Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” has been a staple of Republican political events for decades. Today’s (January 20) inauguration was no different. The singer/songwriter took the stage with the United States Marine Corps Band to sing the patriotic hit moments before Trump took the Oath of Office.
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Greenwood wrote “God Bless the USA” and released it in 1984 as a single from his album You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’. It was a top-10 hit and became his signature song. Since releasing the song, he has performed it at multiple presidential inaugurations. Notably, he sang it during Trump’s 2017 inauguration and George Bush’s inauguration in 1989.
Lee Greenwood just launched the Inauguration ceremony with a singing of “God Bless the USA.”
— George (@BehizyTweets) January 20, 2025
It’s almost time.
pic.twitter.com/tH2RCnOxad
Lee Greenwood Was Hand-Picked by the President
Lee Greenwood was a late addition to the inauguration lineup. He revealed how he landed the prestigious gig in a recent interview with The New York Post. “I didn’t know until just recently that I was going to sing at the inauguration. I was invited personally by Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago,” he explained.
“My wife and I were standing with him at an event backstage and I said, ‘Are you going to need me in Washington?’ and he said, ‘Absolutely,’” Greenwood recalled. The then-president-elect added, “There’s a couple of events I want you to sign at but you will sing at my inauguration.”
It comes as no surprise that Trump selected Greenwood to perform at today’s inauguration. He used the song during many of his rallies on the campaign trail. He usually chose to play a recording of the track as he took the stage. Additionally, Greenwood performed it during the Republican National Convention.
“It’s a thrilling thing and there’s going to be a lot of electricity,” he said about his hopes for today’s inauguration performance.
Greenwood also explained how this performance will be different than others. “This particular performance, it will not be my recorded track. I will sing live with the United States Marine Corps Band only moments before Donald Trump swears in as the president,” he said. “It will be majestic. It will be live. When it’s live there’s more electricity in the air,” he added.
Featured Image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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