Surviving LED ZEPPELIN members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones attended a US State Department Dinner for the Kennedy Center Honors gala last night (Saturday, December 1st) at the State Department in Washington. The hard rock legends joined other honorees, comedian and television David Letterman, actor Dustin Hoffman, Chicago bluesman BUDDY GUY and ballerina Natalia Makarova.

Check out a photo of all the Kennedy Center Honorees at this location.

The honors are the US's highest award for those who influenced American culture through the arts. President Barack Obama will host the honorees at the White House before they are saluted by fellow performers in a show to be broadcast December 26 on CBS.

According to the Associated Press, to salute Led Zeppelin, big names from the rock world dressed in black tie for their music heroes as a string ensemble played the band's hit song 'Kashmir' and other tunes at the State Department.

FOO FIGHTERS singer Dave Grohl said he never took any music lessons when he was starting out because "my teachers were Led Zeppelin. ... They were the most powerful thing in my life."

Zeppelin front man Robert Plant said he was flattered and overwhelmed in receiving the American culture prize. He said he was glad to see his former band mates, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page, using good table manners.

The trio is scheduled to appear Monday on CBS' Late Show with David Letterman.

Plant told The Associated Press he plans to continue traveling the world and wants to make new music along the way.

"If anybody wants to write some new songs, I'm game to write songs," he said.

Further details at this location.