God Bless the USA has been voted the most recognizable patriotic song in America, taking the top honor over God Bless America and the National Anthem, but it is only one of the many hits that have propelled Greenwood’s successful career. With his distinctive voice, insightful songwriting and unparalleled showmanship, Greenwood has been captivating audiences for decades.
Along the way, he has won numerous accolades including two Male Vocalist of the Year awards from the Country Music Association and the CMA Song of the Year honor in 1985 for God Bless the USA. He has won the Top Male Vocal Performance in 1983 for I.O.U. His lengthy string of hits includes such classics as Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands, It Turns Me Inside Out, Somebody’s Gonna Love You, I Don’t Mind the Thorns (If You’re the Rose) and Dixie Road.
Greenwood grew up on a farm near Sacramento, California and in between doing the hard work required on a working farm; Lee developed his musical skills. He began playing the saxophone at seven and by the time he was 14, he could play nearly all the instruments in the school orchestra He even skipped his high school graduation ceremony because he had a show to play at the Golden Hotel & Casino in Reno, Nevada. I needed to put my next foot forward, says Greenwood with a smile. So I skipped graduation and headed for Nevada. Like all young musicians, Greenwood was faced with a series of decisions that would significantly shape his career. He met a keyboard player named Felix Cavaliere at the Desert Inn Hotel in Las Vegas where they were both working in the lounge. Lee joined the show group and went to Puerto Rico for a month with a promise to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show. The show fell through and Lee ended up living for a while at the drummer’s apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey. Felix and Dino approached Lee about joining them in forming a band to work and record in New York. However, Lee decided to return to Nevada. The group they would form became the Young Rascals who went on the record the hit Good Lovin and enjoy a successful run at the top of the charts. But Greenwood never regretted his decision. I didn’t want to be part of a band,I always wanted to have a solo career. Famed country music manager Larry McFadden discovered Greenwood and brought him to the attention of MCA Records Nashville where he teamed with acclaimed producer Jerry Crutchfield to record his groundbreaking country debut album, It Turns Me Inside Out.
Years of performing in Vegas taught Greenwood how to connect with an audience and his ear for a great song combined with his distinctive voice gave him an edge at country radio. He soon became one of the format’s biggest stars serving up such hits as It Turns Me Inside Out, Ain’t No Trick, She’s Lying, Hearts Aren’t Made to Break (They’re Made to Love), You’ve Got a Good Love Comin and Going, Going, Gone. He continued to be in constant demand, particularly after the terrorist attacks of September 11 when the nation once again embraced God Bless the USA as part of the healing process.
Greenwood admits when he first wrote the song, he had no idea how much it would impact people. One of the reasons I wrote the lyric ‘I’m proud to be an American,’ is I really wanted to instill the pride back in America. The song represents my family, my community and all the Americans who are proud of who they are.
