Performing for presidents isn’t new for nation musician Lee Greenwood, who’s on the roster of entertainers at Monday’s inaugural.
His patriotic anthem “God Bless the USA,” which was launched in 1984, made him a favourite with Republican presidents like Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Donald Trump. As a resident of the Nashville space, Greenwood stated he was getting ready for his journey to Washington, D.C., by getting some heat garments. Monday’s forecast is so frosty that President-elect Donald Trump revealed Friday that the swearing-in ceremony and speeches will probably be held indoors within the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
After 40-plus years of reside performances, Greenwood is accustomed to maintaining a tally of the climate. He was slated to carry out exterior of the Capitol throughout Monday morning’s ceremonies. Given the bone-chilling temperatures, the main points concerning the reside performances have been nonetheless being labored out Friday afternoon. He stated, “After all, once I sing reside with the U.S. Marine Corps band, there’s at all times that second, whenever you assume ‘Please don’t rain.’”
With quite a lot of clothes choices, Greenwood will seek the advice of along with his spouse Kim, a former Miss Tennessee, as he at all times does. She is the chief director for the Miss USA state pageants in Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi. (The pageant was owned by Trump from 1996 to 2015.) “I take my spouse’s recommendation about what to put on. She’s excellent at it,” he stated. “After I do reside performances, I’m not essentially involved about my make-up or my shade selections. Stay performances are extra about how the viewers perceives me as an artist. However on digicam, we’ve to be a bit of extra involved about shade and lighting greater than something. And naturally, we’ve to decorate appropriately in order that the nation views us as not modest however appropriately dressed.”
Having carried out for a number of presidents through the years, Greenwood wasn’t involved about any nervousness on Inauguration Day. He stated, “I don’t assume it ever will get previous significantly whenever you’re singing for the president of the USA once more. On this explicit surroundings, the place we’re swearing in a brand new head of state, there’s no nervousness. There’s an pleasure about it. Carrie Underwood will probably be there singing ‘America the Lovely’ proper after he’s sworn in. My singing with the band is thrilling, as a result of usually my crew is a rustic quintet on stage. However once I sing with a full orchestra, there’s a majestic efficiency that involves life.”
His perspective of the humanities was formed partially by serving on the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts for 14 years, after being appointed by President George W. Bush. Greenwood stated, “That was an attention-grabbing tenure, going to Washington, D.C., and overseeing as a council member the tax {dollars} which might be spent in and about American tradition. I realized quite a bit about the USA and its variety in cultural experiences, from museums to dancers to musicians and artists of all types.”
Requested what is required now for the humanities, he stated “a continued concentrate on the truth that America has its personal artwork, whether or not it’s bluegrass music, the symphony or the ballet. We have to retain that focus. Plus, the Indigenous individuals within the U.S., the Native American tribes from coast to coast, are essential, too.”
After the inaugural, Greenwood will kick off his “American Spirit Tour” on Wednesday in Florida. He additionally printed the “God Bless the USA Bible,” which Trump endorsed. Printed within the King James model and in massive lettering, it additionally options copies of the handwritten refrain to “God Bless the USA,” the U.S. Structure, the Invoice of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Final fall an issue surfaced after 1000’s of copies have been printed in China.
Greenwood stated Trump is “completely” a pal of his and stated that he has been very form to him, his spouse and his household. “Proud” as Greenwood is to face subsequent to Trump, the 81-year-old performer stated, “He’s not the primary president that I’ve stood subsequent to onstage. However it’s attention-grabbing at this stage in my life that ‘God Bless the USA,’ which is greater than 40 years previous, continues to be related, due to the President[-elect.]”
Lee Greenwood and his spouse Kim.
Getty Pictures
The musician’s family life is layered, as he’s been married 5 occasions — twice to his now ex-first spouse. As for what makes for a profitable marriage, he laughed, “I don’t know if there’s a solution. I do know that love is essential, loyalty, religion, respect and all of these issues. However there are a variety of ups-and-downs in a wedding. You’re by no means going to have complete peace and it’s important to have laughter. You must pursue life with vigor. And just be sure you perceive what every particular person desires out of the wedding and their very own life. Respect that and provides that to them.”