Performers at
Joe Biden
’s inauguration on Wednesday include
Jennifer Lopez
,
Garth Brooks
and
Lady Gaga
, and tonight’s
Celebrating America
special will feature
Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, John Legend, Foo Fighters
and more. But top music artists have actually been performing at presidential inaugurations for 80 years.
Mickey Rooney
played piano at
Franklin D. Roosevelt
‘s 1941 inauguration, while
Nat King Cole
crooned
for
John F. Kennedy
in 1961.
James Brown
sang at an inaugural event for
Richard Nixon
in 1969.
Jimmy Carter
’s inauguration featured
Linda Ronstadt
and
Loretta Lynn
;
Ronald Reagan
had
Frank Sinatra
and the
Beach Boys
.
Anita Baker
sang for
George H.W. Bush
, and
Michael Jackson
re-staged ”
We Are the World
” at
Bill Clinton’
s 1993 event with a huge collection of stars including
Michael Bolton
,
Stevie Wonder
,
Ashford and Simpson
,
Kenny Rogers
and
Diana Ross
.
Here are five more memorable inauguration performances:
2009:
Aretha Franklin
belts out
“My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” at President
Barack Obama
’s first inauguration. Her hat, with its enormous bow, becomes almost as iconic as her performance, scoring its own
Twitter
feed and starring in numerous memes.
1985: The legendary
Ray Charles
sings his
signature soulful version
of “America the Beautiful” at
Ronald Reagan’
s second inauguration.
2001:
Ricky Martin
closes the show at
George W. Bush
’s first inauguration with “
The Cup of Life
.”
2013:
Kelly Clarkson
sings ”
My Country, ‘Tis of Thee
” live at Obama’s second inauguration, causing the media to pit her against
Beyoncé
, who’d lip-synced the national anthem to
a pre-recorded track
at the same event.
2009:
Beyonce
serenades
the new president and first lady, Barack and
Michelle Obama
, with
Etta James
’ “At Last” as the couple dances at the inaugural ball.
1993:
Fleetwood Mac
’s most successful lineup reforms for the first time since 1982 to
sing their classic
“Don’t Stop” – one of Bill Clinton’s campaign songs — at Clinton’s first inauguration. Even
Michael Jackson
got into the act at the end.
By Andrea Dresdale
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