In a compelling on-camera interview with Fox News Digital this week, country star and Grammy-winning artist Lee Greenwood discussed his unwavering commitment to America’s veterans and his efforts to help provide new homes for those who served this country with distinction and honor. He also revealed how others can help.
“This is the 40th anniversary of me writing my song ‘God Bless the USA’ — so that was the inspiration to have the number 40 represented in this musical presentation,” he said of “An All-Star Salute to Lee Greenwood,” a concert that was filmed in Huntsville, Alabama.
The DVD goes on sale Friday, May 3, for $25, at leegreenwood.com — with proceeds going to help America’s veterans.
He wrote “God Bless the USA” in 1983 — and it became a hit in 1984. It has been voted the most recognizable patriotic song in America.
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“There are 40 different singers we invited to film this DVD. And these performances were a one-time thing. We had all of these people gathered for just one event, and it was very important to me that we were able to give away two homes to two veterans — two of America’s wounded warriors — during the filming.”
Those veterans are today living in those new homes.
Now, he said, he’s putting the DVD on sale “so that if we could sell 50,000 of them — and of course we could sell much more than that — then [we’d have] the opportunity to build another home for another deserving veteran.”
Country star and Grammy-winning artist Lee Greenwood has been involved for many years in helping America’s wounded warriors, through Helping a Hero (helpingahero.org) and other organizations. Now, sales of his new DVD will support the building of more homes for America’s veterans. (Lee Greenwood)
Among the performers included in the DVD of the concert are Michael W. Smith, Big & Rich, The Oak Ridge Boys, Sam Moore and Gavin DeGraw.
Greenwood said his interest in helping those who have served is “just instinct for me,” he said.
“When I was a drum major for my high school band, I would march in the parades and I would either be in front of or near the National Guard that would be marching, or the United States Marines … My father served in the U.S. Navy. I did not serve in the military and I wanted to do something for our military.
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“I have a lot of friends who are of [Vietnam-era veteran] age. And I always say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ It’s just been a passion of mine. And now, of course, the War on Terror has delivered so many of our soldiers home [who have been] wounded desperately.
“And so we’ve taken initiative over the past 15 years to build homes for wounded warriors. We’ve built over 220 homes, by the way, in 15 years. And so with this new DVD coming out,” he added, “it’s an initial project of mine to get [more] homes built for veterans.”
Greenwood potentially will be included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living country singer to have a current Gold album, depending on the sales of this DVD, his team noted.
‘Blessed to be singing’
“I’ve been blessed with youth,” Greenwood said.
“I was an athlete growing up — and into my 40s and 50s, I was still playing basketball and racquetball. So I’ve always been trim and [in shape]. So when somebody says, ‘You’re the oldest living country star to have a Gold record,’ I’m like, ‘How old am I? Oh yeah, that’s right, I’m 81.'”
Lee Greenwood has long helped America’s veterans — and said that today, he is proud and “blessed to still be singing” and performing. (Lee Greenwood)
He went on, “And that’s fine. You know, I’m blessed to be still singing and to have that kind of accolade. And that trophy, for me, is a great milestone in my career.”
‘Proud to be an American’
Fox News Digital asked Greenwood, “What does being an American mean to you?”
He replied, “As I wrote [in ‘God Bless the USA’], I’m proud to be an American.”
He said that when people say, “‘Well, you know, I’m an Italian American. I’m proud of my heritage.’ Or, ‘I’m African American. I’m proud of my heritage.’ Wait — we’re all Americans. And so it really gives me honor to say that I’m proud to be an American.
“And that’s the way I speak it and sing it for all those who are proud as well.”
He said that when new immigrants taken part in the legal process of becoming Americans, many of them hear his song “God Bless the USA.” And “when they hear my song ‘God Bless the USA,’ they understand what it means to be an American. And that’s what it means to me as well.”
Video‘Beacon of hope’
Greenwood said, “We’re a beacon of hope for the rest of the world. There are other countries that embrace freedom, but no other country has the ability to protect it, to go after those who would defeat it and destroy it.”
“We have some conflict inside our borders, and we have people running across our borders who shouldn’t be,” he added.
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“But I still believe that if America continues to live by the doctrines we started with — and that’s the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights — if we live by those documents, no matter if the administration changes or not, then we can move on as an American public. And I have great faith in it.”
“There are other countries that embrace freedom, but no other country has the ability to protect it, to go after those who would defeat it and destroy it,” as America does, Greenwood told Fox News Digital. (Getty Images)
‘Conservative Christian’
Fox News Digital asked Greenwood if he would be active this year in any presidential campaigns if asked to take part.
“I’m a conservative Christian,” he responded. “And if the doctrines and platform of the current running president does not appeal to me and yet the up-and-coming challenger [and his platform] does [appeal], I will support that challenger.”
He said that he “leans more to the conservative values than anything. So I will support that candidate.”
Has ‘tabled’ the idea of retiring right now
Greenwood told Fox News Digital that “unequivocally, no,” he is not retiring this year from performing and touring.
That, he said, would take place at some time in the future — but not now.
Greenwood’s new movie, now on sale as a DVD, features dozens of other country music artists who perform in the concert tribute. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
“I mean, it’s a tunnel, and I can see the end of the tunnel.”
But considering that he’s in “good health,” and considering the current political landscape in this country, he said he has “tabled” the idea of retiring this year.
“With President Trump running — and if he was to be elected — I believe that I would stand by him and I would go ahead and work the next four years as an artist, as a touring artist. I have a great band. I don’t think there’s any reason to think that I should end my career at this point.”
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Greenwood in the past has performed at Trump’s rallies.
“It’s common knowledge that the former president and I have worked together at quite a few events, and he does use my song at his rallies. And I did sing at his inauguration at the Lincoln Memorial when he was elected.”
President Donald Trump stands with singer Lee Greenwood during a rally at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 4, 2019. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
In terms of his musical career, “I’d like to quit when I’m healthy and when I decide to quit, but not at a point where I get sick and I have to quit.”
He said that when all of the singers who “supported me for my recent 40-year salute … and [so] many more who all came out to help me with this project — when they were all there singing at the end with ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ behind me as I’m singing it on stage, which is on this DVD, my heart was just exploding with gratitude, and love for the country.”
Every one of those artists, he said, at one time or another in their careers, “have filled up arenas, every one of them. And so that’s a that’s quite a [group of] alumni.”
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He added, “I think people realize that I am still of musical persuasion. I love to be a musician, a singer — and I will continue to do as long as I can.”
‘My wife is an inspiration for me’
Greenwood said he stays so positive and motivated in his life because of his family.
“My wife and I have been married 32 years now. Kimberly was a former Miss Tennessee USA, and she is a pageant director for Miss Universe in three states in the South. We have two wonderful sons.”
Greenwood and his wife Kimberly Payne have two sons, Dalton and Parker. “We take enough time for each other. That’s the inspiration for me,” he told Fox News Digital about his family. (Jason Davis)
“Dalton, our older son, got married last year and lives in Chicago now. He’s a Vanderbilt graduate with a PhD, and he is a biotech analyst. Our younger son is a brilliant musician and he is at the University of Miami. And he is pursuing his career and master’s in musical engineering and producing.”
Added Greenwood, “We all spend as much time as we can together now that we’re all sort of in different places. I’ve got one [son] in Chicago, one in Miami, and we live in Nashville. And so, we take enough time for each other. That’s the inspiration for me.
“My wife certainly is an inspiration for me. She’s my best advocate and friend. And she’s a brilliant representation of a woman, of womanhood. And she was a double major in college in English and communication and helps me. And so, all of that keeps me positive and it keeps my energy flowing.”
‘I like to be positive’
He added, “And of course, I am naturally quick. I was an athlete. I was a shooting guard in basketball and really quick, and [played] racketball, and my game was baseball when I was very young. So I think all of those things just make my mind work really quickly. And I like to be positive.
Greenwood, best known for his song, “God Bless the USA,” told Fox News Digital that “all the people that I meet daily, when we have conversations about world events or national events, it usually turns to family — and that’s the best thing.” (Jared C. Tilton)
“I go in the morning and meet people down by the post office when I’m there gathering the mail, and everybody goes, ‘Hey, Lee, how are you doing?’
He continued, “I’ve never been controversial. I don’t think I’ve been.”
He said that “even when I support a president,” people understand that it’s his choice to do so.
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“That’s not their choice. I don’t think people condemn me for that, nor do they criticize me. I think because my music is not controversial — and all of the lyrics in my songs are either romantic or very positive. Happy, if you will.
“And all the people that I meet daily, when we have conversations about world events or national events, it usually turns to family — and that’s the best thing.
Lee Greenwood is shown speaking at a home reveal for an American veteran. “We can never do enough for our veterans.” (Lee Greenwood)
“Because your heart is where your home is. And if your heart is with your family, that’s your home no matter where you live.”
Note to veterans: ‘America believes in what you have done’
Fox News Digital asked Greenwood what lasting message he’d like to share with America’s veterans.
He said he often thinks “of our wounded warriors, and I’ve become friends with many of them. And we talk almost weekly, about their struggles, you know — and they can be very positive.”
All of them, he said, “would go back to war if they had to [in order to protect this country].”
He added, “But, you never know, in the dark moments, when they lay down to go to sleep, what gremlin might be in their head.
“So my encouragement to veterans is just know this. I’ve toured this country now for 40 years, and all of America believes in what you have done. You have worn and are wearing the uniform of America. We are all proud of our veterans.”
As he works to build homes for more deserving veterans through the sale of his new DVD, Greenwood noted, “We can never do enough for our veterans.”
Anyone can go to leegreenwood.com for more information.
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Maureen Mackey is managing editor of lifestyle for Fox News Digital.
