A quick guide to Kwanzaa
The holiday, which serves as a nationwide communal event reinforcing self-determination and unity in the face of oppression, spans seven…
Singer Garth Brooks performs during the iHeartRadio Innovator Award during the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles. Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
Garth Brooks joins lineup of entertainers at Biden inauguration
NEW YORK — Add Garth Brooks to the lineup of entertainers at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
"This is a great day in our household," the country music superstar said during a virtual press conference Monday, two days before Biden is to be sworn in. "This is not a political statement. This is a statement of unity."
Brooks, who joins Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez among others, performed during the inaugural celebration of President Barack Obama in 2009. He turned down a chance to play for President Donald Trump in 2017, citing a scheduling conflict.
Invited by incoming first lady Jill Biden, Brooks has known the Bidens for more than a decade, when Joe Biden was Obama's vice president.
Brooks said that for this week's inaugural, he will perform solo doing "broken down, bare-bones stuff," and hinted at covering material by songwriters from outside the U.S.
He does not plan to sing his socially conscious "We Shall Be Free," which he performed at the Obama inaugural.
Brooks praised the Bidens for being "hellbent on making things good" and said he welcomed the chance to help the country heal.
"I want to spend the next 10 years of my life not divided. I'm so tired of being divided," he said.
Support Canvas
Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.
More Stories
Watch
The cultural significance of the movies just added to the National Film Registry
The Library of Congress announced the 25 films that made it into this year's National Film Registry. The registry, started…
One of India's most accomplished classical musicians, Zakir Hussain, dies at 73
Zakir Hussain, one of India's most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, died on…
Watch
New era in chess: Levy Rozman discusses Gukesh Dommaraju becoming youngest world champion
The newest world chess champion is also the youngest ever to claim the title. Eighteen-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, who defeated defending…
Watch
Amy Sherald on the gaze and humanity of her portraits
She has painted portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. But much of Amy Sherald's work is about filling in…
Watch
Gwen Ifill featured in PBS Kids series, 'Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum'
The animated PBS Kids series, "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum," follows Xavier as he, his sister and friend meet…
Watch
Stevenson reflects on inequities in justice system 10 years after release of 'Just Mercy'
Bryan Stevenson, the prominent lawyer and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, has blazed a trail representing the poor,…
Watch
Longtime court sketch artist Bill Hennessy Jr. dies
Longtime court sketch artist Bill Hennessy, who captured history with his sketchbook for more than 40 years died on Monday…
Watch
Remembering the fierce and lyrical voice of poet Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni, a fierce and lyrical voice of the Black experience, has died. Giovanni's work illuminated love, liberation and the…
Poet Nikki Giovanni, author and literary celebrity, has died at 81
Author of more than 25 books, Giovanni was a born confessor and performer whom fans came to know her well…
Watch
This arts program offers new approach to rehab and re-entry
A tried and true program in East L.A. helps former gang members, drug users and those leaving incarceration build a…
Golden Globe nominations announced, musical 'Emilia Pérez' leads with 10 nominations
The nominations for Globes, which will be televised by CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on Jan. 5, were announced on…
The end of the Eras tour marks a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans
After more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years, the global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift's Eras…
Merriam-Webster's 2024 word of the year: 'polarization'
"Polarization means division, but it's a very specific kind of division," said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor at large, in an…
Watch
A student and teacher connect over small acts of kindness that made a big difference
In 1958, when John Cruitt's mother died, his third-grade teacher made a small gesture of kindness that meant a great…