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Kennedy Center Honors Celebrate Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, and More — How to Watch the Event

The event was held on Dec. 8 and airs tonight on CBS — the honorees are the Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, Francis Ford Coppola, and the Apollo Theater

By Jonathan Zavaleta

Jonathan Zavaleta

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December 22, 2024

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WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: (L-R) Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead attend the 47th Kennedy Center Honors at The Kennedy Center on December 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: (L-R) Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead attend the 47th Kennedy Center Honors at The Kennedy Center on December 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images) Getty Images

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The 47th Kennedy Center Honors, celebrating the best of American performing arts, honored the Grateful Dead, Francis Ford Coppola, Bonnie Raitt, and Arturo Sandoval. The Apollo Theater was also awarded, marking the first time a venue received the honor. The event, hosted by Queen Latifah, was taped on Dec. 8 and will air on CBS on Dec. 22.

At A Glance: How to Watch the Kennedy Center Honors without Cable

CBS will air the ceremony. The channel is available locally with an antenna or with a cable package — those without cable can watch the event live on Paramount+ with Showtime, which costs $12.99/mo and gets subscribers live access to their CBS affiliate.

Those with a Paramount+ Essential plan can stream the event the next day. Alternatively, you can watch CBS with a subscription to a live streaming service such as Directv Stream or Hulu + Live TV.

get paramount+ with showtime

The event marks the last Kennedy Center Honors for President Biden, who attended each year he was in office. Presidents have historically attended the annual event, which has taken place since 1978. The notable exception was President Trump, who skipped the ceremony in 2017 after honoree Norman Lear threatened to boycott. Trump did not attend any subsequent ceremony.

At the 2024 event, Biden delivered remarks about the honorees, calling the Grateful Dead, “Technical virtuosos fiercely dedicated to their craft,” adding, “They fused decades and dozens of musical styles to create a whole new American sound. Experimental, innovative and brave.” The Dead’s Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, and Bob Weir were in attendance, while Phil Lesh was represented by his son Grahame, and Jerry Garcia’s daughter Trixie attended.

The Grateful Dead was honored with remarks from David Letterman and performances from Dave Matthews, Sturgill Simpson, and others, while Brandi Carlile and Sheryl Crow performed for Bonnie Raitt. George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, and Robert De Niro spoke about Francis Ford Coppola, while Dave Chappelle and Raye honored the Apollo. Trombone Shorty and Chucho Valdez performed for Arturo Sandoval.

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