The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast tonight on CBS at 9PM eastern time. The ceremony was filmed in Washington DC, Sun. Dec. 2nd. Honorees include: Led Zeppelin's 3 surviving members: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jone, blues master Buddy Guy and more.

According to attendees and tv critics that got to see the performances in advance, the tribute to Buddy Guy was the highlight as Jeff Beck and Beth Hart received a standing ovation for "I'd Rather Go Blind". Others in the tribute to Guy were Bonnie Raitt, Tracy Chapman, Gary Clark, Jr, and Jimmie Vaughan.

Led Zeppelin was feted by Heart, Jack White, Lenny Kravitz and more.

So far, they've shown tributes to Dustin Hoffman & Natalia Makarova. Right now Morgan Freeman is on for Buddy Guy.

I wonder when was the last time Kim Wilson & Jimmy Vaughn appeared together on the same stage. I also see Lou Marini in the horn section.

Now, it's Tina Fey talking about David Letterman.

The Led Zeppelin tribute just started.

Kinda funny seeing Obama singing along to Whole Lotta Love (Lenny Kravitz). Now Ann Wilson is doing Stairway To Heaven.

[Edited 12/26/12 19:51pm]

MickyDolenz said:

Kinda funny seeing Obama singing along to Whole Lotta Love (Lenny Kravitz). Now Ann Wilson is doing Stairway To Heaven.

[Edited 12/26/12 19:51pm]

I loved it!! he was rocking out

He is known to be a big Zepp fan.

Gunsnhalen said:

MickyDolenz said:

Kinda funny seeing Obama singing along to Whole Lotta Love (Lenny Kravitz). Now Ann Wilson is doing Stairway To Heaven.

[Edited 12/26/12 19:51pm]

I loved it!! he was rocking out

He is known to be a big Zepp fan.

I saw Debbie Allen in the audience bobbing her head too. Earlier on I was wondering if they were going to show a clip of Dave Letterman appearing on The Jacksons variety show.

[Edited 12/26/12 20:14pm]

Ann and Nancy tore that shit up, thank god cause Lenny was way off, and Kid Rock should never be on that stage

jeidee said:

I don't have CBS tv but it is so nice to hear that Heart rocked it. When I saw the performer list it made me happy to see them included. What a treat. I hope a vid goes online soon. Those gals can tear into a tune. And Prince shoulda been there right? Yeah I said it. [Edited 12/26/12 20:24pm]

Prince will never do these shows unless Beyonce brings him out or Alicia Keys or if he is giving an honor to Larry or Chaka which aint gonna happen anytime soon.

As for Ann and Nancy they totally rocked it, i didnt care for Kid rock at all and Lenny sounded way off, but i am pissed that during ann and nancy performing the camera was almost NEVER on them very very upset and pissed about that, the choir and jason bonham got more face time and they werent even in the song till near the end, poor camera work

The Led Zeppelin guys are on the David Letterman Show right now doing an interview.

Robert said that the group met Elvis around 1973 and that he had a lot of girls around him. I figured it would be the Memphis Mafia.

News story

lastdecember said:

As for Ann and Nancy they totally rocked it, i didnt care for Kid rock at all and Lenny sounded way off

Doesn't matter how many times you say Lenny was way off, that won't make it so. Perhaps you just didn't like the song selection or the 2-minute time constraint? His performance was very well received, let's let everyone judge for themself ...

Pokeno4Money said:

lastdecember said:

As for Ann and Nancy they totally rocked it, i didnt care for Kid rock at all and Lenny sounded way off

Doesn't matter how many times you say Lenny was way off, that won't make it so. Perhaps you just didn't like the song selection or the 2-minute time constraint? His performance was very well received, let's let everyone judge for themself ...

no im hearing him straining on notes, nothing wrong with the selection of the song, if they didnt pick this song in the tribute it wouldnt have made sense, just saying he sounds like hes straining on parts, thats all, my opinion.

MickyDolenz said:

The was the showstopper but someone teach the camera man to shoot the artist that is doing the singing! What the hell, peak notes that Ann is killing like Plant never will again, the camera is on the freaking choir and Jason Bonham. Bad camera work whoever they are.

lastdecember said:

The was the showstopper but someone teach the camera man to shoot the artist that is doing the singing! What the hell, peak notes that Ann is killing like Plant never will again, the camera is on the freaking choir and Jason Bonham. Bad camera work whoever they are.

I'm not sure how it's bad camera work, since the Kennedy Honors are always broadcast this way. It's not like Solid Gold or a music video, where they only focus on the singer and maybe the lead guitarist. Why should the rest of the band and singers be ignored, just to focus on one person? You can see Ann Wilson elsewhere.

MickyDolenz said:

lastdecember said:

The was the showstopper but someone teach the camera man to shoot the artist that is doing the singing! What the hell, peak notes that Ann is killing like Plant never will again, the camera is on the freaking choir and Jason Bonham. Bad camera work whoever they are.

I'm not sure how it's bad camera work, since the Kennedy Honors are always broadcast this way. It's not like Solid Gold or a music video, where they only focus on the singer and maybe the lead guitarist. Why should the rest of the band and singers be ignored, just to focus on one person? You can see Ann Wilson elsewhere.

would be cool if that were the fact but the camera was all over everyone else while they were signing, or if someone was solo-ing they were on them, my point is the climax of the song im looking at a choir where everyone is singing a note, thats all im saying, its not like Heart are a TV item in this day and age, outside of the RnR Hall of Fame you wont really see heart on tv.

But lets at least agree that this brought tears to Plants eyes, Ann totally owned this, this isnt the first time Heart has kicked ass on zep tracks

[Edited 12/27/12 17:03pm]

lastdecember said:

would be cool if that were the fact but the camera was all over everyone else while they were signing, or if someone was solo-ing they were on them, my point is the climax of the song im looking at a choir where everyone is singing a note, thats all im saying, its not like Heart are a TV item in this day and age, outside of the RnR Hall of Fame you wont really see heart on tv.

But lets at least agree that this brought tears to Plants eyes, Ann totally owned this, this isnt the first time Heart has kicked ass on zep tracks

[Edited 12/27/12 17:03pm]

The program is not about Heart or anybody else on stage though. It's for the honorees in the balcony. I would suppose that you're more likely to see (or hear) Heart on TV than Tracy Chapman or Buddy Guy for that matter. I've seen broadcasts in the past where they spent a lot of time showing the honoree/balcony/audience/president. I don't know why Heart should get more focus than anyone else that have appeared over the years. There were fewer audience shots this time though.

MickyDolenz said:

lastdecember said:

MickyDolenz said:

lastdecember said:

would be cool if that were the fact but the camera was all over everyone else while they were signing, or if someone was solo-ing they were on them, my point is the climax of the song im looking at a choir where everyone is singing a note, thats all im saying, its not like Heart are a TV item in this day and age, outside of the RnR Hall of Fame you wont really see heart on tv.

But lets at least agree that this brought tears to Plants eyes, Ann totally owned this, this isnt the first time Heart has kicked ass on zep tracks

[Edited 12/27/12 17:03pm]

The program is not about Heart or anybody else on stage though. It's for the honorees in the balcony. I would suppose that you're more likely to see (or hear) Heart on TV than Tracy Chapman or Buddy Guy for that matter. I've seen broadcasts in the past where they spent a lot of time showing the honoree/balcony/audience/president. I don't know why Heart should get more focus than anyone else that have appeared over the years. There were fewer audience shots this time though.

Of course its not the HEART show, and i understand the Kennedy show and the way it works, its an honor etc...and the reactions of those honored is whats important, which is why i have no issue with shots of Plant and Page and Jones loving it, singing along, commenting, plant close to tears etc... My issue is what was with the shot from the back row constantly, theres nothing there its like watching a bootleg concert filmed by the guy in the last row during alot of parts that is what im saying. And just for the record, if it were Prince doing a Jimi or Sly honor and soloing and the camera was no one near him, people would be emailing the network

LENNY KILLED IT.

Complete 2012 show