Trent Harmon Performs at National Memorial Day Concert
Trent Harmon performed the national anthem at the National Memorial Day concert in DC. The American Idol contest winner took the stage on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
The concert aired live on PBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT with co-hosts Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise, honoring military members and their families. ABC New Radio reports that fellow American Idol alum Katherine McPhee will also be performing at the concert, along with legendary band The Beach Boys.
Harmon took to Twitter to share his special performance with his fans.
Trent Harmon, 25, won the American Idol title as the 15th and final winner of the long-standing singing competition.
On Saturday, the American Idol enjoyed a rehearsal and shared his thoughts about the special event.
“Man, I don’t think there’s going to be any more moving of a ceremony than being able to look out over that crowd. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to hold it all together, but I really can’t wait.”
WTOP reports that Harmon is an advocate for veterans, especially through the Wounded Warrior Project. The organization is a charity that empowers wounded veterans and supports their families with more resources for a more positive post-service transition.
“Being a history major throughout college, it was kind of an inspiring moment for me to go to D.C. as a ninth or tenth grader, so that’s going to be an even bigger bucket list for me.”
https://youtu.be/dklSw47Zruk
Referring to singing, Harmon says that the nation’s capital has a special place for him as he continues his promotional journey as the American Idol show’s winner.
“It’s strange, man. I look at this from such a contestant-to-artist perspective.”
The concert features Harmon at the national anthem, but also includes a long list of professional artists from The Beach Boys to the National Symphony Orchestra.
“I actually got to see The Beach Boys in concert for the first time last summer and it was pretty surreal in itself. I hadn’t even auditioned for [‘Idol’] at that point, so now I’m sharing a stage with them artist to artist. That’s kind of weird if you really say it out loud from my perspective.”
The American Idol winner has been busy performing the national anthem at a variety of events, but the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS is special to Trent.
“I hope I have time to get there early or even maybe afterward and just walk through Arlington, just kind of soak it all in. It’s going to mean a lot to me. … This is a big deal to me.”
With an honest appreciation for military service, Harmon has already received positive reviews from fans in social media.
Behind Trent, the Armed Forces Color Guard and Service Color Teams are holding the flags of each branch. #MemDayPBS pic.twitter.com/rkKGVcoguj
— National Memorial Day Concert (@MemorialDayPBS) May 30, 2016
flawless respectful. Loved it, TH! #MemDayPBS
— ?????? ???? ? ? ? (@JustJeanne444) May 30, 2016
Since winning the title, this American Idol has pushed hard on staying connected to his fan base after the show’s finale. Harmon has put on home concerts and streamed them online for people to hear him covering country classics and more, including Bob Marley tunes.
Taste of Country also reports that the “mini-concerts” showcase Trent’s vocals and soulful sound as well as his prowess playing the guitar.
It’s still a long road ahead for Trent Harmon as he fulfills his promotional responsibilities with Americal Idol, but the young star already has a charting country single, “Fallen,” available on iTunes.
For tonight’s Memorial Day festivities, however, Harmon took to Facebook for a live interview and fun pictures to share the special occasion with fans.
https://www.facebook.com/TrentHarmonMusic/videos/804767352958740/
https://www.facebook.com/TrentHarmonMusic/posts/804808506287958:0
During his live interview, Trent Harmon described singing the National Anthem at the National Memorial Day Concert for PBS as something he was quite comfortable singing, because he was so familiar with the song. Harmon also discussed a possible fall release for his first album after winning the American Idol title in its final season.
(Photo – PBS / Twitter)
