Long live the Queen of Soul.
The Kennedy Center Honors are given to actors, musicians, and others who have positively affected pop culture, and also The Eagles. This year’s recipients were Jar Jar defender George Lucas, EGOT winner Rita Moreno, conductor Seiji Ozawa, actress Cicely Tyson, and singer Carole King, whose 1971 album Tapestry remains a must-own for any sensitive liberal arts student. Even if you don’t have it, you know the hits: “I Feel the Earth Move,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
Aretha Franklin covered “Woman” during the ceremony on December 6, which aired on CBS last night, and it was so good, she made President Obama (and everyone watching) cry. Jane the Virgin‘s Gina Rodriguez and Rosie Perez sang along to every word, while Carole King turned into Carol Kane’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt character with her exaggerated facial expressions. And when Aretha left her piano and walked to center stage, the crowd wrapped themselves in her gigantic furry coat of emotions.
I bet Obama was secretly hoping to hear the Gilmore Girls theme song.
