Grateful Dead Among 2024 Kennedy Center Honorees

Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, Francis Ford Coppola and The Apollo will also receive the prestigious honor.

By Andy Kahn Jul 18, 2024 7:08 am PDT

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts named the Grateful Dead among the 2024 Kennedy Center Honorees. Additional 2024 Kennedy Center Honorees include renowned musicians Bonnie Raitt and Arturo Sandoval, esteemed film director Francis Ford Coppola and receiving a special “iconic American institution” recognition, the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.

The surviving members of the Grateful Dead – Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir – shared the below statement regarding the prestigious award:

“The Grateful Dead has always been about community, creativity, and exploration in music and presentation. We’ve always felt that the music we make embodies and imparts something beyond the notes and phrases being played — and that is something we are privileged to share with all who are drawn to what we do — so it also must be said that our music belongs as much to our fans, the Dead Heads, as it does to us. This honor, then, is as much theirs as ours.”

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The legendary band will be celebrated along with the other honorees at the 47th Kennedy Center Honors held at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington D.C. on Sunday, December 8. CBS will premiere the 47th Kennedy Center Honors on Monday, December 23.

Kennedy Center chairman David M. Rubenstein shared a statement regarding this year’s class of honorees:

“The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes artists who have made an extraordinary impact on the cultural life of our nation and continue to have an immeasurable influence on new generations. A brilliant and masterful storyteller with an unrelenting innovative spirit, Francis Ford Coppola’s films have become embedded in the very idea of American culture; a social and cultural phenomenon since 1965, the Grateful Dead’s music has never stopped being a true American original, while inspiring a fan culture like no other; Bonnie Raitt has made us love her again and again with her inimitable voice, slide guitar, and endless musical range encompassing blues, R&B, country rock, and folk; ‘an ambassador of both music and humanity,’ Arturo Sandoval transcended literal borders coming from Cuba 30-plus years ago and today continues to bridge cultures with his intoxicating blend of Afro Cuban rhythms and modern jazz; and on its 90th anniversary, The Apollo, one of the most consequential, influential institutions in history, has elevated the voices of Black entertainment in New York City, nationally, and around the world, and launched the careers of legions of artists.”

“I am deeply honored and thrilled to have been chosen to receive one of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors,” said Bonnie Raitt. “I have long been an admirer of the Awards and have been so blessed to be able to participate in several shows honoring others. There is no higher level of esteem nor as delightful a celebration and I want to extend my sincere thanks to all who have chosen me to receive this honor. I look forward to the upcoming ceremony and festivities, which I know will be one of my life’s peak experiences.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ko4aLrL7uw

“I am profoundly humbled and deeply honored to be selected as a recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors,” said Arturo Sandoval. “This recognition is an extraordinary milestone in my career and a testament to the support and encouragement I have received from my family, friends, colleagues, and fans. Throughout my journey, I have strived to create, perform, and inspire with passion and integrity. Being acknowledged by such an esteemed institution validates my efforts and motivates me to continue pushing the boundaries of my art. I am incredibly grateful to the Kennedy Center for this honor, and I look forward to contributing further to the vibrant cultural tapestry that the Center celebrates and nurtures. Thank you once again for this incredible honor.”

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“I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to collaborate with great artists and wonderful people throughout my career, and I have never stopped learning,” said Francis Ford Coppola. “There is no greater honor than to be included along with those who inspired me, who I looked up to, and who gave me encouragement when times were dim. I am grateful to the Kennedy Center, my beloved colleagues, to those who equate beauty and truth, and to all the children of the world.”

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