The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today (Sept. 7) announced the selection of the individuals who will receive the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, and one of them is Bill T. Jones, a Tony Award-winning dancer, choreographer and director who studied theater and dance at SUNY-Binghamton (now Binghamton University). Other recipients to be honored at the 33rd annual national celebration of the arts are: singer and songwriter Merle Haggard, composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, songwriter and musician Paul McCartney and producer, television host and actress Oprah Winfrey.
“The Kennedy Center celebrates five individuals who have spent their lives enriching, inspiring and elevating the cultural vibrancy of our nation and the world,” said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein.”The honesty of Merle Haggard’s music and poetic lyrics has helped to shape the world of country music for nearly five decades. Jerry Herman’s musicals rank him in the pantheon of Broadway’s Golden Age and will keep audiences humming along for generations to come. The inventive style and imaginative artistry of Bill T. Jones has had an invaluable impact on the varied landscapes of dance and theater. Sir Paul McCartney is one of the most influential and successful songwriters and musicians of all time, whose work has continuously altered both the creation and perception of music all over the world. For more than 25 years, Oprah Winfrey has established one of the most innovative careers in the entertainment world, with distinctive accomplishments in television and film.”
The ceremony will be Dec. 5. It will be broadcast on CBS on Dec. 28.