McCartney Touched by Tributes From No Doubt + More at Kennedy Center Honors

Posted on Dec 29th 2010 10:45AM by John D. Luerssen
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Jim Watson, AFP / Getty Images

Three weeks after Sir Paul McCartney's career was celebrated by some of rock's biggest names, those of us outside the event got to see what all the fuss was about when it aired on CBS Television in the U.S. last night. Macca – who was recognized alongside TV giant Oprah Winfrey, country legend Merle Haggard and others by President Obama at the event – was visibly touched and delighted at the distinction.

Evidence of McCartney singing along with No Doubt as they delivered a ska-tinged medley of Sir Paul classics like 'Hello Goodbye' and 'Penny Lane' affirmed the Beatles co-founder's glee. Elsewhere, Paul was stirred as he intently watched the duet between Dave Grohl and Norah Jones on 'Maybe I'm Amazed.'

Watch No Doubt Play 'Hello' at the Kennedy Center Honors

Macca was equally pleased by the medley of 'Abbey Road' numbers performed by Steven Tyler, who he had personally asked to perform. "I've done a lot of things and been a lot of places," Tyler told the audience in advance of his performance. "But I've never been prouder than I am standing right here at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Abbey Road."

During the broadcast, President Obama told the crowd he was pleased "to honor a man widely considered to be among the greatest songwriters in history." James Taylor and Mavis Staples closed the McCartney segment of the program with memorable renditions of 'Let It Be' and 'Hey Jude.'

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