This July 4, PBS’ A CAPITOL FOURTH, America’s Independence Day celebration, will feature the world premiere of multi-platinum selling music legend Jimmy Buffett‘s inspired version of the Americana classic, “This Land is Your Land.”
Taped in Southern California overlooking the Pacific Ocean, interwoven with iconic scenes from across the country including the Golden Gate Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon, the performance also features Coral Reefer band members Mike Utley on keys and Robert Greenidge on steel drums.
Originally written in 1940 by folk singer Woody Guthrie, “This Land is Your Land” was not recorded until April, 1944 in New York when Guthrie was on shore leave from the Merchant Marines. In 2002, it became one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. Buffett previously performed on the 2018 edition of A CAPITOL FOURTH with the Broadway cast of the musical Escape To Margaritaville.
The broadcast will also feature a patriotic July 4 message to the American people wishing everyone a happy and safe Independence Day from the three NASA astronauts on the International Space Station, Robert Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, and Mark T. Vande Hei.
Hosted by multi-platinum recording artist and star of television, film, and the Broadway stage Vanessa Williams, the 41st annual broadcast of A CAPITOL FOURTH airs on PBS Sunday, July 4, 2021, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide and will be streaming on Facebook, YouTube, and www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth and available as Video on Demand for a limited time only, July 4 to July 18, 2021.