The 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors, which recognize five individuals or organizations for their artistic contributions to American society, was held on May 22. The 2021 honorees were Dick Van Dyke, Garth Brooks, violinist Midori, actress and choreographer Debbie Allen, and musician Joan Baez.
Derek Hough, Vanessa Hudgens, Pentatonix, Gladys Knight, Emmylou Harris, Jimmie Allen, Yo-Yo Ma, and Kelly Clarkson hit the stage for a ceremony honoring these amazing luminaries. The celebration will live on CBS on Sunday, June 6th and be streamed on Paramount+.
It was Clarkson’s responsibility to honor Garth Brooks, whom she has known for a long time and who has appeared on her talk show a few times recently. Her performance of his already moving song “The Dance” somehow elevated it to a new level.
Singing the song Brooks released more than 30 years ago, Clarkson’s voice trembled occasionally as she stood on stage in Washington, D.C.
Late last year, the Emmy-winning talk show presenter told Brooks that “The Dance” had been assisting her in overcoming her divorce.
“There are a lot of books and people always give you stuff to help, especially when you have kids and stuff,” she stated at the time, describing her divorce. “And there is a great deal of guilt and shame.”
“I couldn’t quite pin down the feeling,” Clarkson added. Since it didn’t work out the way you wanted, you don’t know what to say in it, but you don’t want to fuck it up by saying that [relationship] doesn’t count or matter. In any case, “The Dance” started playing when I was listening to my music. “No, that’s the thing,” I said. That’s it.
On Sunday night (June 6), Clarkson’s full rendition of the iconic song was shown on CBS’s Kennedy Center Honors. Before the music director joined her on the keyboard, she began it a cappella. Throughout the performance, Brooks was shown repeating, “That’s so great,” as the cameras continued panning to him.
Brooks was crying at one point, and when Clarkson finished singing the last note, he leaped to his feet, removed his hat, and said, “Damn!”
See Clarkson’s rendition of “The Dance” in its entirety below.
