Judy Whitmore Commemorates Memorial Day with New Single 'America Medley'
() Judy Whitmore has released her new single "America Medley" and announced her new EP, This Is Home - a celebration of America's 250th birthday - will be released on Friday, June 12th. "America Medley" is Whitmore's tribute to the various branches of the U.S. armed forces (Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps) featuring their official marches.
Military service is near and dear to Judy's heart as multiple family members across generations, including both of her parents and her grandfather, served in the U.S. Army.
"My family has a long history of military service," shares Whitmore. "Both my parents were in the United States Army - my father served in the Pacific and my mother was stationed in Southern California, where her job was to organize entertainment for the troops. My mother's sister was also in the Army and her brother in the Navy. During World War II, my father's older brother enlisted in the Army and was cast in Irving Berlin's all-soldier hit Broadway show 'This Is The Army' which also toured the U.S. and the UK. Before playing the violin in the MGM Studio Orchestra for 25 years, my grandfather was a soldier in the U.S. Army and conducted the Army band. As you can see, military service and music are deeply rooted in my family and this song, as well as the entire This Is Home EP, is my way of honoring and celebrating both."
Of the importance of celebrating the Memorial Day holiday, Whitmore adds, "Several years ago, I happened to be at the American Cemetery in Normandy on Memorial Day. A small American flag flew over every grave. I walked along the rows of fallen soldiers in that sea of flags and wept. Most of them were just boys...young boys who never had the chance to grow up, or fall in love, or play ball with their children, or grow old. These young people gave their lives so that we can enjoy a day at the beach, a backyard barbeque, or the leisure to scroll on Facebook or Instagram. All of these heroes deserve to be honored and remembered, always."
This Is Home features a collection of six timeless American classics including "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America" as well as a George M. Cohan medley of "Over There" and "You're a Grand Old Flag." Produced and arranged by Whitmore's longtime collaborator, seven-time GRAMMY-nominated composer Chris Walden (Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder), the new EP was recorded at Evergreen Studios in Los Angeles with a full 39-piece ensemble orchestra including many of the elite players from the Pacific Jazz Orchestra, of which Walden serves as music director and Whitmore a member of the Board of Directors.
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