Pride

From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam, U.S. artists stand up to pay tribute to the country that let them live out their own American dreams. Artists like Lee Greenwood, who remembers the fallen and makes his own pledge of allegiance with a country-strong “God Bless The U.S.A.,” or rock ’n’ roll pioneer Chuck Berry, who lists the things he loves about home, from skyscrapers to hamburgers to a jumpin’ jukebox, on “Back In the U.S.A.” And Whitney Houston, who thrilled a wartime nation with a 1991 Super Bowl performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” that even today still tingles the spine and stirs the heart.

“Only In America,” sing country duo Brooks & Dunn, and only in Next Steps will you find a new playlist of pride.

Sgt. Barry Sadler’s Vietnam-era tribute “The Ballad of the Green Berets” paid homage to U.S. special forces and became a crossover smash, but with her own bittersweet ballad “Hero,” Mariah Carey focuses on the everyday champions who make our country run. Donna Fargo joins voices with a rafter-raising choir to honor the democratic freedoms of her homeland on the joyous “U.S. of A.,” and country icon Loretta Lynn asks a heartfelt favor from on high with the classic country of “May God Bless America Again.”

“Follow the Flag,” sings patriotic pop composer Randy Newman, and we say follow us into Deep Cuts for more musical expressions of pride.

Deep Cuts honors one of the fallen with the patriotic swing of “American Patrol” by Major Glenn Miller, who gave his during life during WWII when his plane went down en route to entertain the troops. The troops themselves make the music as the U.S. Coast Guard Band offers a big and brassy, patriotic medley with “Variations On America,” while Southern soul pioneers Rufus and Carla Thomas support our men in uniform with a bluesy and beautiful “God Bless America,” and the Highwayman — a.k.a. Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson — sing of homeland trials and triumphs on “American Remains.”

It’s the original song of American fortitude, a stirring story of the starred-and-striped symbol under which we unite; it’s “The Star Spangled Banner,” and it gets a rousing a cappella treatment from country stars Ricochet as one patriotic part of our tried-and-true Pride Essentials. Our national anthem may be the original song of American spirit, but we’ve got a whole nation’s worth of fabulous flag-wavers, all in one easy download. So while Ray Charles and Alicia Keys add their own touch of gorgeosity to “America the Beautiful,” B.J. Thomas glorifies the common man and his limitless possibilities on “America Is.” Rock’s King, Elvis Presley, croons the heady and heartfelt “An American Trilogy,” and even Canadian-born belter Céline Dion steps up to offer her gratitude with the soaring sonic prayer “God Bless America.”