Led Zeppelin was honored last night at the White House by President Barack Obama for their contribution to America culture. Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page were among a group of artists who received Kennedy Center honors, the nation’s highest award for those who influenced American culture through the arts. President Barack Obama had the following remarks:
“When Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham burst onto the musical scene in the late 1960s, the world never saw it coming. There was this singer with a mane like a lion and a voice like a banshee, a guitar prodigy who left people’s jaws on the floor, a versatile bassist who was equally at home on the keyboards, a drummer who played like his life depended on it. It’s been said that a generation of young people survived teenage angst with a pair of headphones and a Zeppelin album … but even now, 32 years after John Bonham’s passing – and we all I think appreciate the fact – the Zeppelin legacy lives on. We honor Led Zeppelin for making us all feel young, and for showing us that some guys who are not completely youthful can still rock!”
In addition, David Letterman and Dustin Hoffman also received the award. The recipients were later saluted by fellow performers at the Kennedy Center Opera House in a show set to be broadcast Dec. 26 on CBS. Be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section below!
(images BRENDAN HOFFMAN/EPA)
