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The Oak Ridge Boys Perform “Star-Spangled Banner” On “Good Morning America”
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Written: 03/19/2005 
Author: SGN
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Washington, D.C., March 18, 2005 – The National Anthem Project, a multi-year effort to re-teach Americans “The Star-Spangled Banner,” launched last Thursday in Washington, D.C. The national education campaign is led by the National Association for Music Education (MENC). Mrs. Laura Bush serves as Honorary Chairperson. The Oak Ridge Boys performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” Thursday, March 10th, on “Good Morning America.”
Duane Allen said, “I am honored to be a part of The National Anthem Project. I get chills every time I sing this great song.”
The nationwide initiative is supported by the Jeep® brand, the project’s National Presenting Sponsor. The campaign launch comes on the heels of a recent Harris Poll that shows two out of three Americans don’t know the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and many are unaware of the historical events that inspired the penning of the song. This startling statistic prompted MENC, the world’s largest professional arts education association and the only that addresses all facets of music education, to spearhead the project and shine the spotlight on the importance of school music programs, as this is where most Americans learn the national anthem and other patriotic songs.
The multi-faceted campaign will include education initiatives in schools across the country, special performances and alliances with professional sporting events, and an extensive mobile marketing tour stopping in cities nationwide. The project is led by the project’s official musical ambassadors, The Oak Ridge Boys, and is supported by leading organizations across the country, including The Girls Scouts of the U.S.A., The American Legion and The History Channel.
“Today our country is calling on our music educators to restore America's voice," says John Mahlmann, Executive Director, MENC. "It is important that all Americans understand the significance of our anthem's history – how our national anthem came to be, from the poetry of Francis Scott Key to its association with a musical tune and our country’s desire to adopt an official national anthem. We want to remind all Americans to cherish our national treasures and to celebrate our unity and our values in song."
“As the Jeep brand is deeply rooted in American traditions and values, we are excited about the opportunity to be a part of the National Anthem Project and to join the National Association for Music Education in this mission to restore America’s voice,” said Dieter Zetsche, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chrysler Group.
Kick Off Event and World’s Largest Concert
The campaign officially kicked off Thursday from Capitol Hill with a live performance of the national anthem by hundreds of children, including the Dorman Singers from Dorman High School in Spartanburg, S.C., and the Thomson Elementary School Choir from Washington, D.C., and was attended by representatives from the supporting organizations. In addition, more than six million children, teachers and music supporters participated in the World’s Largest Concert featuring American patriotic songs as well as other popular tunes. The concert aired across the United States and abroad via PBS stations and the Armed Forces Network. Local schools throughout the nation tuned in to participate at 1 p.m. EST.
One goal of the campaign is to change the practice of Americans listening to a soloist perform the anthem, particularly at special events, and to encourage everyone to sing the anthem together. “The official standards for our anthem specifically state that the song was meant to be sung together, but now many Americans don’t even know the words to the song or which song is the official anthem,” said Mahlmann. “Recent budget cuts to school music programs have silenced our nation, cutting off students from access to learning about our country's historical traditions. Music in schools provides the platform for citizenship that stays with us for a lifetime.”
High-Level Support
The National Anthem Project is sponsored by The Jeep brand as National Presenting Sponsor and is supported by leading organizations and individuals nationwide. Supporters include Keith Lockhart, Garrison Keillor, the Congressional Arts Caucus and the White House Commission on Remembrance.
For more information about how to get involved and support the National Anthem Project and school music education, please visit http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org.
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