This July 4th, America’s national Independence Day celebration kicks off our country’s 240th birthday, as A CAPITOL FOURTH on PBS welcomes back Emmy Award-winning television personality Tom Bergeron (DANCING WITH THE STARS) to host the festivities.
Broadcast live on PBS from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, the all-star musical extravaganza puts viewers front and center for the greatest display of fireworks anywhere in the nation.
A CAPITOL FOURTH will feature performances by: legendary Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson; platinum selling recording star and Grammy Award-winner Kenny Loggins; multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw; Award-winning country vocalist Cassadee Pope; actress and singer Amber Riley (GLEE), who is set to star in DREAMGIRLS THE MUSICAL on London’s West End; musical prodigy and classical crossover star Jackie Evancho; Tony Award-winning Broadway and television star Sutton Foster (YOUNGER, GILMORE GIRLS); Grammy Award-winning gospel/adult contemporary superstar Yolanda Adams; and the cast of the smash hit Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET! the inspiring true story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan; with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly. Alisan Porter, the Season 10 winner of THE VOICE, will open the show with a special performance of the “National Anthem.”
The concert will also feature an inspiring tribute to Team USA, led by Olympic Gold medalist Scott Hamilton, honoring the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams as they prepare for the Rio 2016 Games. As well, distinguished American leader General Colin L. Powell USA (Ret.) presents a patriotic celebration of the 75th anniversary of the USO. And, the broadcast marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
The top-rated, award-winning program features twenty cameras positioned around the city, including the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Capping off the show will be 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.
The 36th annual broadcast of A CAPITOL FOURTH — which will be live-streamed online for the first time ever on Facebook Live and www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth — airs on PBS Monday, July 4, 2016 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET 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 and will be available as Video on Demand for a limited time only, July 4 to July 18, 2016.
