Carrie Underwood to sing at Trump inauguration. These musicians back Trump
During Donald Trump's first inauguration in 2017, the lineup of musical performers included country music's Toby Keith and Lee Greenwood and 3 Doors Down, a band whose biggest song "Kryptonite" was a hit in the 2000s.
Jackie Evancho, an alum of "America's Got Talent," sang the national anthem during the swearing-in ceremony.
The perception back then was that mainstream musicians were staying away from Trump.
"I don't apologize for performing for our country or military," Keith said at the time.
Fast-forward eight years ... has the stigma evaporated?
Carrie Underwood will sing "America the Beautiful" during Trump's inauguration next week, a Presidential Inaugural Committee spokesperson confirmed Monday to Paste BN.
"I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event," Underwood said in a statement to Paste BN. "I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future."
Trump has had his critics in the music world (just Google the Taylor Swift-gate during the 2024 election) but also his supporters from all genres.
Backers have included country music star Jason Aldean, who's been to Mar-a-Lago a few times, Staind singer Aaron Lewis, Kid Rock, aka Robert James Ritchie, who lives not far from Mar-a-Lago, has performed for Trump audiences and has golfed with the President-elect, and Vanilla Ice, the former rapper who also lives not far from Trump's estate, and hip-hop star Kanye West.
According to Billboard Magazine, other musicians who have Trump's back: Hip-hop's DaBaby, Puerto Rican reggaetón stars Anuel AA and Justin Quiles, rapper and singer Azealia Banks, American rappers Kodak Black, Lil Pump, Waka Flocka and British rapper M.I.A., country music's Billy Ray Cyrus, though not his daughter Miley.
Westworld added these musicians: rock n' roll's Gene Simmons of KISS, rocker Ted Nugent, Vegas crooner Wayne Newton, country music legend Loretta Lynn, and Atlanta ringtone rapper Young Dro.
Deadline adds country music stars Trace Adkins and Chris Janson and rappers Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne.