Garth Brooks has put out a call for “unity” ahead of his performance at Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration on January 20. The country superstar’s performance was announced on January 18 by the Presidential Inaugural Committee in a press conference.
He will be singing on-site at the swearing-in ceremony for Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. alongside previously announced artists including Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the performer declared in a statement this was a great day in his household. He followed his comment by remarking that “this is not a political statement, this is a statement of unity. This is history, and it is an honor to get to serve.”
“There is a common theme in every presidential election: New beginnings, new starts, but it is the word unity, the word love, the word that we belong to each other. It is going to take all of us, what I want for all of us to do is listen. We are more divided than ever, that bridge that brings us together, it is reaching across, loving one another, because that is what is going to get us through the most divided times that we have.”
Brooks revealed that it was Dr. Jill Biden, the soon-to-be First Lady of the United States, who extended him the invitation to perform. He called Dr. Biden “amazing and welcoming” as well as easy to talk to.
Dr. Biden told the country superstar that it was his decision whether to perform or not, but she and her husband would love to have him there. Brooks is no stranger to performing for the commander in chief, both Republican and Democrat. He has performed for every sitting president since Jimmy Carter, with the exception of Ronald Reagan, per THR .
He was asked to perform at the inauguration for exiting president Donald Trump, but could not attend due to a concert that was previously scheduled for the same day in 2017.
Garth, along with choreographer and director Debbie Allen, actor Dick Van Dyke, singer and songwriter Joan Baez, and violinist Midori will have their artistry celebrated at the Kennedy Honors Awards during the week of May 17th. The honorees will be given a rainbow ribbon with three gold bars at the bottom and on the right and left sides. CBS will air a two-hour primetime special with full coverage of the honorees on June 6.
