Award-winning musical group, Earth, Wind, & Fire, has made history. The “September” artists became the first R&B group to receive recognition at the Kennedy Center Honors on Thursday (July 18), Billboard reports.
“The Kennedy Center Honors celebrates icons who, through their artistry, have left an indelible stamp on our collective cultural consciousness,” stated Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. “Earth, Wind & Fire’s hooks and grooves are the foundation of a seminal style that continues to shape our musical landscape.”
Lead singers or paramount songwriters are predominantly honored. Yet, Earth, Wind & Fire join three other talented groups that have been acknowledged with the distinction: American rock band the Eagles in 2016, and English rock bands Led Zeppelin in 2012, and The Who in 2008.
Other honorees for the upcoming ceremony include Academy Award-winning actress, Sally Field, best known for starring in Forrest Gump (1994), Steel Magnolias (1989), among other films and television series. American singer Linda Ronstadt, who holds 10 Grammy Awards, one Emmy, three Academy of Country Music Awards in addition to her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. PBS quintessential-series, Sesame Street, has bridged the gap for both cultural and educational narratives for children and adults over the last 50 years. American conductor, composer, and pianist Michael Tilson Thomas is the music director of the San Francisco Symphony, Founder and Artistic Director of the New World Symphony.
The 42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors will celebrate the honorees on Sunday (Dec. 8), in Washington, D.C.
