Carrie Underwood, Village People to perform at Trump’s inauguration events

NEW YORK (AP) — Country music star Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s inauguration next week and the 1970s hitmakers Village People will perform at two inaugural events.

Underwood, who launched her career on “American Idol,” is to perform shortly before Trump takes the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, according to a copy of the inaugural program provided to The Associated Press on Monday.

“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 Monday. “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.”

American disco group the Village People made a name for themselves in the late-70s for their chant-along dance-pop hits and their colorful on-stage personas. Their best known hit, “Y.M.C.A.,” is widely considered a gay anthem — and became a staple of Trump’s rallies in the last election, along with their hit “Macho Man.”

The American disco group is set to perform at one of Trump’s inaugural balls and a rally he’s holding in Washington the day before he’s sworn in.

“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,” the band said in a post on its Facebook page Monday. “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. Therefore, we believe it’s now time to bring the country together with music which is why VILLAGE PEOPLE will be performing at various events as part of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump.”

Other inauguration ceremony performers will include two of the president-elect’s musical favorites, country singer Lee Greenwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio.

The pomp and spectacle that comes with the inauguration of a new president kicks off this weekend in Washington with a fireworks show at Trump’s golf club in Sterling, Virginia, a campaign-style rally in D.C., a visit to Arlington National Cemetery and glitzy dinners before the former president takes the oath to become the next president.

Trump’s second inauguration is expected to be a much different affair than the last time America got a new president. Trump, who refused to accept his 2020 loss, did not attend Democratic President Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol, where there were still visible reminders of the violent Jan. 6, 2021 siege on the building by Trump’s supporters.

The committee planning Trump’s inaugural ceremonies released a schedule Monday of four days of events centered around the Jan. 20th swearing-in ceremony, which Biden is planning to attend.

“President Trump is dedicated to uniting the country through the strength, security, and opportunity of his America First agenda,” Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler, the co-chairs of the inaugural committee, said in a statement.

Witkoff is Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy and Loeffler is a former Georgia senator who is Trump’s pick to run the Small Business Administration.

“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,” Witkoff and Loeffler said.

On Saturday, Trump is scheduled to attend a reception and fireworks display at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. Separately, Vice President-elect JD Vance will attend a reception for the incoming Cabinet members and host a dinner.

On Sunday, the president-elect is to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and then hold a campaign-style “MAGA Victory” rally at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington. The Village People are scheduled to perform at the rally.

Th Republican’s Inauguration Day plans include tea at the White House, the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol, a congressional luncheon, a parade on Pennsylvania Avenue and a trio of balls.

The inaugural balls include a Commander in Chief Ball focused on military service members, a Liberty Inaugural Ball geared toward Trump supporters that will feature a Village People performance, and the Starlight Ball, focused on high-dollar donors. Trump is scheduled to speak at all three balls.

The presidential parade after Trump is sworn in will include about 7,500 participants including first responders, veterans groups and school marching bands. First responders from Butler County, Pennsylvania, where Trump survived an assassination attempt, will be among the groups participating.

Incoming first lady Melania Trump will join tea with the Bidens. In 2021, the Trumps did not invite the Bidens for a tea before Biden’s inauguration, instead leaving town before the next president was sworn in. In November, when Joe Biden invited President-elect Trump to the White House, Melania Trump chose to skip the visit.

Tuesday, Trump’s first full day as the 47th president, will include a National Prayer Service in the morning.

Greenwood will perform as Trump walks out to take the oath, according to Trump’s inaugural committee. Macchio is Trump’s choice to perform the National Anthem at the end of the program.

Macchio performed at the Republican National Convention in July, at Trump’s return rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in October after his first rally there was marred by an assassination attempt, and during his Madison Square Garden rally that drew blowback for crude and racist jokes from some speakers.

The invocation is scheduled to be delivered by Franklin Graham, son of the late pastor Billy Graham, and New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 featured performances from the Rockettes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and 16-year-old “America’s Got Talent” singer Jackie Evancho.

Beyond the official events that Trump is scheduled to attend, there are a number of satellite and unofficial events being held in Washington surrounding the inauguration where supporters are expected to celebrate and toast the incoming president. Vance is scheduled to attend a ball hosted by the conservative group Turning Point USA. Other groups have announced plans for a Coronation Ball, the All American Ball, the Crypto Ball, and the Legacy of Freedom Ball, which is hosted by the Black Conservative Federation.

Celebrities expected to attend the Legacy of Freedom Ball on Sunday include rappers Waka Flocka and Fivio Foreign, YouTube personality Anton Daniels, former NFL player Antonio Brown, podcasters and YouTubers The Cartier Family.

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Associated Press writers Maria Sherman in New York and Lindsey Bahr in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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This story has been updated to correct the name of the Black Conservative Federation.

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