American Anthem

Songwriter/Composer: Gene Scheer, www.genescheer.com Email: gene@genescheer.com

Barbershop Arranger: Joey Minshall, www.joeyminshall.com

Click here for a 1-minute audio clip of Chisholm Trail Chorus

singing American Anthem

To purchase the barbershop arrangement, contact Gene Scheer

directly at: gene@genescheer.com or through his distributor, www.classicalvocalrep.com, at 800-298 7474

The background:

American Anthem has been performed in a variety of solo and choral settings, but was debuted in barbershop style by Chisholm Trail Chorus on Nov. 18, 2006.

"American Anthem", written in 1998, was first performed by Denyce Graves for President and Mrs. Clinton at the Smithsonian Institute. President Clinton asked that the song be sung at the Smithsonian at an event launching “Save America's Treasures.” This effort, a public-private partnership, was initiated by President Clinton to save historic sites, monuments, artifacts and documents that tell America’s story.

The song was subsequently performed with the U.S. Army Band and Chorus and at the opening ceremonies of the Millennium celebration on the Mall in Washington DC. Immediately following 9/11, Ms Graves sang "American Anthem" for the National Prayer Service heard around the world from Washington National Cathedral at the request of President and Mrs. Bush.

In June 2003 Patti Labelle and Take Six performed a new arrangement of “American Anthem” at a concert in Philadelphia, which was taped for national broadcast on PBS. The TV special will also be released on DVD.

On January 20, 2005 Mr. Scheer’s song “American Anthem” was sung by Denyce Graves at the inauguration of President Bush. The song, performed with the U.S. Marine Band, was selected by the president to be sung immediately before he took the oath of office.

In September 2007, PBS will begin airing the 7-episode documentary by Ken Burns, "The War." It features a Norah Jones performance of "American Anthem." The soundtrack is available for purchase from PBS.org