This really should be *"Top 10 Best Kennedy Center Awards for Pop Artists"* ... Cause the R&B, and Blues, arguably offer far more and ... I feel several better. ... and then there's Carlos Santana's (best Intro by the late Harry Belafonte, Buddy Guy, Sheila E, honoring Carlos) Then there's the Recipient "Al Green" Aretha does belong in a for "any genre' top 10" But you'll never please all, but might be easier if you define a "by Genre'' of Music" Best Thoughts ... PS:. "Steven Tyler honoring Paul McCartney" ✓
Yeah.....I agree. I just watched their Kennedy honors ceremony, and I couldn't help but to cry when I saw him intently watching all performances, but getting teary eyed when heart performed with Jason Bonham. I'm sure it probably made him think of his old mate, John, and how he wasn't there for the honor, as well as Heart being close to them. Zeppelin's sound played a huge role in Nancy's and Ann's inspiration. Been divulging into 70s rock docs lately. Lol. Best music back then.
There are so many iconic and beautiful performances at the kennedy honors center but Heart's one is definitely the best cause it has all the elements for epic... Iconic band exdcution and orchestry of the song, the son of the late drummer, the choir, the emotion of the members... Perfection
Heart's rendition of Stairway To Heaven, was amazing, add in Bonzo's son Jason on drum's, and then Page, Plant, Jones reaction and approval was the icing on the cake.
Have to say, Beyoncé, Aretha, Cynthia, and Heart are all in my faves. That stairway to heaven performance, brings me to tears every single time. The amazing choirs, orchestra it is all amazing. Stunning!
That Aretha performance will always be tops for me...Heart have been at the top of their game for decades, they haven't let up. Aretha had been through a lot of struggles at that point in her life (and only lived a few more years afterwards), so her performance was a very dramatic, wonderful surprise.
Garth Brooks performing for Billy Joel should have been included on this list without a doubt. That performance had the audience and the people watching at home in tears.
Even very good songs get better when Adam Lambert takes them with his phenomenal voice - he always gets to the core. His own songs are wonderful, too, and his collaboration with Queen is pure magic. ❤
No worries, happy to help 😀👍🏻 Playlist is available will all the performances ready to watch uninterrupted. Enjoy! ru-vid.com/group/PLnaTJErraZv2hDG-CZO5PAUtq_nkFU-aN
Thank you for putting Stairway to Heaven #1. Miss Aretha truly was phenomenal. But, Ann and Nancy are the only ones who know how to cover the mighty Zep, and that arrangement was unbelievable. I remember reading an article written decades ago that Robert Plant had given, saying he hated bands covering their work, except Heart. He thought they got it right! High praise indeed.
Great choices here, but I would DEFINITELY include Lady Gaga's tribute to Sting, "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You". Crazy good, and it had Sting in tears!
Cellist Yo Yo Ma's tribute is one of my all time favorites. Stephen Colbert's funny introduction, the look at Ma's development into a world class cellist, and his journey to experience the world's music beyond classical. The musical tribute is wonderful with the many musicians Ma has worked with performing the distinctive music they represent. It is not often that a classical artist tribute is the closer for the Kennedy Center Honors, but it was such a spirited and touching celebration that you can see how much the audience enjoyed it and how happy and touched Yo Yo Ma was.
Love Aretha, Bruce, and actually all of the choices, but most happy with Adam Lambert.... he is a phenomenal artist who doesn't get the recognition he deserves!!!
"Take Me to the River" Mavis Staplers & Sam Moore, 2014 for Al Green. "Hello Again" Jennifer Nettles, 2011 for Neil Diamond. "I'd Rather Go Blind" Beth Hart & Jeff Beck, 2012 for Buddy Guy. These are also some of my favorites.
It's a very good list, but for me, the one major standout performance missing is Bettye LaVette's amazing rendition of the Who's Love Reign O'er Me - it's unexpected and moving and full of soul. Fantastic!
For me, I'm quite thrilled that Heart and all the musicians got the number 1 spot, but I really feel Steven Tyler's McCartney tribute should be up there, too.
Yo-Yo Ma ..... just in terms of an emotional musical experience, the John Williams cacophony of sound, seamlessly melded together, and the grand finale of the children's choir (including Elmo) was a tearjerker, for me anyway. Thanks for posting.
I agree with most of these and numbers one and two are spot on. There are truly so many marvelous KCH performances that it is impossible to choose the best when just about every performer brings their A game.
there's a link in the description to a playlist of all the songs. Though I agree, he could have given us a few seconds to hear a short clip from each performance, without the voice-over.
Heart doing Stairway to Heaven-w/ Jason Bonham 🤘🏻…Is HANDS-DOWN the BEST KCH performance/tribute EVER!!!! 🔥Led Zeppelin has ALWAYS my favorite band of all time…🥰❤️🥰❤️ Yes 👏🏻 Aretha performance!! And also…Kelly Clarkson’s🙌🏻 performance/tribute to Garth Brooks❤️
Have watched, recorded, adored the KCH since a few years into its run. Without a doubt, the most electric performance, and completely unexpected, was Bettye LaVette's Reign O'er Me for The Who. Somewhat forgotten at the time, that performance made people notice her again. I still remember in the middle of it I thought this might be the top KCH tribute number I'd seen. Then they cut to other Honoree Barbra Streisand, who was leaning across people to excitedly ask someone nearby (and obvious lip readable) "Who IS she??" If it wasn't the actual show taping, I felt Barbra would've marched down and hugged her right there. Just stunning. It does not get better.
Another great shout Will! It was really hard to draw up just 10. Everyone brings out their a-game for the Kennedy Center Honours! Thanks for watching 😀
No doubt Heart's "Stairway" had Page & Plant hypnotized...me too. HOWEVER, Steven Tyler, well..there's STEVEN TYLER!! Sir Paul was holding back tears...me too!!
Aretha’s number 1 for me personally!!! A 73 year old woman diagnosed with pancreatic cancer hitting notes out of this world and destroying the building like that still amazes me. For goodness sake, she made the dern President cry lol 😂 !!!
Aretha was incredible no doubt. I was pretty shocked that Ann Wilson was 62 when she ripped through Stairway to Heaven as well -- she sounded better than any singer I can think of half her age. Both performances were awesome. Might be a tie for #1 on my list.
The best part of stairway to heaven at the Kennedy center honors was the drummer. It's not difficult at all for most female vocalists to match Robert plant's vocal range. Hearing Jason Bonham play the drums on a song that his father recorded was amazing.
@@willdwyer6782 Jason Bonham was awesome, but the singer's vocals on that song were what made it. Your comment about female vocalists is misguided; it isn't easy to sing in that range without being pitchy and without losing power. The lady who sung it was absolutely incredible, especially given the pressure of that situation. The other female who played the acoustic was impressive as well; playing with the tone she did with no mistakes is incredibly difficult. Jason did great, but his part was the easiest to not mess up.
Thanks for the playlist. I’ve long regarded the Wilson sisters’ cover as a phenomenal performance, and I agree that is the number 1 of the list. I have checked out the Kennedy Center Honors on RU-vid regularly, but I hadn’t seen many of these performances. I especially enjoyed Aretha Franklin’s performance.
Jennifer Hudson should have performed for Earth wind and Fire since they all grew up in Chicago, but her performance for Oprah brought tears and she "Simply Beautiful for Al Green. I am also concern that we only have a Opera performance for Jessye Norman who might be our first Vulcan Soprano and her Amazing Grace for Sidney Poietier is legendary.
Would have been very disappointed if Adam did not make the top 10. Note that his polished nails and gloves were missing. Adam is a consummate performer with great style. He knows how to present himself.🎤🎼👍🏽👏🏽
I loved Gregory Hines et al. tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. Gladys Knight did a beautiful job with Garth Brooks' We Shall Be Free this past year. Speaking of which, Gladys definitely needs to be honoured.
Best performance of all time was heart doing Stairway to Heaven however my favorite and I think number two overall is Beth Hart and Jeff Beck doing I'd rather go blind for Buddy Guy on the same show as Zeppelin in 2012. I watched both performances tonight after watching the 10 that you listed and nothing touched me to my soul as watching Buddy Guy cry and watching Beth Hart let her breath of relief after she finished.
I enjoyed the suspense of what the no. 1 was going to come down to - in my mind it had to be Aretha or Heart, and I think I agree with your ranking. Springsteen's cover of "I Hung My Head" is also way up there for me (also Garth Brooks saluting Billy Joel).
It makes me sad to see you did not include the tribute to Billy Joel. When Garth Brooks sang goodnight Saigon, all people cried because it was an extremely emotional performance. Do not get me wrong, but I think there were a lot of spots for Bruce and Sting 🙈
