Brad Paisley brought his music to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue last night — he played for an audience that included President Barack Obama at the White House as part of a special evening of country music…the latest installment in a “White House Music Series” spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama.
Brad’s set consisted mainly of music from his new album, American Saturday Night (though he also performed “Whiskey Lullaby,” joined by Alison Krauss). After opening with the title track, Brad segued into his recent number-one hit “Then,” dedicating it to the President and First Lady and suggesting, “I think this would sound great on Air Force One…some romantic evening…flying around New York maybe.” There were smiles all around…including on the faces of the Obamas during the song.
Brad couldn’t help but acknowledge the honor of performing in the East Room of the White House before the President when he prepared to perform his final song. Introducing his latest hit, “Welcome to the Future,” Brad noted the role the Chief Executive had played in its creation. “Very few things have moved me like the way that I was moved on November 4th,” he told the President, recalling what he witnessed in New York City on Election Day last November (Brad was in Manhattan for a TV appearance). “It was unbelievable to see, from my vantage point, as I stood there and watched the world turn on a dime in the way that it seemed to,” he said. Brad then explained how the emotions he felt that day found their way into his new music–“I thought about my childhood…my grandfather’s generation…and then my own children who–you are the first President they will remember.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
The President listened attentively…and continued to do so during the song, closing his eyes briefly in apparent reflection as Brad sang the line “Wake up, Martin Luther” toward the end of the song. Moved by the opportunity and the moment, Brad could be seen wiping away a tear after singing the last line of “Welcome to the Future,” before launching into the final guitar elements of the song. After his performance, the Chief Executive could be seen commenting to the First Lady, who clearly replied, “He’s great!”
Brad’s duet partner, Alison Krauss, opened the show, which also featured fellow Grand Ole Opry member Charley Pride. Earlier in the day, Brad and Alison took part in a workshop held at the White House for music students, teachers and parents.
Brad Paisley introduces his song “Welcome to the Future” to President Barack Obama and others at the White House on Tuesday evening (July 21). (2:20)
“Very few things have moved me like the way that I was moved on November 4th. I was in Times Square. I had gone up there [to New York] to tape some TV–I had a record come out that day. I’m sure you were busy (audience laughs). [It was] The second best place to be, I think, besides Grant Park. It was unbelievable to see, from my vantage point, as I stood there and watched the world turn on a dime in the way that it seemed to. And it got me thinking as I was preparing this new album and wanted to sing about some of these emotions that I felt. There’s a few things that occurred to me. I’m a two-time father–one of them is pretty new. I thought about them and I thought about my childhood–going back in time to me standing in line at the Kroger to play Pac-Man, which we used to have to line up for, you know…and now I have it on my iPhone. All the way through my grandfather’s generation who was–he enlisted and fought in World War II in the South Pacific. He was stationed in the Philippines, and the enemy at the time was the Japanese. And I record for Sony Records now, and I have toured Japan twice and have so many friends there. And if you’d go back in time and tell me in the line for Pac-Man…or him…any of this stuff–that his grandson would be playing in Japan–he would’ve thought you were crazy at that time. And then my own children who…you are the first President they will remember (applause) which is something. And also I read a story–if I may–on CNN that was unbelievable to me…that your great-great-grandfather, Jim Robinson, was a slave in South Carolina? Take the same time machine back and tell him all this stuff, too–he wouldn’t have believed it. This is my song for our time–it’s called ‘Welcome to the Future.'”