Carlos Santana Receives 2013 Kennedy Center Honors

Carlos Santana Receives 2013 Kennedy Center Honors -

This past weekend Carlos Santana was among a handful of recipients of the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors which took place in Washington.

Alongside Santana were Rock Hall of Famer Billy Joel, actress/dancer Shirley MacLaine, opera star Martina Arroyo and jazz great Herbie Hancock. All of whom received honours at the 36th annual awards ceremony on Sunday.

Among those paying tribute to Santana were Sheila E., Steve Winwood, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Buddy Guy, and Alice Cooper’s touring guitarist, Orianthi Panagaris.

"It's really supreme because the award is being given to me by a black man. If it wasn't like that, I would say just send it to me," Santana said.

"But since it's Mr. Barack Obama, I definitely had to make myself present and say from the center of my heart, `you are the embodiment of our dreams and aspirations.'"

The Kennedy Center Honors medallions were presented on Saturday, the night before the gala, at a State Department dinner hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry.

The Honors Gala will be broadcast on the US television station CBS Network for the 36th consecutive year as a two-hour primetime special on Sunday, December 29 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT).