Guess who's coming to my city
At a press conference today, Governor Rounds announced that Country Music stars "Big and Rich" are coming to Pierre to perform their song "8th of November" at the SD Vietnam War Memorial Dedication:
Big Kenny and John Rich, better known as the country music sensation “Big and Rich,” joined Gov. Mike Rounds today to announce they will be performing their new single, 8th of November, during the Vietnam War Memorial Dedication.This is exciting news for the dedication, an event I'm very honored to be a part of.
“We are honored to have Big and Rich come to Pierre and perform a truly special song which recognizes the service and sacrifice of our Vietnam Veterans,” said Gov. Rounds on the announcement.
The song was written to honor Niles Harris, a South Dakota Vietnam veteran, who currently lives in Deadwood. Niles was a 19 year old private in the 173rd Airborne Brigade who was shot in a firefight on November 8, 1965; during his first tour of Vietnam. Every year on Nov. 8, Niles drinks a toast to honor those lost that day, as well as all who serve in the US armed forces.
Big & Rich met Niles in Deadwood where they became friends. Niles gave Big Kenny the top hat he still wears. They have become friends, and accompanied Niles to Vietnam where he buried his boots at the battle site.
“We’re gonna be real proud to be part of the dedication,” said Big Kenny. “They (veterans) never got a homecoming they deserved.”
Big and Rich will perform the song during the 2 p.m. (CT) dedication ceremony, Saturday, Sept. 16 in Pierre.
The two-day dedication of the state’s Vietnam War Memorial features a heroes parade and formal dedication ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 16. The event also includes a replica of the national Wall memorial, Huey helicopter rides, muscle car show, USO tents, fallen sons and daughters remembrance field, quilt of tears display, and concerts by The Beach Boys, The Red Willow Band, The Steve Miller Band, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited.
More information is available at www.SDVietnamWarMemorial.com
(*Whew*, now I can get this off my chest. Sitting on the Big and Rich story has been killing me).
If you havn't made plans for it, I'd encourage you to make plans to come to Pierre on September 15th and especially the 16th to take part in honoring our Vietnam War Era Veterans.
Comments
Why are they turning a solemn event into a circus?
Have you heard the song 8th of November?.....probably not...maybe you should listen to it....it is about our fallen troops....if you are smart enough to use this blog maybe you can do a little research about the lyrics and the history of the song.
I am not sure where you get the homer-sexual comment???
Somebody's running for re-election. When all else fails, throw a party.
There are very solemn and somber portions of the weekend, including a special unveiling for the family members of those MIA/KIA, and a reading of those memorialized on the Vietnam Wall, as well as the fallen sons display of crosses.
Nowadays, many vets are getting parades when they come back, when the experience of too many vietnam vets was that they came into a city, alone on a plane and found themselves spat upon and called names.
This is the thank you they didn't get those many years ago. They're being memorialized, remembered and thanked - and yes, celebrated, in spoken verse, moments of silence and in song, as with Big and Rich.
If you haven't read them to understand how these people feel, I'd direct you to go to http://www.sdvietnamwarmemorial.com/incountry.htm
and read about some of their experiences.
I put many of those up on the website (as part of my job) and had to read each and every one as they came in. And if you have any human empathy, some of those stories will make you smile, and too many of them will rip your guts out.
So stop being so cynical.
And that is a sincere whoopeee. :)
As for other liberal country music artists....Remember the Dixie Chicks? Me neither.