A Night Filled With Extra Stars

Gallery

The Kennedy Center Honors 2008

A look at the high-wattage stars who came to Washington to pay tribute to this year's Kennedy Center Honorees: Barbra Streisand, Morgan Freeman, George Jones, Twyla Tharp and The Who's Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry.

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"Hey," George Jones said of the White House meeting, "they were like down-to-earth country folk."

Laura Bush honored such country folk roots by speaking in tribute to the singer. For Jones, whose life has been littered with crises, including his struggles with alcoholism and drug abuse, last night's theme was about overcoming his own adversity to make it to his current age of 77. He also was saluted by several country legends, including Garth Brooks, Randy Travis and Brad Paisley.

"We had Robert Redford and Warren Beatty here while [Bush] was in office," Stevens said of politically uncomfortable meetings that can occur at the Honors. Bush, he said, "was gracious about it. Just like Clinton was very gracious when he had to give an award to Charlton Heston. This night rises above politics like no other in Washington."

President-elect Barack Obama, meanwhile, decided not to set foot in this spotlight before next December, though that didn't stop some of his staff from accepting the treasured invitations.

The rainbow-striped ribbons of the Honors were presented Saturday night at the State Department dinner, which was hosted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.