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5 earn Kennedy Center tributes

By wire services
Published December 6, 2005

Show business legends Robert Redford, Tina Turner, Tony Bennett an d Julie Harris and ballerina Suzanne Farrell saw their careers celebrated in Washington by a host of film, stage and music stars at the annual Kennedy Center Honors.

The honorees took in the tributes Sunday night from box seats with President Bush and his wife, Laura.

Highlights from the evening will be broadcast Dec. 27 on CBS, and show editors will have plenty to choose from:

--Redford - actor, director and creator of the Sundance independent film festival - was saluted by Paul Newman, his co-star in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting , and by country legend Willie Nelson.

--Turner's pal Oprah Winfrey spoke of seeing Turner perform live, advising the audience at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: "Add that to the list of things you do before you die." In honor of Turner, Queen Latifah sang What's Love Got to Do With It, Melissa Etheridge sang River Deep, Mountain High and Beyonce got the crowd on their feet with her rendition of Proud Mary.

--Farrell was celebrated by her former colleague at the New York City Ballet, Jacques d'Amboise. The company, led by George Balanchine, "was the center of American ballet and she was the diamond in its crown," d'Amboise said.

--Bennett was toasted with a jazzy interpretation of I Left My Heart in San Francisco by Wynton Marsalis. Actor and singer Vanessa Williams sang The Best Is Yet to Come, and chanteuse Diana Krall performed Fly Me to the Moon.

--Harris, a longtime veteran of stage and screen and winner of a record six Tony awards, won kudos from Kevin Spacey, as well as Tyne Daly, Christine Baranski, Leslie Uggams, Michelle Lee and Karen Ziemba, who performed Broadway Baby for Harris.

Wonder gets Super slot

Motown fans miffed by the NFL's choice of the Rolling Stones for Super Bowl halftime entertainment are getting at least some satisfaction: Stevie Wonder will perform during the pregame show at Detroit's Ford Field on Feb. 5. Other artists will also be announced for the pregame show, said Universal Motown Records Group marketing executive. The NFL's Rolling Stones announcement last week prompted an uproar in Detroit, the original home of Motown Records, which gave the world such artists as Wonder, Smokey Robinson, the Supremes and the Four Tops.

Bon Jovi gets 2nd date

After selling out their Feb. 17 show in a few hours, Bon Jovi have added a second show to their Tampa tour stop. Tickets for the Feb. 18 show at the St. Pete Times Forum go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the box office or Ticketmaster 813 287-8844, (727) 898-2100 or www.ticketmaster.com Tickets are $49.50 to $85, plus service charges.

--Compiled from staff and wire reports.

[Last modified December 6, 2005, 11:49:06]