Rock legend and ASCAP member Bruce Springsteen joined actor Robert De Niro, comic genius Mel Brooks, jazz great Dave Brubeck and opera singer Grace Bumbry in receiving this year's Kennedy Center Honors at a star-studded ceremony in Washington D.C. on December 6. For Springsteen, the honor comes on the heels of releasing his 24th album, Working on a Dream, receiving four Grammy Award nominations and the culmination of a world tour with his E Street Band.
The Kennedy Center Honors recognize individuals who have helped define American culture through the arts, part of a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. President Obama attended and in his remarks said, "These performers are indeed the best. They are also living reminders of a single truth…the arts are not somehow apart from our national life, the arts are the heart of our national life."
At the Kennedy Center event, fellow ASCAP members joined in a musical tribute to "The Boss." John Mellencamp performed "Born in the USA" while Jennifer Nettles sang "Glory Days" and Melissa Etheridge passionately performed "Born to Run."
At the ceremony where he accepted the medallion, Springsteen said he felt honored to be selected. "We worked really hard for our music to be part of American life and our fans' lives. So it's an acknowledgement that you've kind of threaded your way into the culture in a certain way. It's satisfying."
