Paul McCartney bowed out of his selection as one of this year's Kennedy Center honorees; Paul Simon will replace him. McCartney stated that a personal obligation would prevent him from attending the ceremony in Washington D.C. on December 7th, but offered no further explanation. In a statement to the Center, McCartney expressed his "deepest regret and profound apologies." He has, however, agreed to be a 2003 honoree.

Simon, who the according to the Kennedy Center would have been a future honoree, was described as "a songwriter who helped shape several generations of young Americans. His music originally defined a sea change in American life and culture. More recently, his work has encompassed an awareness of and concern for international art and artists," by Kennedy Center Chairman James A. Johnson.

Secretary of State Colin Powell will host the twenty-fifth annual ceremony on December 7th at a State Department dinner in Washington, D.C. On December 8th, the honorees will be celebrated at a gala performance in the Kennedy Center's Opera House, to be attended by President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. CBS will broadcast the event at a later date.

This year's other honorees are Elizabeth Taylor, James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera and conductor James Levine, who were chosen "for the unique and extremely valuable contributions they have made to the cultural life of our nation."

Past musical honorees include Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Chuck Berry and Quincy Jones.

CHRISTINA SARACENO
(August 20, 2002)