Lee Greenwood, the singer of the iconic song ‘God Bless The USA’, has been a celebrity for decades, but he never intended to raise his children in Hollywood. In a new interview, Greenwood credits raising his family far away from Hollywood for keeping them so close together.
“I’m not over 9/11 yet.” I wrote these words in my book, “Does God Still Bless The USA,” just a few years after the attack on America. 22 years later and I’m still not over 9/11.
May God bless the USA on 9/11 and always. #Never forget #neverforgotten911 pic.twitter.com/f7tFHjedeq
— Lee Greenwood (@TheLeeGreenwood) September 11, 2023
Greenwood keeps family away from Hollywood
When you talk about Hollywood stardom, actors are basically acting scripts for someone else, and while they are revered by audiences for the roles they have, once you get outside of that area the luster of Hollywood fades,” Greenwood, 80, told Fox News. “I am blessed to grow up on a farm where true values count.”
“And even after spending 20 years in Nevada, and now 40 years in Tennessee, I am surrounded by people with real values. I think that helped us as a family,” he continued. “And of course, I have to give my wife so much more credit than I do because she has always been the one who stands firm and keeps us morally on the right path and a good moral compass.”
Greenwood shares two sons with his beloved wife of over thirty years, Kimberly Payne. Greenwood said raising his sons away from the spotlight has allowed them to “have respect for our careers and respect for themselves, and that has helped us bond as a family.”
“… Because the flag still stands for freedom
And they can’t take that away…’ Lee Greenwood pic.twitter.com/cVds1KMiNN— Ivan_Yanev (@yanev_ivan) September 12, 2023
Related: Exclusive: Lee Greenwood on Why He Couldn’t Say ‘No’ to Performing at Trump’s Inauguration
Greenwood receives Charlie Daniels Patriot Award
Greenwood’s sons recently told him how proud they are of him after he received the Charlie Daniels Patriot Award.
“It’s very flattering for them to say that, and we’re very close,” he said. “I can talk man to man with both of our sons, who are now 28 and 25. But for them to say that I deserve it, it is a great honor for me to receive such a dialogue from our two sons. And it means a lot to me.”
Greenwood was close friends with Charlie Daniels before he tragically passed away in 2020 at the age of 83.
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“We’ve known each other for an awfully long time,” he said of Daniels. “I consider him a very good friend before he passed away. When he gave me a hug, he gave me a serious bear hug. And you would never forget that (he) treated me with great respect.”
Lee Greenwood will be one of our 2023 recipients of the Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards this year!! pic.twitter.com/sBL8fLKSts
— Tuffy the Cow Dog (Corlew) (@ATuffLife) July 30, 2023
Related: Hollywood star Chris Pratt pays powerful tribute to innocent lives lost on 9/11
Daniels Battles cancel culture
Greenwood has had to fight cancel culture many times during his career, but he has never let it destroy him.
“I think you should examine the lyrics of my song, ‘God Bless the USA,’ which is a catalyst for people who consider me on one side of the fence or the other. My song represents all Americans,” he explained. “By the way, I am a conservative Christian. However, when you talk about the presidents I’ve sung for, standing on both sides of the aisle and more than ten – twice for five different presidents in my presence – I think the honor I get when I just songwriter ben is really a lot of cotton.”
“I’m just a farmer from Sacramento who got lucky, and I think my art is important to me,” he added. “So to write a song that moved the nation and also uplifted the nation after a 2001 terrorist attack is a great compliment, but it is a great honor for me.”
Football is back!! Who are you cheering for today? 🏈 #football pic.twitter.com/NWbbCkRUwo
— Lee Greenwood (@TheLeeGreenwood) September 10, 2023
Greenwood believes it is “not right” and “not fair” that other artists are being dropped for expressing right-wing beliefs.
“To some extent, everyone is allowed to express their own opinions, and as an artist I know we represent the culture with the music we make,” he said. “But you can’t blame an artist for singing a song or writing a song that expresses the feelings of the fans he’s singing for. And if the vast number of fans all agree that that song represents them, then that artist’s freedom of expression should be allowed and not attacked.”
Greenwood is one of the few celebrities who are patriotic in America today. God bless him for keeping his family so grounded by raising them far away from the liberal world of Hollywood!
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