Episode 1 | USO 75th Anniversary Tribute
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Manage episode 163892520 series 1288592
USO 75th Anniversary Tribute
LoveLane Radio honors the USO’s 75 years of service to America’s troops and their families with a musical tribute, featuring USO performers from Frank Sinatra to Mariah Carey. We urge our listeners to donate to the USO as they are able.
TRACK LIST
You’re All I Need to Get By | Aretha Franklin (00:00:53)
I’ll Be Seeing You | Frank Sinatra (00:04:33)
You Belong To Me | Jo Stafford (00:06:42)
Love Me Tender | Elvis Presley (00:09:58)
I Say A Little Prayer | Dionne Warwick (00:13:00)
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother | The Hollies (00:16:04)
Someday We’ll Be Together | Diana Ross and The Supremes (00:20:10)
You’ve Got a Friend | James Taylor (00:23:35)
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree | Tony Orlando & Dawn (00:28:40)
Thanks For the Memory | Andre Previn Orchestra with Ella Fitzgerald (00:31:46)
Get Here | Oleta Adams (00:32:57)
Into the Fire | Bruce Springsteen (00:38:05)
I’m Already There | Lonestar (00:43:40)
Travelin’ Soldier | The Dixie Chicks (00:47:30)
If You’re Reading This | Tim McGraw (00:53:03)
American Soldier | Toby Keith (00:57:04)
Hero | Mariah Carey (01:01:02)
Moonlight Serenade | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (01:05:18)
Celebrate Me Home | Kenny Loggins (01:06:40)
SHOW SCRIPT
Hello everyone and welcome to LoveLane Radio. This is your host Linda Davison and I am honored that you are listening to our first show, a fundraiser for America’s United Service Organizations. The USO was founded in 1941 to support our military and their families, and we at LoveLane Radio would like to thank them for 75 years of serving an estimated 35 million Americans. As we share about 75 minutes of music we encourage our listeners to show their appreciation for the USO by contributing to this fundraiser as they are able. To get us started, this song was played on “Freedom Bird” flights carrying our troops home from Vietnam. Here’s a USO supporter, Miss Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul…
SONG 1 You’re All I Need to Get By Aretha Franklin
Let’s step back in time to play one love song from the USO’s founding year 1941. During World War II the USO organized camp shows and they still do to today. Performers travel to combat areas and military bases to entertain the troops. USO camp show singers Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra both recorded this song, which became an anthem for U.S. and British troops serving overseas. Here’s Frank’s rendition of “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
SONG 2 I’ll Be Seeing You Frank Sinatra
To honor our Korean War veterans, including my Air Force Dad Jack, LoveLane Radio offers a beautiful 1952 love song from USO camp show singer Jo Stafford…
SONG 3 You Belong To Me Jo Stafford
You’re listening to LoveLane Radio and our fundraiser for the USO. America’s involvement in Vietnam started in 1955, and in 1956 USO performer Elvis Presley and Ken Darby wrote new lyrics for the Civil War ballad “Aura Lee.” “Love Me Tender,” released two years before Elvis joined the Army in 1958, remains a beloved song for soldiers and their sweethearts….
SONG 4 Love Me Tender Elvis Presley
The USO arrived in Vietnam in 1963 to support American advisors and by 1965 combat troops were there as well. The War was controversial but through it all the USO was there to support the troops and their families. Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote this song for sweethearts and families of troops serving in Vietnam. Here’s Dionne Warwick with “I Say A Little Prayer.”
SONG 5 I Say a Little Prayer Dionne Warwick
LoveLane brings you three more songs of love from this era. Here are The Hollies, as well as USO performers Diana Ross and James Taylor….
SONG 6 He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother The Hollies
SONG 7 Someday We’ll Be Together Diana Ross & The Supremes
SONG 8 You’ve Got a Friend James Taylor
As American troops returned from Vietnam in the early 1970’s, Tony Orlando & Dawn had a huge hit with a 1973 song based on the story of a Civil War Union soldier who returned from a Confederate POW camp in Georgia. During the 1800’s American women wore yellow ribbons in their hair to signify their devotion to husbands and sweethearts serving in the U.S. Cavalry. This song remains an anthem for our military families and yellow ribbons still signify our devotion to people we hold in our hearts. From 1973, here is, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree”….
SONG 9 Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree Tony Orlando & Dawn
SONG 10 Thanks for the Memory Andre Previn and his Orchestra with Ella Fitzgerald
America’s next major troop involvement was the Gulf War in 1990, and 1991 marked the 50th and final year that Bob Hope performed for the USO, including 48 Christmas shows. Millions of military personnel remain grateful for Bob’s extraordinary generosity and humor. Since World War II, comedians as well as singers and actors have traveled with the USO to often inhospitable places, to perform or visit the wounded in order to lift the spirits of our troops and their families. In addition to Bob Hope, Robin Williams was an especially beloved comedian who made six USO tours to 13 countries and performed for 90,000 troops. Robin also was a compassionate advocate for veterans struggling from the hidden wounds of war.
The defining love song for the Gulf War was “Get Here,” released by Oleta Adams in 1990. This song is dedicated to our producer Niseem Soussan, who sat on Oleta’s lap as a child, and to my Gulf War veteran friend, Ken.
SONG 11 Get Here Oleta Adams
American troops engaged in military operations and served as peacekeepers in many countries from 1991 to 2001, and as always the USO provided support to service members and their families both at home and abroad. Following the tragedy on September 11th, 2001, Bruce Springsteen recorded the next song as a tribute to New York City firefighters and police officers who selflessly ran into the towers to help others. It is also a tribute to our military first responders who bravely fight to protect people from further attacks. Here is Bruce, The Boss, with “Into the Fire.”
SONG 12 Into the Fire Bruce Springsteen
Since 2001, the USO has continued its service to military personnel and their families. LoveLane Radio invites you to visit their website to learn more about all they do and we hope you can contribute to this essential organization. For those who made the ultimate sacrifice, the USO supports Families of the Fallen by overseeing a dignified transfer of these troops to their final resting places and providing comfort and accommodations to the families. USO performers Lonestar, The Dixie Chicks and Tim McGraw all recorded beautiful songs about missing, and sometimes losing, a loved one. With a grateful heart we will play them for you now….
SONG 13 I’m Already There Lonestar
SONG 14 Travelin’ Soldier The Dixie Chicks
SONG 15 If You’re Reading This Tim McGraw
As we near the end of LoveLane Radio’s tribute to our military and to the USO, we’d like to feature two more beloved recordings by USO performers Toby Keith and Mariah Carey. Here are Toby and Mariah….
SONG 16 American Soldier Toby Keith
SONG 17 Hero Mariah Carey
SONG 18 Moonlight Serenade Glenn Miller and his Orchestra
I would like to dedicate this show to the memory of legendary band leader and Army Air Forces Major Glenn Miller, who at the height of his career joined the Army during World War II. He and his Army band traveled to combat zones to entertain the troops and boost morale. While on his way to prepare for a Christmas show in Paris, Glenn’s plane went down over the English Channel and those aboard were never recovered. Glenn once said, “America means freedom and there’s no expression of freedom quite so sincere as music.”
We will close our program with a USO show favorite from Kenny Loggins, “Celebrate Me Home.” Even the strongest and bravest need help and support sometimes, and words can’t express our gratitude for the sacrifices made by our military and their families. LoveLane Radio would also like to thank all who worked for the USO and those who volunteered their services during the past 75 years. Thank you for joining our fundraiser in honor of the USO’s 75th Anniversary.
This is your host Linda bidding you goodbye with hopes that you are living Life in the LoveLane.
To those in our military and in the USO we celebrate you for all that you do. Thank you.
SONG 19 Celebrate Me Home Kenny Loggins
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