"GOD
BLESS THE USA" CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY
& ITS ENDURING MARK ON AMERICAN CULTURE
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 From times of
great national tragedy to times of joyous
patriotic celebration, the words of “God
Bless the USA” have stood as one of our
country’s most beloved anthems and the
cornerstone song of those that best encompass
pride in America. So much so, that CBS.com called
the song, “the most recognizable patriotic
song in the country.”
Written by Grammy Award winning country star Lee
Greenwood in 1983, the iconic song marks its 30th
anniversary this year. Its life to date includes
the distinction of being the only song of any
genre to skyrocket up the sales charts multiple
times since its original release in 1984. Radio
stations and fans alike returned to the song in
1991 during the Gulf War, in 2001 following 9/11,
in 2003 during the war in Iraq, and in 2009
following Hurricane Katrina.
“God Bless the USA” had a resurgence in
2011, when Beyoncé recorded the song offering
proceeds of the download to benefit the New York
Police & Fire Widows' & Children's
Benefit Fund. That same year, it was the winning
song on ABC’s “Dancing with the
Stars” and performed on “American
Idol.”
Greenwood wrote “God Bless the USA” in
response to the hurt and anger he felt following
the downing of a Korean jet on a flight from New
York to Seoul with 269 passengers aboard,
including 63 Americans. Russian authorities shot
the plane from the sky, killing all aboard
because “they thought the airliner was on a
spy mission.”
“I saw the senseless strike as a personal
attack against our countrymen and it moved me to
put pen to paper,” says Greenwood. “The
song came so easily, it nearly wrote
itself.”
The song hit an emotional chord with the American
populace as well and “God Bless the
USA” was named “Song of the Year”
in 1985 at the CMA Awards.
“After 9/11, it was a song of unity and
rebuilding and after Hurricane Katrina, it was a
song for life and hope. It just makes me really
proud that I've done something for the country
and for my family. It's my family's
heritage,” Greenwood told AOL’s The
Boot.
ABOUT GREENWOOD:
Throughout his expansive career, international
country music star Lee Greenwood has earned
multiple CMA and ACM Awards as well as a Grammy
Award. His discography includes twenty-two studio
albums, seven compilation albums and thirty-eight
singles including hits like “Ring On Her
Finger, Time On Her Hands,” “Dixie
Road,” and “Somebody’s Gonna Love
You,” among numerous others. He’s been
honored with the prestigious National
Patriot’s Award, presented by the
Congressional Medal of Honor Society and
entertained troops on more than 30 USO Tours. In
November 2008, President George W. Bush appointed
Greenwood to a six-year term as a council member
on the National Endowment for the Arts. The
California native wrote his second book in 2012,
a collection of inspirational essays titled
“Does God Still Bless the USA; A Plea for a
Better America” (Tate Publishing). His
latest project, a seven song EP, I Want to Be In
Your World, features more songs penned by
Greenwood as well as him on saxophone. Lee and
his wife, Kimberly, a former Miss Tennessee,
currently reside in Nashville and have two sons.www.LeeGreenwood.com
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