Country superstar Garth Brooks has friends in high places, too, of course. At the request of incoming first lady Dr. Jill Biden, Brooks said Monday, he will play President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, making him the third artist confirmed for the inaugural ceremony, along with Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez. Bruce Springsteen and other artists will perform at a separate primetime TV afterparty hosted by Tom Hanks.
"This is a great day in our household," Brooks said at a press conference Monday. "This is not a political statement. This is a statement of unity." He did not disclose what he will perform, saying only it will be a solo performance of "more of the broken down, bare-bones stuff," and won't include "We Shall Be Free," the song he played at Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural. Brooks noted that he has performed for every president since Jimmy Carter, with the exception of Ronald Reagan, and said he did not play at President Trump's 2017 inaugural, despite being "lucky enough to be asked," because "we already had dates in Cincinnati."
Biden and his team, "the main thing they're pushing now is unity, and that's right down my alley," Brooks said. "I don't know. I might be the only Republican at this place. But reaching out, together ... I want us to offer a differing opinion and hug each other at the same football game. ... I think as long as you have people like the Bidens who are hellbent on making things good ... that makes me feel good. Because I want to spend the next 10 years of my life not divided. I'm so tired of being divided."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Can US tourism survive Trump's policies?Today's Big Question The tourist economy is 'heading in the wrong direction'
-
September's books tell of friendship in middle age, teachers versus fascists, and Covid psychosisthe week recommends September books include Angela Flournoy's 'The Wilderness,' Randi Weingarten's 'Why Fascists Fear Teachers' and Patricia Lockwood's 'Will There Ever Be Another You'
-
'Total rat eradication in New York has been deemed impossible'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
