The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual awards event that celebrates lifetime artistic achievements in the performing arts, including music, dance, theater, opera, film, and television. Hosted by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., the event honors individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to American culture through the arts.
Donald Trump recently announced that he would be gutting the current Kennedy Center board, citing drag shows as the reason. This past October, the Kennedy Center hosted a Dancing Queens Drag Brunch at its Roof Terrace Restaurant, as well as other drag show themed events in 2024.
Trump shared via Truth Social:
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN. I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture. We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!
Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
So far, there’s now word on anybody who was ousted, but we’ll see. Technically, a new administration could change the board memebers, who elect the chairman, but it’s never happened before.
The Kennedy Center has a rich history of honoring some of the best in the arts, including legends in the world of country music. Past recipients include Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, and… Garth Brooks.
Back in 2016, an emotional Garth Brooks was fighting back the tears when he paid tribute to Kennedy Center Honors nominee James Taylor, and then at the end of 2021, it circled all the way back around… James Taylor returned the favor.
Garth was honored as a member of the 43rd class of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2020, but the ceremony took place in Washington, D.C. the following May due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then James’ turn to take the stage to pay tribute to Garth. He performed Garth’s #1 hit “The River,” which Garth co-wrote with Victoria Shaw, It was released as the fifth and final single from his 1992 album Ropin’ the Wind.
And in the least surprising news you’ll read all day, Garth pretty much lost it from the opening lines.
He also got emotional as Kelly Clarkson sang a song that was very personal to her that night, “The Dance,” but he never quite had any tears streaming down his face. Then again, it’s fairly hard to tell with all the masking that was going on…
In the liner notes from his 1994 greatest hits album, Garth noted “The River” has always been such a special song to him because of how deeply it resonated with his fans:
“Of all songs, most of the letters I receive concern ‘The River’. It is a song of inspiration… a song that I will be proud of a hundred years from now. Victoria Shaw is a wonderful writer and a wonderful friend.
And this is what happens when two dreamers get together and write from the heart. One of the greatest awards that this song has ever received was the fact that it was played at Dale Wehr’s funeral. Quite an honor, cowboy.”
And, possibly what got him more choked up than anything else is that the song was inspired by his childhood hero, James Taylor. That’ll get the tears flowin’, for sure. I mean, it’s definitely not all that hard to do with Garth, but it’s pretty understandable during a moment like this.
Just watch the video if you’ve never seen it before today… the main is choked UP:
Of course, we all remember when Chris Stapleton performed “Shameless,” in honor of Garth, right?
That had Trisha whipping out the Kleenex for Garth too…
