Photo Coverage: Inside the 35th Kennedy Center Honors - The Honorees!

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by Walter McBride

At a ceremony held in the East Room of the White House prior to the official presentation of this year's Kennedy Center honors last night, President Obama welcomed the guests and praised the recipients of this year's distinguished award. 

The honorees included the surviving members of Led Zeppelin John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant; ballerina Martina Makarova, Dave Letterman, Dustin Hoffman and Buddy Guy. Check out photos of this year's honorees below!

The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts – whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures or television – and are selected by the Center’s Board of Trustees. The primary criterion in the selection process is excellence. The Honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; the selection process, over the years, has produced balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride


The 35th Kennedy Center Honors


Natalia Makarova


Natalia Makarova


Natalia Makarova & son


Buddy Guy


Buddy Guy & Family


Dustin Hoffman


Lisa Gottsegen & Dustin Hoffman & Family


Lisa Gottsegen & Dustin Hoffman & Family


Lisa Gottsegen & Dustin Hoffman with Family


Dustin Hoffman


Lisa Gottsegen & Dustin Hoffman


Lisa Gottsegen & Dustin Hoffman


David Letterman


David Letterman


David Letterman


David Letterman


David Letterman & Regina Lasko


David Letterman & Regina Lasko


David Letterman


David Letterman


John Paul Jones (Led Zepplin)


Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)


Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin)


Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)


Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)


Buddy Guy


Natalia Makarova


John Paul Jones (Led Zepplin)


John Paul Jones (Led Zepplin)


Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)


Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)


Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)


Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)


The 35th Kennedy Center Honors