STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN - HEART - The Kennedy Center Honors in HD
HEART - "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN" - The Kennedy Center Honors
December 2, 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjDKcL9rvJw
Honorees this year included actor Dustin Hoffman, late night host David Letterman, Russian ballerina Natalia Makarova, Chicago blues musician Buddy Guy, and the three surviving members of Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones.
President Obama and the First Lady appeared to enjoy the show immensely, even "rocking out" during the Led Zeppelin homage performances. Obama had earlier thanked Led Zeppelin for "behaving at the White House" the previous night at a dinner hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He jokingly described the award winners as "some extraordinary people who have no business being on the same stage together."
EW said of Plant, Page, and Jones:
The three members of Zeppelin present — Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones — sat in the audience looking like delighted, if aging, schoolboys let into a grown-ups' party; they were all smiles, as much during salutes to Hoffman and Letterman as when an array of musicians performed Zeppelin music."
Jack Black delivered the introduction to the Zeppelin segment, calling them "the best band ever." This was followed by performances of Zeppelin classics by the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, and Lenny Kravitz. There was some excellent musicianship displayed, but frankly it was tough for any of the lead singers to truly come close to matching Plant's unique singing style.
But then Ann and Nancy Wilson came on stage for the finale, an inspiring "bring down the house" version of "Stairway to Heaven", with Jason Bonham on drums. UltimateClassicRock.com said of the moment:
In a performance that had Robert Plant on the verge of tears, Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart sang 'Stairway to Heaven' as the finale of a star-studded musical tribute to Led Zeppelin during the Kennedy Center Honors, which were broadcast last night (Dec. 26) on CBS.
It seems like about 3,000 people were on stage during this performance, with the Wilson sisters joined by late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham's son Jason on drums, as well as a gigantic house band featuring string and horn sections and what appeared to be two different vocal choirs.
As anyone who's seen their frequent live performances of 'Rock and Roll' or 'The Battle of Evermore' can tell you, the Wilson sisters know how to play Led Zeppelin live. From the moment they began, all eyes and ears were focused on Ann Wilson, and she knocked this one out of the park, leaving John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and a clearly misty Plant with big smiles on their faces as they watched from the balcony."