The US Army Band plays during a presidential inauguration rehearsal on Capitol Hill. Photo / Jabin Botsford, the Washington Post
The US Army Band plays during a presidential inauguration rehearsal on Capitol Hill. Photo / Jabin Botsford, the Washington Post
Donald Trump’s inauguration performers also include the Village People and Christopher Macchio.
The festivities planned for United States President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration tomorrow NZT symbolise a vibrant return to the White House.
That’s in contrast to his ceremony eight years ago, when his team struggled to book big musical acts and people descended on the city to protest against his swearing-in.
This year’s inaugural schedule features a fireworks show at Trump’s Washington-area golf club, a “Make America Great Again” rally and a line-up of performers including country music stars Carrie Underwood, Lee Greenwood, Jason Aldean and Billy Ray Cyrus.
The Trump-Vance inaugural committee last Wednesday released the full list of performers and promised a “surprise musical guest” at one event, the Liberty Inaugural Ball. Gavin DeGraw, Kid Rock, and Rascal Flatts are also slated to perform.
“The 2025 inaugural celebrations will reflect President-elect Trump’s historic return to the White House and the American people’s decisive vote to Make America Great Again,” Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler, co-chairs of the committee, said in a statement.
Carrie Underwood
Underwood is scheduled to perform America the Beautiful at the inauguration, the singer’s publicist confirmed. She will be accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus and the US Naval Academy Glee Club.
“I love our country and am honoured to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said. “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.”
Carrie Underwood performing in Times Square in New York City on New Year's Eve. Photo / Getty Images
The Village People
Victor Willis, the only surviving founding member of the Village People, said the disco group would perform its hit Y.M.C.A. for “at least one” inauguration event with Trump.
In a Facebook post, Willis described Vice-President Kamala Harris as the group’s “preferred candidate” in the 2024 presidential race.
“We know this won’t make some of you happy to hear, however, we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics,” Willis wrote. “Our song Y.M.C.A. is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost.”
Lee Greenwood
Greenwood will also perform on Inauguration Day. The artist told Fox News that he would perform his famed God Bless the USA before Trump takes his oath of office.
In a statement on X, Greenwood called Trump a friend and said he was looking forward to “celebrating this special day with proud Americans everywhere”.
Greenwood performed at Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Before that, he performed at the inaugurations of three other Republican presidents: Ronald Reagan in 1985, George H.W. Bush in 1989, and George W. Bush in 2001.
Lee Greenwood with Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show in October. Photo / Getty Images
Jason Aldean
Aldean will perform at the Liberty Inaugural Ball, alongside the Village People and the surprise guest.
The country singer has been public about his conservative views, and he has been supported by Republicans through controversy in recent years.
In July 2023, Aldean faced intense scrutiny over a music video for his song Try That in a Small Town, which had been edited to remove a news segment showing violence during Black Lives Matter protests in Atlanta. Critics said the song included coded threats against black people, which Aldean denied.
At the time, Trump defended Aldean, calling him a “fantastic guy who just came out with a great new song” in a Truth Social post.
In August, Cyrus attended an event with Trump a few weeks after the President-elect was injured in an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He posted a photo on Facebook posing with Trump.
Classical singer Christopher Macchio will also perform on Inauguration Day, singing the national anthem and O America, his manager confirmed to the Washington Post.
The artist also perform during the fireworks show yesterday - an elaborate display choreographed to Macchio’s music, said his manager, Louis Gregory. On Wednesday, the day after the inauguration, Macchio is scheduled to perform during a morning prayer service at Washington National Cathedral.
Macchio has performed at several of Trump’s events at the President-elect’s request, including at an October campaign rally when he returned to Butler months after the apparent assassination attempt.
