Country music star Lee Greenwood recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of his hit song “God Bless the USA,” which has long been an inspirational tune for the nation. To commemorate the legendary song, Greenwood is set to release a DVD recording of a special concert where the proceeds will go toward building new homes for veterans who have served their country.
“This is the 40th anniversary of me writing my song ‘God Bless the USA’—so that was the inspiration to have the number 40 represented in this musical presentation,” Greenwood stated. The singer added that 40 different singers were invited to participate in the filming of the DVD.
ENTERTAINMENT COMMENTARY
Country Music Legend Lee Greenwood Celebrates 40th Anniversary Of “God Bless The USA”
By Ellis RobinsonMay 8, 2024
Country music star Lee Greenwood recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of his hit song “God Bless the USA,” which has long been an inspirational tune for the nation. To commemorate the legendary song, Greenwood is set to release a DVD recording of a special concert where the proceeds will go toward building new homes for veterans who have served their country.
“This is the 40th anniversary of me writing my song ‘God Bless the USA’—so that was the inspiration to have the number 40 represented in this musical presentation,” Greenwood stated. The singer added that 40 different singers were invited to participate in the filming of the DVD.
“There are 40 different singers we invited to film this DVD. And these performances were a one-time thing. We had all of these people gathered for just one event, and it was very important to me that we were able to give away two homes to two veterans—two of America’s wounded warriors—during the filming,” he continued.
The DVD allegedly features performances from famous artists such as Big & Rich, Jeff Carson, Lee Brice, the Oak Ridge Boys, and others. According to reports, the DVD will also include “special guests like Dolly Parton, Kid Rock, and even former President George W. Bush provided video messages of love and support for the patriotic song.”
Greenwood further expressed his respect and admiration toward veterans who sacrificed so much for the United States. He explained that he always makes it a point to thank veterans for their honorable service to the nation.
“I have a lot of friends who are of [Vietnam-era veteran] age,” the artist said. “And I always say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ It’s just been a passion of mine. And now, of course, the War on Terror has delivered so many of our soldiers home [who have been] wounded desperately.”
As a proud American, Greenwood noted how the United States is a leader of freedom on the international stage, with a duty to enforce it. “We’re a beacon of hope for the rest of the world,” he said. “There are other countries that embrace freedom, but no other country has the ability to protect it, to go after those who would defeat it and destroy it.”
Despite the country music singer’s unwavering optimism toward America, he did acknowledge some of the domestic issues the country is currently contending with. He seemingly hinted at the ongoing culture war, largely divided on partisan lines, and the border crisis. “We have some conflict inside our borders, and we have people running across our borders who shouldn’t be,” he said.
However, Greenwood maintained that if America adheres to its founding principles set by our forefathers, the nation will persevere
“I still believe that if America continues to live by the doctrines we started with—and that’s the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights—if we live by those documents, no matter if the administration changes or not, then we can move on as an American public,” he stated. “And I have great faith in it.”
Featured image credit: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0
