Bennett, Turner Honored In D.C.

[Sweet Jane 61]

December 05, 2005

Tina Turner and Tony Bennett, two legends of American music, earned accolades from a broad array of pop and jazz stars Sunday during the Kennedy Center Honors. Highlights of the ceremony, which also honored actors Robert Redford and Julie Harris and dancer Suzanne Farrell, will be broadcast Dec. 27 on CBS.

In honor of Turner, Queen Latifah sang "What's Love Got to Do With It," Melissa Etheridge sang "River Deep, Mountain High" and Beyonce Knowles performed "Proud Mary." Oprah Winfrey called herself "Tina's biggest known groupie" and spoke of seeing Turner perform live, advising the star-studded audience at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, "Add that to the list of things you do before you die."

Bennett was saluted with performances of standards like "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, "For Once in My Life," by R&B star John Legend, and "Fly Me to the Moon," by chanteuse Diana Krall. Record producer Quincy Jones described Bennett as "a soulful messenger of American songs" and said, "Tony is the one who knows how to fly us to the moon and get us back."

Earlier Sunday, the members of the 28th annual class of honorees were welcomed by President Bush and first lady Laura Bush at a White House reception. "Each of these honorees, in a lifetime of achievement, has set a standard of excellence that is admired throughout the world," the president said.