Which U.S. performing-arts honor did the Eagles receive in 2016?

Which U.S. performing-arts honor did the Eagles receive in 2016? The Eagles received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2016. The honor recognizes major lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts, rather than a single recording or commercial achievement.

The Eagles were among the 2016 honorees alongside pianist Martha Argerich, actor Al Pacino, singer Mavis Staples, and songwriter-performer James Taylor. The annual celebration culminates in a gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., followed by a nationally televised ceremony.

The timing carried special significance because Glenn Frey, a founding member and central songwriter, had died earlier that year. Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, and returning former member Bernie Leadon represented the group at the honors events. The award is often confused with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award or a National Medal of Arts, but the Kennedy Center Honors are a distinct performing-arts recognition.