George Lucas, The Eagles, Carole King Among Kennedy Center Honorees

Jamie McCarthy/NBC(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Star Wars director George Lucas, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Eagles and Carole King, actors Rita Moreno and Cicely Tyson, and conductor Seiji Ozawa will be saluted at the 38th annual Kennedy Center Honors this year.

The prestigious honors  are presented annually by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in recognition of recipients’ lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts.

“The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes the extraordinary and unparalleled talents of individuals whose impact and genius have left an indelible mark on civilization,” says Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein in a statement. 

This year’s honorees will be feted at a star-studded gala December 6 at the Kennedy Center that will be attended by President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.  The event will be recorded for a special that will air December 29 on CBS at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

As has become tradition, the honorees will visit the president and first lady at the White House on the same day prior to the gala.  The awards themselves will be presented December 5 at the State Department, at a dinner hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Last year’s Kennedy Center Honors recipients included singers Sting and Al Green, actor Tom Hanks, actor and comedian Lily Tomlin, and ballerina Patricia McBride.

Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.