On May 22, the prestigious 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors was held, celebrating five individuals or groups for their significant impact on American culture through the arts. The 2021 honorees included choreographer and actress Debbie Allen, musician Joan Baez, renowned violinist Midori, legendary entertainer Dick Van Dyke, and country music icon Garth Brooks.
To pay tribute to these remarkable icons, Derek Hough, Vanessa Hudgens, Pentatonix, Gladys Knight, Emmylou Harris, Jimmie Allen, Yo-Yo Ma, and Kelly Clarkson performed at a special ceremony. The event is set to air on Sunday, June 6th, on CBS and will also be available for streaming on Paramount+.
Clarkson was given the honor of paying tribute to Garth Brooks, someone she has known for years and welcomed as a guest on her talk show multiple times. She performed his deeply moving song, “The Dance,” and managed to elevate its emotional depth even further with her heartfelt rendition.
Standing on stage in Washington, D.C., Clarkson’s voice trembled at moments as she sang the song Brooks first released more than 30 years ago.
The Emmy-winning talk show host had shared with Brooks late last year that “The Dance” had been a source of comfort for her during her divorce.
“So, I’m going through a divorce, and there are so many books and advice people give you—especially when you have kids,” she shared at the time. “And with that comes a lot of shame and guilt.”
Clarkson went on to say, “I couldn’t quite put my finger on the feeling. You don’t want to dismiss the relationship or act like it didn’t matter, but at the same time, you struggle with how to define it because it didn’t turn out the way you hoped. Then, I kid you not, I was listening to my playlist, and ‘The Dance’ came on. And I thought, ‘That’s it. That’s exactly it.’”
The Kennedy Center Honors aired on CBS on Sunday night (June 6), featuring Clarkson’s full performance of the iconic song. She opened with a stunning a cappella intro before her music director joined in on piano. Throughout the performance, cameras frequently cut to Brooks, who was visibly moved, even whispering, “That’s so great.”
At one point, Brooks was overcome with emotion and began to cry. As Clarkson hit the final note, he sprang to his feet, removed his hat, and exclaimed, “Damn!”
Watch Kelly Clarkson’s full, breathtaking performance of “The Dance” below:
