Why Country Star Lee Greenwood’s Legacy Continues After Four Decades
By Movieguide® Contributor
Country star Lee Greenwood, best known for the song “God Bless The USA,” continues to play and perform after four decades in the industry.
Greenwood was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He began to play music at the age of 7 when he learned how to play piano. From there, he learned to play saxophone, and began his own band while in high school.
During and after high school, Greenwood would play with his band the Appolos in Nevada casinos. On one occasion, his love for music and his band caused Greenwood to miss is own high school graduation.
Thetrucker.com recently reported: “While playing another casino in 1979, he ran into Larry McFaden, Tillis’ band leader. McFaden brought the Californian to Nashville and, in short order, got him signed with the Halsey publicity agency, an agency that also represented the Oak Ridge Boys. In 1981, Greenwood signed with MCA Records.”
With the backing of a major record company, Greenwood launched into the start of his musical career.
In just a few short years, Greenwood boasted a number of No. 1 hits, including: “Somebody’s Gonna Love You,” “Going Going Gone,” “Dusty Dixie Road,” “Hearts Aren’t Meant To Break,” and “Morning Ride.”
In 1983, Greenwood penned his most famous, “God Bless the USA.” Greenwood wrote the song “in response to the shooting down of Korean Airlines Flight 007 by the Soviet Union,” according to thetrucker.com.
Forty years later, Greenwood still performs the song.
“Greenwood, a staunch conservative, took his song on the political road for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, singing it at rallies across America in both 2016 and 2020. More than a few other politicians have informally adopted the song for their own purposes, using it to add a patriotic flair to rallies and appearances.”
This October, the 80-year-old icon is set to perform during the reveal of a new Gold Star Families Memorial Monument near the Memorial Arch in Huntington.
According to herald-dispatch.com, “Last May, Hershel “Woody” Williams, the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient, prepared a written request that a monument honoring the families of those whose loved ones died during military service be built at Memorial Park. He intended to present the request to local government entities, but his health declined and he died June 29, 2022, at the age of 98.”
Greenwood plans to honor veterans and their service to their country at the ceremony.
