits album is the second biggest-selling album of all time, trailing only Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Co-founders Frey and Don Henley began writing songs together while touring as members of Linda Ronstadt’s backup band. They co-wrote most of the band’s biggest hits, including “Hotel California,” and they shared lead-singing duties.
While the band’s meticulously crafted soft rock is always associated with Southern California, Frey originally hailed from Michigan, Henley is from Texas and Joe Walsh was born in Kansas. Timothy B. Schmit, who joined in 1977, is the only native Californian.
The band was active from 1971-1980 before reuniting for a 1994 concert, “Hell Freezes Over,” that was recorded for a live album. Afterward, the Eagles began touring again.
“We accept this honor in memory of our comrade and fellow traveler, Eagles founder Glenn Frey,” the band said in a statement. “The members of the band hailed from different regions of this great nation and we always felt very fortunate that our music was embraced by people from all walks of life, all over the world.”
Frey’s widow, Cindy Millican Frey, will sit with the band during the ceremony, Rutter said. "
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