Sirius XM Radio has announced that multi-platinum artist Billy Ray Cyrus joined forces with SiriusXM Patriot host Mike Slater at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego to salute the brave men and women serving our nation for SiriusXM’s “I’m American” Veterans Day special premiering on Veterans Day, November 11, at 2:00 pm ET on SiriusXM Patriot channel 125.
The one-hour special features Cyrus performing acoustic versions of “Some Gave All,” “I’m American,” “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Nineteen” and conversations on-site with the servicemen and women of Camp Pendleton.
“When I see these young men….the troops that I’ve been with this year doing the homecoming show [and] the various USO tours that I’ve done….from Iraq to Afghanistan and all around the world, seeing our military, our men and women in uniform—that’s why we live in the greatest land in all the world, the United States of America,” said Billy Ray Cyrus on SiriusXM Patriot. “It’s their service, their sacrifice, their family’s sacrifice. One thing that I’ve seen over the past year is the children, the kids [and] their moms and dads that go away to serve our country. That foundation is the core of this great country that we live in, and it truly is a real honor to be in their presence.”
During the special Cyrus’ daughter pop superstar Miley Cyrus called in as a surprise to talk to Lance Corporal Ian Hart, a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton who had invited Miley via YouTube to be his date at the Marine Corps Ball taking place this weekend at the base.
Miley had hoped to join her father at Camp Pendleton to meet Lance Corporal Hart and the other Marines in person, but could not due to previously scheduled tour dates out of the country.
“I am so bummed that I can’t be there, I would have loved to meet you,” said Miley Cyrus. “I want to thank you for everything that you do and for keeping everybody safe…you are heroes to a lot of people and it was a big honor that you asked me…thank you so much.”
Billy Ray Cyrus then extended an invitation to Lance Corporal Hart and his family to meet and spend time with theirs, telling him, “Maybe you guys could come up to Toluca Lake and join us for dinner or lunch.” Lance Corporal Hart happily accepted.
Encore presentations of the “I’m American” Veterans Day special will air on SiriusXM Patriot channel 125 on November 11 at 9:00 pm, November 12 at 9:00 am, 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm and November 13 at 8:00 am, 2:00 pm and 9:00 pm (all times ET).
This summer, Cyrus released the patriotic album I’m American (Buena Vista Records), his collection of songs dedicated to the spirit of being American. Inspired by a 2009 USO tour in which Cyrus performed for the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Cyrus dedicated the album to a new generation of troops while paying respect to all veterans past and present. I’m American features special guest appearances by Amy Grant and country artists (and veterans) Jamey Johnson, Craig Morgan and Darryl Worley.
Cyrus has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and has had three #1 hit singles. His 11 albums have generated 30 chart singles, including 15 Top 40 hits. The album, Some Gave All, has been certified 9x Platinum by the R.I.A.A. and set a record as the longest run by a debut artist in music history at No.1 top spot on the Billboard 200 for 17 consecutive weeks. Over the last decade he has starred in the PAX-TV series “Doc,” the Disney Channel hit series “Hannah Montana” and more recently hosted TLC’s series “Surprise Homecoming.”
Slater is the host of Mike Slater: Young Conservative, a weekly live, call-in show that airs on SiriusXM Patriot on Sundays at 9:00 am ET. Inspired by the actions and words of great leaders—from the Founding Fathers to President Ronald Reagan—he explores topics of the day and how America’s past can help frame its conservative future on the show with guests and listeners across the country on the show. He graduated from Yale.
Visit www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmpatriot for more information.
