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Lee Greenwood

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For the Halifax rugby league player, see Lee Greenwood (rugby league).

Lee Greenwood
Man performing in a Stars and Stripes jacket
Greenwood in 2005
Member of the National Council on the Arts
In office
November 2008 – February 2022
Nominated byGeorge W. Bush
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Donald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byMakoto Fujimura
Succeeded byKamilah Forbes
Personal details
Born
Melvin Lee Greenwood

(1942-10-27) October 27, 1942 (age 82)
South Gate, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Kimberly Payne
​
(m. 1993)​
Children6
Musical career
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, saxophone, harmonica
Years active1962–present
LabelsMCA, Capitol, Liberty, Curb, Country Crossing
Websiteleegreenwood.com

Melvin Lee Greenwood[1] (born October 27, 1942)[2] is an American country music singer.[3] Active since 1962, he won a Grammy Award and he has charted 33 singles on the Hot Country Songs with seven singles reaching the number one. He has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide.[4][5]

Greenwood is known for his signature song "God Bless the U.S.A.," which was originally released in the spring of 1984 and became a popular song, especially among members of the Republican Party (of which Greenwood is a member). That summer it was included in a film about Ronald Reagan, the Republican presidential nominee, which was shown at the 1984 Republican National Convention.[6] "God Bless the U.S.A." gained prominence during the 1988 United States presidential election campaign, when Greenwood performed the song at the 1988 Republican National Convention and at rallies for the Republican nominee, George H. W. Bush.[7][8] The song was also featured in television advertisements for Bush.[9] It later became popular again during the Gulf War in 1991 and after the Saudi Arabian September 11 attacks orchestrated by Osama Bin Laden (becoming his highest charting pop hit, reaching number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100), and again during the 2016, 2020 and 2024 United States presidential elections as Donald Trump's rally introduction track.

His seven number-ones on the U.S. Hot Country Songs list in his career: "Somebody's Gonna Love You", "Going, Going, Gone", "Dixie Road", "I Don't Mind the Thorns (If You're the Rose)", "Don't Underestimate My Love For You", "Hearts Aren't Made to Break (They're Made to Love)", and "Mornin' Ride". His 1983 single "I.O.U." was also a top-five hit on the adult contemporary charts, and a number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Early life

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Greenwood was born in 1942 in South Gate, California, a few miles south of Los Angeles. He has German, English, Irish and Scottish ancestry.[10] His father joined the U.S. Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and his mother was a piano player who had several jobs. After his parents separated, he grew up in Sacramento, on the farm of his maternal grandparents.[11] At the age of seven, he started singing in church.

Greenwood did not serve in the United States military, despite the universal draft at the time. He has said that he was given a 3A deferment for family hardship due to having had a child at age 17.[12] He eloped to Reno, Nevada, with his first wife, Edna, in 1960.[13]

Career

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Greenwood performing at the 1988 Republican National Convention
Greenwood with President George H. W. Bush in 1991
Greenwood performing "God Bless the USA" at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2013

Greenwood founded his first band, The Apollos, in 1962.[2] The band, which changed its name later to Lee Greenwood Affair, played mostly pop music and appeared mostly in casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada.[2] In 1969, he joined the Chester Smith Band and had his first television appearance. A short time later, he worked with the country musician Del Reeves.[2] A few records were recorded in Los Angeles with the Paramount label. After the band broke up in the 1970s, Greenwood moved back to Las Vegas, where he worked as a blackjack dealer during the day and as a singer at night.[2]

In 1979, he was "discovered" in Reno, Nevada, by Larry McFaden, the bandleader and bassist for Mel Tillis. After making some demo tapes, Greenwood was signed in 1981 by the Nashville division of the MCA label (which had recently absorbed the Paramount label), and McFaden became his manager.

The first single, the Jan Crutchfield-penned "It Turns Me Inside Out", made it to a spot in the top 20 of the country chart in 1981.[2] The song had been written for Kenny Rogers, Rogers recorded a version but decided to pass on it due to the sheer volume of songs he had been offered to record at the time. "Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands" landed him in the country top 10. Each song was marketed heavily, particularly in the South Florida market.

Greenwood is known for writing and recording "God Bless the U.S.A." in the early 1980s,[2] and later "God Bless You Canada". The song gained renewed popularity following the start of the Gulf War in 1991,[14] and again, 10 years later, following the September 11 attacks. "God Bless the U.S.A." re-entered the top 20 of the country charts in late 2001. Since then, Greenwood has played across the U.S., at many public events.

Greenwood performed pn the eve of the January 2017 inauguration of Donald Trump. Trump used "God Bless the U.S.A." as one of his campaign songs during the 2016 presidential election, the 2018 midterm elections, and again during the 2020 presidential election.[15]

On May 19, 2018, Lee Greenwood was inducted into the Mississippi Music Project Hall of Fame by "Commander" Joseph W. Clark,[16] for his contributions to the music industry.[17]

Greenwood appeared at the Republican convention on July 15, 2024, and performed "God Bless the U.S.A", while former President Trump, the party's presidential nominee, entered the arena. Greenwood also performed for Marsha Blackburn after her victory in her 2018 Senate election.[18][better source needed]

National Council on the Arts

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In September 2008, President George W. Bush nominated Greenwood to succeed Makoto Fujimura for a six-year term to the National Council on the Arts[19] expiring in 2014. He was confirmed by the Senate via voice vote in October 2008. In 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Esperanza Spalding to succeed Greenwood; however, the nomination was not acted upon by the Senate,[20] allowing Greenwood to continue serving until President Joe Biden nominated, and the Senate confirmed, a successor, Kamilah Forbes.[21][22][23]

Theater

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In 1995, Greenwood took a break from his touring schedule and built a theater in Sevierville, Tennessee, which opened its doors in April 1996. This gave Greenwood the opportunity to perform daily shows, in addition to being with his family.[24] According to an article in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Greenwood had considered building the 1,800-seat theater in Minneapolis; San Antonio; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Branson, Missouri. He eventually settled on eastern Tennessee as the most lucrative area: “The numbers in east Tennessee were far greater than anywhere else in the country, except Orlando, Florida, as a destination point for entertainment,” Greenwood said, lauding its proximity to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.[25] The Lee Greenwood Theater operated for five seasons, then closed for Greenwood to continue touring. The former theater building now hosts a church.

The "God Bless the USA" Bible

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In May 2021, to commemorate the September 11 attacks, Greenwood published the God Bless the U.S.A. Bible. This edition of the Bible has the U.S. flag on its leather cover and includes the texts of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the chorus of "God Bless the USA" in Greenwood's handwriting.[26] These augmentations have sparked controversy among certain Christians, who argue that it violates Scriptural prohibitions, such as those contained in Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18, against "add[ing] anything" to "the commands of the Lord your God."[27] The text of the Bible was intended to be the New International Version,[28] but Zondervan, the division of HarperCollins that owns the rights to the New International Version, withheld them rather than associate Christianity with American jingoism, and it used the King James Version, which is in the public domain in the United States.[29] It created further controversy in 2024 when former president Donald Trump promoted a new edition[30] printed in China and sold at a 1600 percent markup.[31]

Family

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Greenwood is married to former Miss Tennessee USA Kimberly Payne, his fourth wife,[32] who is 25 years his junior. They have two sons together, Dalton and Parker.[33] Previously he was married four times, including twice to his first wife, whom he divorced and remarried.[34] The second was Melanie Cronk, and the third was Roberta Taylor. He has four children from his earlier marriages.[35]

Discography

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Main article: Lee Greenwood discography

References

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  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 143.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 166/7. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
  3. ^ "Interview: Lee Greenwood chats his 4th of July tour, family and his music". July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "Lee Greenwood | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  5. ^ "Lee Greenwood Honored with 25 Million Albums Sold Worldwide — Plaque at Grand Ole Opry | Lee Greenwood". Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  6. ^ Kastor, Elizabeth (July 20, 1988). "Staying in Time with the Republicans". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  7. ^ "User Clip: Lee Greenwood God Bless the USA | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "User Clip: Lee Greenwood performs at Bush rally in Grand Rapids, MI; Nov. 2, 1988 | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  9. ^ "The Living Room Candidate - Commercials - 1988 - Bush America". www.livingroomcandidate.org. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  10. ^ https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/story-behind-the-song/2021/08/27/story-behind-song-lee-greenwoods-god-bless-u-s-a/5575603001/
  11. ^ "Story Behind the Song: Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the U.S.A.'". The Tennessean. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Did 'God Bless the USA' Composer Lee Greenwood Flee to Canada to Avoid Vietnam War Draft?". Snopes.com. November 5, 2001. Archived from the original on September 17, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Staff report (July 26, 1984). "No Time on Country Star Lee Greenwood's Hands". Allentown Morning Call. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  14. ^ "Greenwood will entertain troops on Armed Forces TV". The Daily News-Journal. January 24, 1991.
  15. ^ "Full Trump Rally: President Trump holds campaign rally in Dallas, Texas". Fox News. October 17, 2019. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2019 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ "Commander Clark bio info".
  17. ^ "Mississippi Music Project Hall of Fame: MMP Global Entertainment Hall of fame".
  18. ^ "Blackburn speaks after Tennessee Senate win". Fox News. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021 – via YouTube.
  19. ^ "Bush appoints Lee Greenwood to National Arts Council". Los Angeles Times. November 3, 2008.
  20. ^ "PN1004 - Nomination of Esperanza Emily Spalding for National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, 114th Congress (2015-2016)". Library of Congress. January 3, 2017.
  21. ^ "National Council on the Arts". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "PN755 - Nomination of Kamilah Forbes for National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". Library of Congress. June 24, 2021.
  23. ^ "PN755 - Nomination of Kamilah Forbes for National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. February 17, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  24. ^ James, Gary (April 22, 1997). "The Lee Greenwood Interview". The Harbinger. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  25. ^ Rose, Van. Country Veteran Turns off Road to Open Theater, 28 April 1996, Times Leader. Accessed 7 March 2025.
  26. ^ "God Bless the USA Bible". God Bless the USA Bible. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  27. ^ Brigman, Henry (November 20, 2024). "Will Trump read his Bible?". The Durant Democrat. Retrieved January 30, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ Holly Meyer. "Lee Greenwood's hit song inspires new 'God Bless the USA Bible' including America's founding documents". Nashville Tennessean.
  29. ^ Olmstead, Molly (September 15, 2021). "The Uproar over the 'Ultimate American Bible'". Slate. The Slate Group. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  30. ^ Treisman, Rachel (March 27, 2024). "Cash-strapped Trump is now selling $60 Bibles, U.S. Constitution included". NPR. National Public Radio. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  31. ^ Lardner, Richard; Kang, Dake (October 9, 2024). "Trump has long blasted China's trade practices. His 'God Bless the USA' Bibles were printed there". AP News. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  32. ^ "Lee Greenwood on Why Fourth Time's the Charm". The Boot. March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  33. ^ "Lee Greenwood bio on Greenwood's official site". Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  34. ^ Staff report (July 26, 1984). "No Time on Country Star Lee Greenwood's Hands". Allentown Morning Call. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  35. ^ "Lee Greenwood on Why Fourth Time's the Charm". The Boot. March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2010.

Further reading

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  • Wood, Gerry (1998). "Lee Greenwood". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 212–213.
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