Six Artists are Honored at Kennedy Center

The ceremony, now in its 31st year, is one of Washington’s few red carpet events. Celebrities came from New York, Los Angeles and Nashville to pay tribute to the honorees. The weekend celebration included a dinner hosted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday at the State Department. On Sunday, stars including the musician B. B. King and the actor Denzel Washington appeared on stage at the annual gala at the John F. Kennedy Center. The gala will be broadcast on CBS on Dec. 30.

Mr. Freeman, 71, was nominated for three Academy Awards before winning in 2005 as best supporting actor in “Million Dollar Baby.” At the dinner, Ms. Rice noted his work in “Glory” and “Driving Miss Daisy,” but joked that she preferred the actor in the 1998 disaster movie
“Deep Impact.”

“I know that when you played the African American president of the United States, most people thought that would happen when a comet hit,” she said to cheers. “But wonder of wonders, fiction has become true.” Mr. Jones, 77, a Texan known for his plaintive baritone as well as his tumultuous personal life, has 166 singles on Billboard’s country music chart, including 14 No. 1 hits. Mr. Townshend, 63, and Mr. Daltrey, 64, of the Who, were honored for their role in helping to revive interest in American blues music with songs like “My Generation.”

“This country has done so much for us,” Mr. Daltrey said Saturday night. Ms. Tharp, 67, has created more than 135 dances, bringing together ballet and modern dance, high art and pop culture. She said Mr. Townshend could be a future collaborator. “He’s a good jumper,” she said Saturday. Ms. Streisand, 66, said, “I’ve won the Legion of Honor, but it’s nice to be honored when it’s your own country.” Still, she said Saturday that she would not have minded waiting another year for the honor when President Barack Obama would have been watching from the balcony of the Kennedy Center. “Would have been nice,” she said. “I’m just glad he’s in.”