A Capitol Fourth

Matt Roush says...

The longest-running July 4 TV tradition is the annual concert from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Although this year’s, like in 2020, will feature mostly pre-recorded performances from Washington, D.C. and around the country, one thing hasn’t changed: the rousing fireworks display with the national monuments in the background as the National Symphony Orchestra plays the “1812 Overture.” Vanessa Williams hosts the special, with performers including Jimmy Buffett, Gladys Knight, Tony winners Cynthia Erivo, and Ali Stroker, country stars Alan Jackson (in Nashville), Jennifer Nettles (from New York’s Town Hall), Mickey Guyton, and Jimmie Allen (in D.C.) and Pentatonix harmonizing against L.A.’s downtown skyline.