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By Nicole M. Woods
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Public Affairs
WASHINGTON - Air Force Band Conductor, Col. Larry Lang, led The U.S. Air Force Band in a special musical tribute honoring veterans and active-duty service members Nov. 11.
The tribute was broadcast live on Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) channel in honor of Veterans Day. The performance also featured guest artists Kris Allen, a pop-rock singer from “American Idol,” season eight, and Melinda Doolittle, a rhythm and blues and soul artist from season six of the show.
Broadcast in its entirety and also streamed live online, the show included a wide array of fun songs and American classics, accompanied by several original songs performed with guest artists.
Each song performed had a special meaning and dedication to the men and women in uniform such as Doolittle’s performance of a very poignant piece about home, which she likened to service members returning home from a deployment and being reunited with family.
“I am in heaven right now,” Doolittle said with excitement. “This is my third time getting to sing with the U.S. Air Force, and I can’t even explain how much I love it. I just really do. It’s such a great event, and I am so honored to sing as a part of the Veterans Day special.”
Since coming in third place on season six of “American Idol,” Doolittle has been touring the country with a band and back-up singers, as well as an occasional symphony, but she explained that she’s never had a more special experience than getting to sing with The U.S. Air Force Band.
“I don’t know if it’s because it’s the Air Force or what, but the precision and the feeling behind it is unexplainable, and when those things are coupled together, it makes all the difference in the world. I seriously feel like I’m flying when I get to sing with them,” Doolittle said.
For the eighth consecutive year, The U.S. Air Force Band has partnered with MPT to create a musical tribute to America’s veterans. The partnership began in June 2007, with a special performance at the Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda, Maryland, in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the U.S. Air Force.
The following year, the band’s partnership with MPT shifted themes and developed into an annual Veterans Day special, and has continued ever since.
“We like to give back to the veterans. We think it’s an important thing to do,” said Ken Day, executive producer at MPT. “These men and women do everything for the country. They keep it safe and are willing to risk their lives. So, this is a simple return of the gratitude that the American people have, and we here at MPT are a conduit for that and we are committed to doing this for the next several years.”
The long-standing partnership between The U.S. Air Force Band and MPT allows the band to reach thousands of Americans and not only tell the Air Force’s story, but also the stories of the many great things that our veterans do.
In addition to the MPT musical tribute, The U.S. Air Force Band also participated during “The Concert for Valor” Nov. 11 when the Singing Sergeants performed with American Idol season tree winner, Carrie Underwood. The event hosted many headliners in the entertainment industry, including Metallica, Dave Grohl, Rihanna, Eminem, George Lopez and many more. An estimated 800,000 fans packed onto the National Mall on Veterans Day, making the concert the largest event the Singing Sergeants has participated in during their unit’s history.
“Our job is to tell the U.S. Air Force story through music and words, and that is special,” Lang said. “We get the great privilege to perform for audiences across America, and very often veterans are a good portion of that audience. We love hearing about their stories and their service. So, to represent them, to honor them and to play for them, that is always special.”
| Date Taken: | 11.11.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2014 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 147859 |
| Location: | DC, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, US Air Force Band performs tributes to America’s veterans, by Nicole Woods, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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