The China Mail - Coppola, Grateful Dead among honorees at glam Washington gala

The annual Kennedy Center Honors, among the highest American arts designations, see Washington's political elite rub shoulders with the cream of the cultural crop as entertainment A-listers descend on the seat of American political power.

The Apollo -- the globally celebrated Harlem music venue that launched myriad careers and bore witness to sociocultural revolution -- will also receive an honor, the first time one of the awards will go to an arts institution.

It will be the last gala in the presence of President Joe Biden: The US president traditionally sits with the honorees in the Kennedy Center opera house.

Donald Trump bucked the norm and did not attend during his presidency, after several of the honored artists threatened to boycott the gala in his first year in office if he came.

It's not unlikely that such political theatrics may loom over the event again once Trump returns to the White House next year.

The night of glamour raises funds for the performing arts center that serves as a living monument to the late president John F. Kennedy.

Honorees received their medallions at the State Department's traditional Saturday night ceremony.

- Surprise performances -

Inclusion of the venerated Apollo celebrates the Harlem venue's vast contributions to American culture.

From Ella Fitzgerald to James Brown, Count Basie to Lauryn Hill, the Apollo epitomized the course of American history, serving as the nerve center of Black -- and American at large -- culture while launching careers and cementing legend status.

Coppola -- the esteemed filmmaker behind classics including "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now" -- will be a big red carpet draw, as the 85-year-old is celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions to film.

"Making movies without risk is like making babies without sex," Coppola told the Washington Post ahead of Sunday's event. "You can do it. It's possible, but it's not very fun."

The evening will also serve as a memorial tribute to Phil Lesh, the Grateful Dead co-founder who died this fall.

He was meant to be among the four surviving members of the band of misfits known for their onstage improv to accept the Kennedy Center honor.

Jerry Garcia, the lead guitarist and vocalist of the Grateful Dead, died of a heart attack in 1995.

The Grateful Dead was key in the counterculture starting in the 1960s and revolutionized fan engagement, with "Deadheads" traveling from show to show.

Cult favorite rock, blues and folk singer Bonnie Raitt is also among this year's class, accepting the prize after 21 albums and 54 years of touring.

"Playing live is what drives you. That's what your purpose is. At the end of the night, I feel like I've had my blood changed," the 75-year-old Grammy winner told the Post.

And the Cuban-born Arturo Sandoval will add a Kennedy Center Honor to his long list of accolades, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The jazz artist with exceedingly flexible stylistic range has been central to translating American jazz to a global audience, an ambassador for the form who has also played a key role in its evolution.

Sunday's gala will be marked by performances that are kept a tight secret until showtime, with the honorees also in the dark about which fellow stars will pay tribute to them.

W.Cheng--ThChM