2019 Kennedy Center Honors: Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett + More Assist With Tributes [PICTURES]
Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett and Trisha Yearwood were among the country stars who attended Sunday's (Dec. 8) 2019 Kennedy Center Honors event in Washington, DC. The three artists weren't there solely as fans, however: They were among the stars who helped recognize this year's class of honorees.
Underwood and Yearwood -- who attended the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors with her husband, country star Garth Brooks -- lauded Linda Ronstadt with renditions of her songs "Blue Bayou" and "When Will I Be Loved" (Underwood) and "You're No Good" and "I Don't Know Much" (Yearwood, the latter as a duet with Aaron Neville). Ronstadt's former creative collaborators Don Henley and Emmylou Harris spoke on her behalf as well.
“Outwardly, she had a youthful vulnerability," shared Henley -- who, along with Glenn Frey, was part of Ronstadt's backing band before forming the Eagles -- Washington, DC's WTOP reports, "but on the inside she was a powerful and determined woman who knew where she was going." Meanwhile, Harris -- one-third of the trio behind the Trio and Trio II albums with Ronstadt and Dolly Parton -- praised Ronstadt as a "fierce artist who set the bar high for the rest of us."
"She had the most stunningly beautiful voice of our generation," Harris added. Ronstadt has been unable to sing since being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2013. She rarely makes public appearances anymore, but did attend the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors -- and grabbed headlines for, on Saturday night (Dec. 7), expressing her displeasure with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's support of President Donald Trump, to Pompeo himself, during a State Department dinner.
In addition to Ronstadt, 2019's Kennedy Center honorees are actor Sally Field, R&B/soul/funk group Earth, Wind & Fire, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the children's television series Sesame Street. Rhett was part of the Sesame Street tribute, performing "This Is My Street" with Big Bird, Elmo, Bert and Ernie.
Flip through the gallery below to see photos from the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors. The event will air on CBS on Sunday (Dec. 15) at 8PM ET.