Watch the latest performances, interviews, backstage moments and more at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors.

Scenes from the Kennedy Center Honors’ radiant Red Carpet minutes before the show begins.

The 48th Kennedy Center Honorees received their medallions during a special tribute ceremony held at the State Department on December 6, 2025.

On Friday, December 5, 2025, the Kennedy Center opened Honors weekend with five simultaneous celebrations across Washington, D.C., each hosted in partnership with an embassy or the Vice President’s Residence and dedicated to a different 2025 Honoree

The husband and wife duo perform a medley of hits made famous by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell as a tribute to The Apollo.

Iconic singer-songwriters pay tribute to one of their own -- the one and only Bonnie Raitt.

The country music singer and actor performs the Dead's classic song with a verse sung by Jerry Garcia.

The English singer-songwriter pays tribute to The Apollo with a knockout performance of the classic song.

Accompanied by piano, the trumpeter-composer gives a stirring performance in tribute to Arturo Sandoval.

Two pop superstars team up to pay tribute to Bonnie Raitt with her timeless ballad.

Watch a rollicking performance that brings the Grateful Dead band members and the rest of the audience to their feet to dance.

Hear from honorees and performers in this clip of highlights from the 48th Kennedy Center Honors.

Hear from honorees and performers in this clip of highlights from the 47th Kennedy Center Honors.

Hear from honorees and performers in this clip of highlights from the 46th Kennedy Center Honors.

Experience the event with special performances, artist tributes, and reactions from honorees Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, Midori, and Dick Van Dyke.

Watch highlights from 2019, including interviews with the performers and reactions from the honorees.

Honorees include singer and actress Cher, composer and pianist Philip Glass, Country music entertainer Reba McEntire, and jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter.

Honorees include dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, singer-songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan, hip hop artist and entertainment icon LL COOL J, television writer and producer Norman Lear, and musician and record producer Lionel Richie.

Honorees include pianist Martha Argerich, rock band the Eagles, screen and stage actor Al Pacino, gospel and blues singer Mavis Staples, and musician James Taylor.

Honorees include singer-songwriter Carole King, filmmaker George Lucas, actress and singer Rita Moreno, conductor Seiji Ozawa, and actress and Broadway star Cicely Tyson.

Honorees include singer Al Green, actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks, ballerina Patricia McBride, singer-songwriter Sting, and comedienne Lily Tomlin.

Honorees include opera singer Martina Arroyo; pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer Herbie Hancock; pianist, singer and songwriter Billy Joel; actress Shirley MacLaine; and musician and songwriter Carlos Santana.

Honorees include bluesman Buddy Guy, actor Dustin Hoffman, comedian and television host David Letterman, ballerina Natalia Makarova, and rock band Led Zeppelin for their contributions to the arts.

Honorees include Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Sonny Rollins, Meryl Streep, and Yo-Yo Ma.

Honorees include Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey.

Honorees include Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert DeNiro, and Bruce Springsteen.

We celebrate the incredible legacy of Robert Redford, who received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005 for his extraordinary contributions to American cinema and independent filmmaking.

In this heartfelt tribute, we celebrate the incredible legacy of Brian Wilson, who was honored at the 2007 Kennedy Center Honors for his revolutionary contributions to popular music and the art of songwriting. The Beach Boys' creative genius was recognized as one of five honorees that year, marking a pivotal moment in acknowledging the profound impact of his musical innovations.

Watch a tribute to legendary composer, arranger, conductor, instrumentalist, record company executive, magazine founder, and record, film and television producer, Quincy Jones.

Watch a tribute to legendary dancer, choreographer, and Kennedy Center Honors recipient Judith Jamison.

In this heartfelt tribute, we celebrate the incredible legacy of James Earl Jones, who was honored at the 2002 Kennedy Center Honors for his immense contributions to the world of theater, film, and television.

Arturo Sandoval performs alongside the United Nation Orchestra in a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Dizzy Gillespie during the 1990 Kennedy Center Honors.

Watch these stellar performers enthrall honoree Buddy Guy and an audience including Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin, David Letterman, Barack and Michelle Obama, Tina Fey, Debbie Allen, and many more.

Aretha Franklin performs live for Carole King at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors.

Hear an extended interview with internationally acclaimed soprano Leontyne Price as she reflects on her life and achievements.

Sat. May 2 at 12 p.m. ET

Sun. May 3 at 12 p.m. ET

Accompanied by piano, the trumpeter-composer gives a stirring performance in tribute to Arturo Sandoval.

Two pop superstars team up to pay tribute to Bonnie Raitt with her timeless ballad.

Sat. May 2 at 12 p.m. ET

The husband and wife duo perform a medley of hits made famous by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell as a tribute to The Apollo.

The country music singer and actor performs the Dead's classic song with a verse sung by Jerry Garcia.