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Kennedy Center Honorees

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Apologies for starting a new thread if no one thinks its worth it, but I thought its probably worth starting a thread on recipients of the American Kennedy Center Honor, the award given to (usually) five individuals from the arts every year who are selected for making an indelible effect on American culture. Because of the very nature of it, the vast majority of the recipients are elderly, and it's rare that anyone under 60 is even awarded in the first place (although there have been some recent exceptions).

 

I wouldn't usually start a thread like this but it's notable that halfway through this year 5 of the recipients have died and nine recipients are on this year's list.

 

The full list of recipients through the years is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_Center_Honors

 

Plenty of older Deathlist-worthy names cropping up there every year worth taking a look at.

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I like this idea for a thread.

 

Tony Bennett being one.

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While browsing I realised Al Green was still alive which was a complete shock, I was sure he died 2-3 years ago but I’ve probably mistaken him with Bill Withers… though I’m sure another of those soul singer died a while back and I was surprised by the lack of tribute (Al Jarreau maybe ?) 

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Just a couple of lists for completeness sake:

 

Top 20 oldest living recipients:

Norman Lear, Dick van Dyke, Mel Brooks, Leontyne Price, John Kander, Berry Gordy, Joanne Woodward, Clint Eastwood, Sonny Rollins, James Earl Jones, Carmen de Lavallade, Rita Moreno, John Williams, Chita Rivera, Quincy Jones, Carol Burnett, Willie Nelson, Marilyn Horne, Shirley MacLaine, Seiji Ozawa

 

Pre-00s surviving recipients (given the lifetime achievement aspect, living 20+ years after receiving the award is notable!)

Leontyne Price (1980), Joanne Woodward (1992), Marilyn Horne (1995), Edward Villella (1997), Bob Dylan (1997), John Kander (1998), Willie Nelson (1998), Judith Jamison (1999), Stevie Wonder (1999)

 

Recipients who have died in 2023: 5 (Wayne Shorter, Harry Belafonte, Grace Bumbry, Tina Turner & Tony Bennett).

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Stevie Wonder got the award when he was not even 50. Shouldn't be considered similarly as much older folks who got the award pre-2000, IMO.

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On the five inductees of the Kennedy Center in 2005, two died this year : Bennett and Turner. It leaves us with Suzanne Farrell (b. 1945) and Robert Redford (b. 1936). Redford wouldn't be such a bad call for this year or next.

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Cross posting here the death of Norman Lear. He's the 6th Kennedy Center Honoree to die this year, making this year the deadliest since 2003.

 

He's also the 4th honoree on this year's deathlist to die, besting last year's 3.

 

Given the hit rate perhaps worth considering one or two honorees who've not made the list before - Leontyne Price, John Kander, Clint Eastwood or Berry Gordy next year...

 

 

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Crossposting Chita Rivera has died.

 

Looked very good last year. Quite surprising but surely not a bad death as she was 91 and saw no mayor decline.

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8 minutes ago, drol said:

Crossposting Chita Rivera has died.

 

Looked very good last year. Quite surprising but surely not a bad death as she was 91 and saw no mayor decline.

Quite surprising is an understatement considering she'd been doing some pretty good acting roles the past few years...

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4 hours ago, Comped said:

Quite surprising is an understatement considering she'd been doing some pretty good acting roles the past few years...

Yep; her daughter said she died after a "brief illness."  

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4 hours ago, MrWonderful said:

Yep; her daughter said she died after a "brief illness."  

I actually confused her with Rita Moreno (who seems to be doing fine, and is working quite a bit) for a moment before posting that. Now that I'm looking it up, yeah, Chita was also acting a bit. Kinda pissed I didn't see her when she narrated the Candlelight Processional at Epcot in 2021/2022...

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Must be a decent chance of one of the Grateful Dead going in the next year or two though.

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