Kennedy Center Honors 2021 - Performers & Presenters Revealed!

The 2021 Kennedy Center Honors are airing tonight!

The annual celebration of the arts is being broadcasted on CBS and Paramount+ at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday (December 22), recorded earlier this month in the Kennedy Center Opera House at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

This year, the organization celebrates five honorees: Bette Midler, Justino Diaz, Joni Mitchell, Berry Gordy and Lorne Michaels.

Click inside to read more…

The annual invite-only Honors includes a luncheon, dinner at the State Department, and a White House reception leading up to the gala, which includes performances and tributes. Honors recipients are then celebrated with a medallion with rainbow-colored ribbons.

The event is being hosted by former Honors honoree David Letterman.

Here’s who will perform and present for each honoree…

Berry Gordy, Founder of Motown Records

Presenter: Smokey Robinson
Film narration: Oprah Winfrey
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” segment: Broadway cast
Performances by Andra Day, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder
“Higher Ground”: Stevie Wonder and others

Joni Mitchell, singer and songwriter

Presenters: Cameron Crowe, Dan Levy
“Case of You” and medley: Norah Jones
“Big Yellow Taxi”: Ellie Goulding
“River”: Brandi Carlile
“Both Sides Now”: Brittany Howard and Herbie Hancock

Justino Diaz, opera singer

Presenters: Grace Bumbry, Denyse Graves, Chita Rivera
Toreador song from “Carmen”: Denyse Graves, Hannah Shea, Christian Van Horn, Ariana Wehr
Finale from “Faust”: Anna Maria Martinez, Matthew Polenzani, Christian Van Horn
“En Mi Viejo San Juan”: Katya and Natascia

Bette Midler, vocalist and actress

Presenters: Goldie Hawn, Barbara Hershey, Scarlett Johansson, Melissa Manchester
Film narration: Adele
“You Gotta Have Friends”: “Hello, Dolly!” cast members Kate Baldwin, Beanie Feldstein, Taylor Trensch
“Wind Beneath My Wings”: Kelli O’Hara
“From a Distance”: Billy Porter

Lorne Michaels, creator of Saturday Night Live

Presenter: Steve Martin
“Weekend Update”: Michael Che and Colin Jost
“Weekend Update”: Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler
“Weekend Update”: Kevin Nealon
Other presenters: Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Kristen Wiig
“America”: Paul Simon