Don't Miss the celebration on WPBT2, July 4 at 8:00 p.m.
A CAPITOL FOURTH is fortunate to have a host of talented and award-winning
celebrities participate in each concert.
This year, we asked the entertainers on our show to share with us what
July 4th means to them.
"My
parents came here with the hopes that their family would grow up and live the
American dream and those dreams have been realized to a large extent. The whole 4th of July/Independence Day for us
was an acknowledgement and a thanks - a feeling of gratefulness- that we were a
part of this country.”_
- Jimmy Smits
“I have
spent The Fourth of July in various places in my lifetime, but the one place
that stands out is when I sang at a special performance in honor of the
centennial of the Statue of Liberty. I will never forget the fireworks
that exploded on the last note of my song, "One Voice." Magnificent. I look forward to singing at this year's July
4th celebration.”
- Barry Manilow
“The Fourth is always a day of togetherness and gratitude for our blessed
freedom as well as reflection. It also
recalls happy times when growing up in Ohio and having cook outs, sing-a-longs
and fireworks. For me there is a special
feeling of contentment on the Fourth.”
- Michael Feinstein
“I have great childhood memories of sitting on the beach with family and
friends, watching fireworks light up the glassy Pacific on the Fourth of
July. For me, those wonderful evenings were as much about summer and
togetherness as they were a celebration of our nation's independence. Now,
as I travel the world performing, the Fourth has taken on a greater meaning: it
reminds me of the precious liberty we enjoy here at home and those courageous
visionaries who fought for it.”
- Andrew von Oeyen
“The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate America and we are happy to do that
by singing and dancing at the US Capitol. We are lucky to live in this
great country where dreams can and do come true. We are living proof.”
- Cast of Jersey Boys
“When I first conducted at the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol many years
ago, I turned around, not to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra, but to
conduct the huge multitude of people gathered on the Lawn, in the singing of
our National Anthem. My heart climbed up in my throat ... I was in such
awe of the beauty of the setting.
And still today, after conducting the "Star Spangled Banner" on so
many occasions, I get that fantastic thrill through my body ... to be the
Nation's Conductor at the United States Capitol. I just wish every
American could have that opportunity. It is magical.”
- Maestro Erich Kunzel
“Elmo likes to watch fireworks with all his friends from SESAME STREET!
… Elmo loves all the colors - red, white and blue, and Elmo loves marching
too.”
- Elmo
“I feel honored to produce A CAPITOL FOURTH each year.
For an hour and a half we unite the country in this celebratory moment where
everyone is in a joyous mood. We help
them to forget about their differences and to remember that we are all
Americans.”
- Jerry Colbert, Executive Producer
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