HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

July 4th is a good time to reflect on what it means to be American. I realize that this can feel challenging right now, but if we pause and really think about it, the meaning of this day stands out. Our country is still young—250 years is not much compared to many others—and we have achieved so much in the arts. When I listen to Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite, Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring, his Old American Songs, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess and An American in Paris, or jazz by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, and the singing of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, or the artistry of  Elvis Presley, Leonard Bernstein, Leontyne Price, Marilyn Horne, Richard Tucker, Renee Fleming,  Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Patti LaBelle, Johnny Cash, Reba McEntire, Gloria Estefan,Bette Midler, and Barbra Streisand, and so many others, I am reminded that only in America could so many talented people from different races, backgrounds, and classes be recognized and achieve outstanding levels of success.

We should appreciate what we value in this country, enjoy its opportunities, and remember that unless we are Native American, our ancestors came here seeking a better life. They worked hard to give us these chances, and it is our turn to do the same for those who come after us, so they can experience the promise of America passed down through the years.

God Bless America, land that I love, was written by an immigrant who came to this country. Irving Berlin moved here from Russia and lived the American Dream. His music is his legacy and ours, because he captured the feelings we should have on this day in our America.