Arts and Music

American Anthems

This new six-part series celebrates the inspiring efforts of individuals facing extraordinary circumstances with surprise songs written and performed by music's biggest stars. Each episode follows a different featured artist, including Grammy Award-winning country artist Jennifer Nettles, as they turn a local hero’s transformative story into a powerful and deeply personal anthem.

What You’re Here For

22m 55s

Singer Ruston Kelly meets Melissa Smith, who runs a performing arts program supporting intellectually disabled adults. Bonding over their pasts, Ruston writes a ballad celebrating Melissa's work and the good we can do when we realize our purpose.

Episodes

  • What You’re Here For: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What You’re Here For

    S1 E6 - 22m 55s

    Singer Ruston Kelly meets Melissa Smith, who runs a performing arts program supporting intellectually disabled adults. Bonding over their pasts, Ruston writes a ballad celebrating Melissa's work and the good we can do when we realize our purpose.

  • Make Tomorrow Come Today: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Make Tomorrow Come Today

    S1 E5 - 22m 55s

    Meredith McKinney provides underserved children with books featuring diverse characters. Grammy nominee Cam, a diversity advocate in the music industry, teams with songwriter Dre Williams to perform a stirring original folk anthem for Meredith.

  • Let The Words Come Out: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Let The Words Come Out

    S1 E4 - 22m 55s

    Country star Lindsay Ell bonds with Greta McClain over their shared sexual assault tragedies. With Kristian Bush, Lindsay crafts and performs an electric country rock anthem that Greta can use as a fight song in her mission of caring.

  • Soldier on All Fours: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Soldier on All Fours

    S1 E3 - 22m 55s

    Decorated veteran Jason Johnson's Project K-9 Hero saves retired military and police dogs from being euthanized. The War and Treaty's Michael, who is also a veteran, and Tanya Trotter perform a soulful power ballad honoring Jason and his hero dogs.

  • Pocket Change: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Pocket Change

    S1 E2 - 22m 55s

    Ashley Ruiz is a "hope dealer," dedicating herself to paying for people's laundry in low-income communities. This inspires Lee Brice to create a celebratory mid-tempo guitar jam that he debuts to a lively group of Ashley's friends and family.

  • Life is Sweet: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Life is Sweet

    S1 E1 - 22m 55s

    Grammy winner Jennifer Nettles meets Seth Grumet, founder of Stomp The Monster, which he started during chemotherapy. Jennifer writes and performs a soaring anthem about Seth's life that leaves a surprised audience without a dry eye in the house.

Extras + Features

  • Kate York and Ruston Kelly Writing "What You're Here For": asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Kate York and Ruston Kelly Writing "What You're Here For"

    S1 E6 - 2m 46s

    Singer/songwriters Ruston Kelly and Kate York sit down to write a powerful song. The two discuss their reasoning behind key lyrics and even how certain chord progressions relate back to, and are inspired by, Melissa Smith and Backlight Productions.

  • Ruston Kelly Meets Melissa Smith: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Ruston Kelly Meets Melissa Smith

    S1 E6 - 3m 21s

    Melissa Smith, founder of Backlight Productions, discusses the importance of her organization and what it means to both the actors and families of actors who participate. Singer/songwriter Ruston Kelly stops by to learn more about the organization and Melissa and even gets to jam out with some of the Backlight Productions band.

  • Ruston Kelly Learns About Melissa Smith and the Students: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Ruston Kelly Learns About Melissa Smith and the Students

    S1 E6 - 2m 42s

    Singer/songwriter, Ruston Kelly and Melissa Smith, founder of Backlight Productions, discuss how their upbringings led them to similar changes in their respective career paths. We hear from some of the students/actors at Backlight Productions on what the program means to them. Ruston then gets the chance to perform some scenes with the actors.

  • Cam and Dre Williams Writing "Make Tomorrow Come Today": asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Cam and Dre Williams Writing "Make Tomorrow Come Today"

    S1 E5 - 3m 18s

    Singer/songwriter Cam sits down with friend and songwriter/musician Dre Williams to write an inspired ballot. Cam discusses her reasoning behind key lyrics and even vocal arrangement that is meaningful to the story of Meredith McKinney and the importance of the Black Book Project.

  • Meredith McKinney Collects and Distributes Books: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Meredith McKinney Collects and Distributes Books

    S1 E5 - 2m 43s

    Meredith McKinney, founder of Black Book Project, receives and distributes books with African American protagonists and donates them to children who might have not had the opportunity to see the likes of themselves represented in literature. The children express their excitement to take the books home.

  • Cam and Meredith McKinney Connect: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Cam and Meredith McKinney Connect

    S1 E5 - 3m

    Meredith McKinney, founder of the Black Book Project sits down with singer/songwriter Cam to discuss the importance of representation in children's literature, how Cam finds inspiration for writing her songs, and how Meredith found her calling. The two then join a young volunteer and help label books for donation.

  • Lindsay Ell and Kristian Bush Write "Let The Words Come Out": asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Lindsay Ell and Kristian Bush Write "Let The Words Come Out"

    S1 E4 - 2m 6s

    Singer/songwriters Kristian Bush and Lindsay Ell craft a heartfelt and moving song based on Greta McClain and her non-profit organization, Silent No Longer. Lindsay and Kristian discuss the reason behind using certain lyrics in the song to emphasize key points they are trying to highlight in hopes of honoring Greta they best they can.

  • Lindsay Ell Discusses Music Inspiration: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Lindsay Ell Discusses Music Inspiration

    S1 E4 - 1m 36s

    Lindsay Ell discusses how songwriting and playing guitar have helped her connect to who she is. Music has been an outlet for her and her entire last album was inspired by art being a way to process feelings. This leads her to Greta McClain, founder of Silent No Longer, whose entire mission is just that.

  • Lindsay Ell and Greta McClain Share Stories: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Lindsay Ell and Greta McClain Share Stories

    S1 E4 - 2m 32s

    Greta McClain, founder of Silent No Longer, shares her survivor story with singer/songwriter Lindsay Ell. The two are at an art studio, one of the many forms of expression Silent No Longer promotes to those dealing with trauma from sexual assault. Lindsay and Greta do pottery and Lindsay teaches Greta some guitar.

  • The War and Treaty Find Similarities with the K9s: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The War and Treaty Find Similarities with the K9s

    S1 E3 - 2m 8s

    Michael and Tanya Trotter (The War and Treaty) discuss with Jason Johnson how K9s who served are neglected just as much as humans who serve. Tanya likens the treatment of the K9s to how she felt Michael, a veteran himself, was treated when he could no longer serve. The three then play fetch with K9 Yoube and learn more about the importance of the initiative.

  • The War and Treaty Write "Soldier On All Fours": asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The War and Treaty Write "Soldier On All Fours"

    S1 E3 - 2m 31s

    Singer/songwriters The War and Treaty craft a heartfelt and moving song based on Jason Johnson and his non-profit organization, Project K-9 Hero. Michael and Tanya Trotter discuss the reason behind using certain keys and lyrics in the song to emphasize key points they are trying to highlight.

  • The War and Treaty Learn About Project K-9 Hero: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The War and Treaty Learn About Project K-9 Hero

    S1 E3 - 2m 38s

    Michael and Tanya Trotter (The War and Treaty) talk with Jason Johnson (Founder, Project K-9 Hero) about his backstory and his organization's initiative. Jason explains his background as a military and police K9 handler and how poorly working K9s are treated when they can no longer serve.

Schedule

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