Trump taps country stars for inauguration
Keith and Greenwood will perform at Lincoln Memorial, but Broadway singer Holliday backs out
President-elect Donald Trump, who has struggled to recruit prominent artistes for his inauguration, on Friday tapped country stars known for their patriotic anthems.
Trump’s inaugural committee announced that country stars Toby Keith and Lee Greenwood would perform at the Lincoln Memorial, but Broadway singer Jennifer Holliday backed out yesterday after agreeing to a gig.
The event, during which Trump will speak, will be free to the public and take place on Thursday on the eve of the real estate tycoon’s inauguration as the 45th president.
Keith, one of the prominent country singers of the 1990s, after the September 11, 2001 attacks released the song, Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),a passionate call to arms in Afghanistan.
Keith later entered a highprofile feud with Dixie Chicks over the group’s criticism of the Iraq war, but the singer has also spoken admiringly of President Barack Obama.
Greenwood, 74, is a veteran country singer best known for his 1984 song God Bless the USA, which has risen back in popularity at times of war.
“I’m honoured to be part of history again and sing for President-elect Donald Trump. This is a time to overcome challenges in our country and band together,” Greenwood, who performed at inaugurations of the last three Republican presidents, said in a statement.
Country music historically is most popular with white Americans, especially in the South, a stronghold of support for Trump who campaigned on a hard line against Mexican immigrants, Muslims and other minorities.
The inauguration was to have a rare African American performer in Holliday, but she withdrew, saying she did not realise that her participation would be interpreted as a statement of support for Trump.
Holliday, best known for her Tony-winning role in Broadway’s Dreamgirls, faced pressure from her gay, lesbian and black fans when it was announced she would sing on Thursday.
Holliday said in a statement yesterday that she apologised for her lapse of judgment, for being uneducated on the issues and causing heartbreak for her fans.
On Friday, Holliday defended her earlier decision to perform at the inauguration. “I didn’t see it as singing for Trump. I saw it as singing for the people on the mall,” she said.
Angry backlash
Holliday faced an immediate and angry backlash to her decision from critics urging a boycott of her music, calling her an “Uncle Tom,” saying her career was over and even suggesting she take her own life.
“It just really made my heart drop to my feet,” Holliday said.
“How could I have this much hate spewing at me, and I haven’t even done anything? I guess it’s not like those old days when political views were your own and you had freedom of speech... We live in a different time now, and a decision to go and do something for America is not so clear-cut anymore.”
Holliday was to perform at the Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration which included Keith, Voight, and Trump himself.
Singer Paul Anka told TMZ he’d been in talks with the Trump team about singing My Way for the new president at an inaugural ball, with lyrics tailored to Trump, but that he had to scrap the plan because of family commitments. Anka, 75, said My Way was Trump’s favourite song.
I’m honoured to be part of history again and sing for President-elect Donald Trump. This is a time to overcome challenges in our country and band together.” Lee Greenwood | Country music singer
Far cry from 2009 line-up
The inauguration line-up pales in comparison to the star power amassed by Obama.
A similar inauguration-eve concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009 drew Beyoncé, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Stevie Wonder, as well as country superstar Garth Brooks.
Trump, despite a career spent in entertainment circles, struggled to find celebrity backers in his campaign against Clinton.
Some of Clinton’s supporters, including Katy Perry, plan to come to Washington the day after the inauguration for a protest march for civil rights.