We're going to make an effort in terms of a real special.The first host was Leonard Bernstein in 1978, followed by Eric Sevareid in 1979 (with Gene Kelly closing it) and Beverly Sills in 1980.

[6][7] Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment were the Executive Producers of the 38th annual Kennedy Center Honors (2015) after George Stevens Jr. stepped down.

[9] This awards show does not air live (with the exception of closed-circuit venues), but an edited version lasting approximately two hours is normally televised on CBS after Christmas.

[16] The executive committee of the board of trustees selects the Honoree recipients based on their impact and contributions to American culture and excellence in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures or television.

The invitation-only, weekend-long ceremony includes the Chairman's Luncheon, the State Department dinner, White House reception, and the Honors gala performances and supper.

[17] The wide rainbow-colored ribbon then hung around the necks of the recipients and prominently noticeable when the events are televised, symbolizes "a spectrum of many skills within the performing arts" according to creator Ivan Chermayeff.

[18] On Sunday, there is an early-evening White House reception,[19] traditionally hosted by the President of the United States and the First Lady, followed by the Honors gala performance at the Kennedy Center and supper.

"[24] The 2017 ceremony was held on December 3, 2017, without them, marking the first time that neither the president nor the first lady attended; Caroline Kennedy was the host and presented the Honorees.

On 13 occasions since 1985, awards have been presented to duos or groups, including three married couples who were actors: Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy; Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward; and Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.

Dancers The Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold were honored, along with three musical theater songwriting duos: Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and John Kander and Fred Ebb.

Members of six music groups were awarded: Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who; John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin; Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh and (posthumously) Glenn Frey of the Eagles; Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson of Earth, Wind & Fire; Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. of U2, and Mickey Hart, Billy Kreutzmann, (posthumously) Phil Lesh and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.

The co-founders of Sesame Street, Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, accepted the Kennedy Center Honors on behalf of all the creators.

[49] Paul McCartney was selected as an Honoree in 2002, but was unable to attend due to an "inescapable personal obligation," his cousin's previously planned wedding.

[52][53] In November 2015, one month before the ceremony, the Eagles postponed their Honors acceptance until the following year because Glenn Frey had health problems that required major surgery and a long recovery period.