Celebrate America's 243rd birthday with an Independence Day celebration for our entire nation. The country’s longest-running July 4 national broadcast tradition returns from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
"A Capitol Fourth 2019" will be hosted by Two-time Emmy Award-nominated actor and producer John Stamos.
The 39th annual edition of A CAPITOL FOURTH will feature:
- Grammy Award-winning music legend Carole King with the Broadway cast of the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning musical “Beautiful” starring Vanessa Carlton
- Multi-award winning electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling
- Acclaimed Tony-nominated singer-songwriter and actress Keala Settle (“The Greatest Showman”)
- Multi-platinum recording artist and star of television, film and the Broadway stage Vanessa Williams
- Double ACM winner, CMA and Grammy nominee with more than 12 million in RIAA certified sales and early member of Pandora’s Billionaires Club Lee Brice
- Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat with her new band Gone West
- Five-time Grammy Award-winning Gospel vocalist extraordinaire Yolanda Adams
- 2019 AMERICAN IDOL winner Laine Hardy
- Singing sensation Angelica Hale (AMERICA’S GOT TALENT)
- This year’s winner of THE VOICE (Season 16), Maelyn Jarmon, performing the “National Anthem”
- The National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly
The concert will also feature a special treat for the entire family, with Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, Elmo, Grover, Bert & Ernie from SESAME STREET on hand to celebrate America’s birthday.
The Sesame Street Muppets will perform a musical medley of patriotic favorites and iconic songs from the groundbreaking children’s television series, currently celebrating a landmark 50 years of learning and fun.
And, the concert will pay tribute to our men and women in uniform with a special performance by the MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band and John Stamos.
MusiCorps is a conservatory-level music rehabilitation program, formed in response to the needs of service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Since 2007, the program has become a pioneer in the field of adaptive music and has helped countless wounded warriors in their recovery. This inspiring moment will be dedicated to our troops serving around the world, their families, and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, fighting for our freedom.
The 39th annual broadcast airs before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network.
The program can also be heard live in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide.
The top-rated, award-winning program will be capped off with fireworks over our nation’s iconic skyline and a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” complete with live cannon fire provided by the United States Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and A CAPITOL FOURTH tradition.
Also participating in the event will be the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags, the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C., the Choral Arts Society of Washington and Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music.
Watch On Your Schedule:
The concert will also be streaming live on Facebook, YouTube, pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth and available to stream on demand for a limited time only from July 4 - 18, 2019.
Join The Conversation:
"A Capitol Fourth" is on Facebook, Pinterest, and you can follow @July4thPBS on Twitter. PBS is on Instagram. #July4thPBS
Credits:
The program is a co-production of Michael Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C.
