During the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, The Highwomen – comprised of Natalie Hemby, Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, and Maren Morris —were among the featured performers of the night which payed tribute to the five Kennedy Center honorees— Amy Grant, George Clooney, U2, Gladys Knight, and Tania León. The ceremony took place on Dec. 4 in Washington, D.C. Elsewhere in the night were tributes by Garth Brooks and Patti LaBelle to Gladys Knight; tributes to George Clooney from Julia Roberts and Matt Damon; and more.
To honor Grant, aka the “Queen of Christian Pop,” The Highwomen performed Grant’s 1997 release “Somewhere Down The Road.” Hemby said of Grant: “Thank you for being a porch light at our crowded table,” after the supergroup applied their four-part harmony to the track, while staying true to Grant’s original version.
Brandi Carlile wrote on social media prior to the broadcast: “This was such a beautiful experience. Congratulations @amygrant and @U2 on this well-deserved honor. I loved getting to sing with my sisters @TheHighwomen to honor Amy Grant and my dear friend @Hozier and @jamala to honor U2. What a night Tune in to watch tonight on CBS.”
Grant said of the honor: “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine ever receiving this prestigious Kennedy Center Honors. Through the years, I’ve watched so many of my heroes serenaded by colleagues and fellow artists, always moved by the ability of music and film to bring us together and to see the best in each other. I cannot wait to celebrate with my fellow honorees, friends, and family. Thank you for widening the circle to include all of us.”
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