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Josh Groban And Heather Headley To Sing With GMCW At Inauguration

That cat is finally out of the bag. We’ve got an update on the GMCW performance at the inauguration tomorrow. One hundred of the 250 member Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC will perform My Country ‘Tis of Thee with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Josh Groban and Tony Award-winning singer Heather Headley.

Josh Groban, Heather Headley and GMCW rehearsed Friday in subfreezing Washington DC weather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Both President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will be in attendance. An audience of 800,000 is expected at the Lincoln Memorial.

(Click for large image.)

“We take immense symbolic satisfaction that we will sing at the Lincoln Memorial, where so many others have spoken and sung to achieve equality,” remarks GMCW Artistic Director, Jeff Buhrman. “In 1939 the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused permission for Marian Anderson to sing to an integrated audience in Constitution Hall. Thousands of DAR members, including first Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, resigned from the organization. This led to a concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial by Ms. Anderson on Easter Sunday in 1939. She opened the concert with a stirring rendition of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” to a crowd of more than 75,000 of all colors and a national radio audience of millions. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s inclusion in the inaugural opening ceremonies singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” is another significant historic moment that will put a face and give a voice to gay equality. As President-Elect Obama begins his presidency, we move closer to a time when the dream of equality for all is fulfilled.”

GMCW has more than 250 singing members, nearly 100 support volunteers, more than 400 subscribers, nearly 500 donors, and an annual audience of nearly 10,000. The Washington Post has called GMCW “one of the world’s best male choruses.” (March 2001)

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