Lee Greenwood, 82, releases rock version of ‘God Bless the USA’ and rides the Trump wave

After recording the song later that year, Greenwood released “God Bless the USA” in May 1984, but it was not a major success until it was picked up by the presidential campaigns of Ronald Reagan and then the US President. Donald Trump.

Now, 40 years after its release, he has created a new “rock version” of the tune with Drew Jacobs.

“I never intended for this to be a record that the public could hear,” Greenwood told the magazine. Washington Equizor in an interview before the release of the new release. “I just wrote it for my country and for myself.”

During a career that peaked in the 1980s, Greenwood had seven No. 1 country hits, but today he is best known for “God Bless the USA,” which re-entered the country music charts after the Gulf War. 1991, 9/11 and the 2003 US invasion. Iraq. The song even made the Billboard Hot 100 after the 9/11 attacks, and Greenwood says he now hopes to reach the rock charts, the only ones it has never appeared on.

He initially turned down an invitation to sing “God Bless the USA” at the 1984 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, but when Reagan asked him to sing the song at the White House, he relented. Greenwood became friends with Reagan’s vice president, George H. W. Bush, and later performed the song during the presidential elections of Bush and his son George W. Bush.

Greenwood decided he was done with it after Bush left office in 2009, but then Trump picked it up again in 2016 and began playing the song as the opening music at every political rally. Greenwood has spoken with her at six Republican National Conventions, including last summer’s convention in Milwaukee.

The 82-year-old singer has received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the National Patriot Award and has performed for troops on more than 30 United Service Organizations tours, singing “God Bless the USA” each time.

He says the song was never political, but rather a general expression of his own patriotism. Greenwood’s father was a Navy veteran who joined the Army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

“I’m a musician, you know? I am a musician, singer and artist,” he said. “I always try my best to entertain the audience.”

His signature song has been surprisingly popular over the years. Dolly Parton released cover versionand even Beyoncé, whose 2016 hit”Freedom“represents hymn from the Kamala Harris campaign, sang “God Bless the USA” during the 2011 Fourth of July celebrations.

The new rock version, released just days before the 2024 election, aims to reach a new generation, including his two sons, who are still in their 20s.

“This is an important year for God Bless The USA.” I never recorded the song with many people because I felt like I would have to pass the torch to someone else to sing my signature song,” he said in a pre-release promotional video. materials. “However, I would not have made this rock version alone. So I’m excited for fans and fellow patriots to hear it, share it, and add it to their playlists.”

Co-writer Drew Jacobs gained a following by doing rock covers of songs like Garth Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls,” Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country” and Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss’ “Whiskey Lullaby.”

While Greenwood’s message is not political, he did find himself at the center of mild controversy earlier this year when Trump began blockage special “God Bless Bible USA” for $60.

“I want a lot of people to have it,” Trump said in a statement. promotional video during Holy Week. “It has to be for your heart, for your soul.”

First released in 2021, it is a King James Version of the sacred text and includes the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus of “God Bless the USA” in Greenwood’s handwriting.

Trump’s promotion of the book drew backlash from Democrats and some Republicans. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), for example, condemned it as “another example” of Trump’s hypocrisy.

But Greenwood defended Trump from criticism.

“I think it has to do with the fact that they don’t like him making money,” Greenwood said. “They have brought charges against him and are trying to weaken him financially. Yes, he sells sneakers. He sells the Bible. I think he sells watches. He can do whatever he wants to delay some of those charges that are trying to weaken him. So I applaud that. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that at all.”

Greenwood similar protected Country singer Jason Aldean, when his song “Try It in a Small Town” was accused of promoting violence, called Aldean “the biggest patriot” and said: “It’s a great song. I wish I had it.”

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He’s glad to be part of the Trump phenomenon, even if that was never his goal, and predicts a GOP victory in Tuesday’s election.

“I don’t think he’s just going to win,” Greenwood said. “I think it’s going to be a landslide.”