SPECIAL EXPERIENCE
Hear from some of the Oklahomans featured in the Biden inaugural's `Celebrating America' TV special
Brandon Graves almost forgot to tune in Wednesday night to “Celebrating America,” the star-studded primetime special heralding the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
The insurance adjuster remembered to tune into CNN, just a few minutes before he appeared on television dancing on the rooftop of Midtown Plaza Court along with Demi Lovato's cover of the R&B classic “Lovely Day.”
“I can't even really explain how it felt. I knew that I recorded the dance, but it didn't hit me that it was actually going to be aired. So, I'm sitting there ... and the second verse hit, and there I was. And I was like kind of in shock. I just stared at it for a little bit, like `Is this really happening right now?' And then right after that my phone started blowing up,” Graves said Thursday.
The Enid native was among at least six Sooner State performers filmed at different Oklahoma City locales who were featured accompanying Lovato's cover of the late, great Bill Withers' classic hit.
“It was a pleasant surprise and a great source of pride to see Oklahoma City so well-represented in our nation's inaugural program,” OKC Mayor David Holt said in a statement. “From our neighborhoods to our Indigenous culture to our skyline, OKC was all over it. My gratitude to everyone who made it possible!”
Diverse showcase
“The diversity was just so beautiful. I think that's just one of the most exciting things about the project, about the upcoming administration as a whole,” said Stephanie Pena, a Latina singer from Midwest City who appeared in the montage. “I felt like ... when we were looking at that video, we were looking at what America looks like. ... This is our beautiful, diverse tapestry of multiculturalism — and Oklahoma is a big part of that.”
Pena, who returned to OKC from the Dallas area to become the new events coordinator with Calle Dos Cinco in Historic Capitol Hill, said she was invited to participate in the montage by a Californiabased producer she has worked with for 20 years as the National Anthem singer and announcer for UnidosUS, the country's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization.
But she got the call just more than a week before Inauguration Day and had to move quickly. The former dean of deadCenter Film's education program called up Oklahoma filmmakers Lance McDaniel and Don Sherry and made a quick OKC road trip to record her performance in front of the historic Farmers Public Market.
“It was incredibly humbling and just such an honor. I've been a part of productions that have been on international platforms, but not like that.” she said.
Quick turnaround
When OKC producer Hillary Self got a request to produce content for possible use on the special, she turned to a local collective of fellow producers and filmmakers.
“From green- light to delivery, it was less than 24 hours. ... They were still trying to build their program, and then they were like, `We need this — go.' So, `it was call up all your friends and let's see if we can get this to happen,'” said Brandon Kobs of Mortimer Creative with a laugh.
“Our goal all along was ` we want to bring the quality up to the highest level so we can give our people the best shot at being featured,'” added Ty McMahan of Fencerow Productions. “It's just amazing that we were able to bring together such a diverse group ... on short notice.”
About a week before the inauguration, a group of six filmmakers spent a full day hauling equipment across OKC to film about a dozen performers.
“We had to carry around a boom box to make sure people had the music ... so it was a really fun day bopping around Oklahoma City blasting `Lovely Day,'” Kobs said.
“It really was a `Lovely Day,'” McMahan added.
Historic moment
When they sat down to view “Celebrating America” Wednesday night, McMahan said it was like the Super Bowl, with the producers shouting with glee as five of the performers they filmed made the “Lovely Day” montage.
Perhaps the most eye- catching was Sgt. Denny MedicineBird, who adapted the Native American Southern Straight dance style to the R&B song. A member of the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes who is also Kiowa, the Jones resident danced across the Skydance Bridge.
“It was a very unique opportunity. ... They call it the gentleman's dance, and I've danced it ever since I could walk. ... It's one of those things where you dance to the beat of your own drum. So, I was able to make it make me with my spirit and how I feel. It was just an amazing experience,” MedicineBird said.
An Operation Enduring Freedom veteran in his 15th year serving with the Oklahoma Army National Guard's Medical Detachment, MedicineBird said he felt true patriotism as he performed and watched his dance.
“This will be a concrete and a long, everlasting memory for me and my family. ... Hopefully, this type of experience can unify people on our beliefs and our thoughts and just open the eyes that American Indians are still here and we have a very vibrant culture,” he said.
The video has been seen by millions of people who watched “Celebrating America” on ABC, CBS, NBC, Spectrum, PBS, CNN, CNBC, BET and MSNBC as well as online on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.
“My Facebook has been outrageous just with people saying so many kind things about me and really appreciating what I did. Overall, I hope it uplifts people because we're in a time with this COVID and the pandemic that a lot of people in our communities are dying. So, I hope it brightened somebody's day,” MedicineBird said.
Although his freestyle dance differed in style, Graves echoed the pride MedicineBird expressed in representing his home state, especially on the occasion of Kamala Harris' inauguration as the first woman, Black and Asian American to become vice president.
“This is something in history, so for me to be a part of it, I can't even really fathom or put that into words. It makes my day, but I'll be smiling about this forever.”