No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

Gary Sinise, Joe Mantegna to co-host annual Memorial Day concert

By Donald Liebenson

AmeriForce Exclusive
by AmeriForce Exclusive
May 29, 2021
Photo courtesy of DOD.

Photo courtesy of DOD.

In 2002, “The Godfather Part III” star Joe Mantegna received an offer he couldn’t refuse. Charles Durning, a decorated World War II veteran, and at the time Mantegna’s costar in the TV series “First Monday,” invited him to participate in the annual National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, D.C.

Since then, Mantegna has enjoyed a long-term relationship with the event. This weekend, he returns for his 11th time as co-host. He joins Gary Sinise for the 32nd annual National Memorial Day Concert, which will be broadcast this Sunday, May 30 at 8 p.m. on PBS.

“It’s the most important thing I do every year,” Mantegna said, “because it allows me to spend 364 days doing all the other stuff.”

Prior to his first appearance at the National Memorial Day Concert, Mantegna considered Memorial Day to be a day to respect and honor the families of fallen soldiers. But it was also a day that marked the beginning of summer, with watching the Indianapolis 500 and barbecues also on the menu. His first experience at the concert profoundly changed that.

“It was monumental for me,” he said of the 2002 concert, the first after the epochal event of 9/11. “I did not know what I was getting into. I was standing on a stage in front of 200,000 people, with the Capitol building in front me and the flag waving, and on each side of me are screens showing the airplanes flying into the World Trade Center. The Washington Symphony Orchestra was behind me playing Mozart’s “Requiem,” and I was chosen to read the words of four New York firemen who had lost their sons in 9/11.”

Mantegna now feels Memorial Day is “our most important holiday,” he said. “It is the holiday that has allowed us to have the other holidays. If we don’t acknowledge Memorial Day, then we have no business celebrating the Fourth of July, President’s Day, and Labor Day, because without what we honor on Memorial Day, we have no United States of America.”

Mantegna went from a guest to his hosting role after actor Ossie Davis passed in 2005. It was Mantegna who originally suggested to producers they recruit Gary Sinise, the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning actor, humanitarian, and tireless advocate of veterans and first responders through his Gary Sinise Foundation. Sinise performed with his Lt. Dan Band. “Gary told the producers what I told them: ‘I’ll be glad to do it if you want me again.’” Mantegna and Sinise have co-hosted the concerts ever since.

National Memorial Day Concert 2021

This year’s concert will be virtual for the second year. Among the special segments to be presented include a 20th-anniversary remembrance of 9/11 and Gold Star Families hosted by Steve Buscemi, a 70th-anniversary tribute to the nearly two million Americans who fought in the Korean War with actor Joe Morton, and a tribute to nurses who served in Vietnam with a segment devoted to Diane Carlson Evans, founder of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.

Gladys Knight, Vince Gill, Sara Bareilles, Alan Jackson, Denyce Graves, and The Four Tops are among the musical performances.

Mantegna is the consummate character actor, a three-time Emmy-nominee and a Tony Award for his legendary performance as Ricky Roma in the original Broadway production of “Glengarry Glen Ross.” David Mamet, the playwright, directed Mantegna in such critically-acclaimed films as “House of Games” and “Things Change.” Mantegna is also a pop culture icon as the voice of Fat Tony on “The Simpsons.”

Mantegna never ceases to be amazed at the people he has met through the concerts and the experiences he has shared.

“Every year is different,” he said. “I’ve gotten to be good friends with Gen. Colin Powell (who will also be a part of this year’s concert), and I’ve gotten to meet whoever is head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I can remember standing off to the side of the stage and watching some of the talent sing a particular song and finding myself in tears because the song is so apropos to what is happening visually onstage. There have been a million of those moments.”

The concert will also be streaming on Facebook, YouTube and www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert and available as Video on Demand, May 30 to June 13.

Read comments
Tags: Gary SiniseJoe MantegnaMemorial Day
AmeriForce Exclusive

AmeriForce Exclusive

Related Posts

Marine Corps Reserve veteran reflects on ‘fly on the wall’ view of Iraq War

by Kari Williams
4 days ago
0
Iraq

When talk of the Iraq War began, retired Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Hoh was a junior officer for the Secretary...

Read more

AFRC, Mercy hospitals training agreement benefits multiple parties

by Allison Churchill
2 weeks ago
0
Mercy

An agreement between Air Force Reserve Command and Mercy allows reservists in medical fields to train at the Catholic hospital...

Read more

Ohio Guard quietly removed guardsman guilty of making ghost guns last year

by Military.com
3 weeks ago
0
Ice covers the "Minuteman" statue in front of the Ohio Air National Guard Headquarters building, Dec. 20, 2016. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Joe Harwood\Released)

The Ohio National Guard says it booted a guardsman who was sentenced for making ghost guns from its ranks months...

Read more

National Guard, reserve veterans among IAVA’s advocacy all-stars

by AmeriForce Staff
3 weeks ago
0
IAVA

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's (IAVA) All-Star Advocacy Fly-In on Capitol Hill included several reserve component veterans.

Read more

Military services will amend COVID vaccine-refuser records so they aren’t passed over for promotions

by Military.com
4 weeks ago
0
Vaccine

All military services are reworking their policies to adjust separation & promotion records for those who refused the COVID-19 vaccine.

Read more

Space National Guard gets renewed push from lawmakers

by Military.com
1 month ago
0
Space National Guard

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are once again backing a bill that would create a Space National Guard.

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • SPORTS
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW

Skip to toolbar
  • About WordPress
    • WordPress.org
    • Documentation
    • Support
    • Feedback
  • AMP
    • View AMP version