STAGE TUBE: Barbara Cook on Her Kennedy Center Honor!

Eminent artists, friends and peers of this year's five honorees converged in Washington, D.C., on December 4 to present entertaining and heartfelt tributes at the 34th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, an entertainment special to be broadcast tonight on the CBS Television Network with Caroline Kennedy as host for the ninth consecutive year. Tune in tonight on CBS at 9pm to watch the full ceremony!

The annual event recognizes recipients for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures and television. Keeping with tradition, the roster of performers and presenters remained secret prior to the gala and a short biographical film was featured during each honoree's tribute.

Performers and presenters included Emily Blunt, Matthew Broderick, Anna Christy, Glenn Close, Stephen Colbert, Ravi Coltrane, Bill Cosby, Robert De Niro, Jack DeJohnette, Billy Drummond, Elmo, Sutton Foster, Benny Golson, Jim Hall, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Anne Hathaway, Jimmy Heath, Kevin Kline, John Lithgow, Joe Lovano, Rebecca Luker, Patti LuPone, Christian McBride, Audra McDonald, Jennifer Nettles, Mike Nichols, Kelli O'Hara, Laura Osnes, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Raphael Saadiq, James Taylor, Stanley Tucci, Tracey Ullman and John Williams.

Click below to hear from honoree and Broadway legend Barbara Cook!