Washoe County Library System

The noted historian and popular country music artist celebrate America and the music that inspired people and illuminated eras, providing historical context for songs from the Revolutionary War to the present.

Learn how the song "My Country 'Tis of Thee" tells the story of civil rights through the alternate verses written and sung over the years.

"The fascinating story of America's national anthem and an examination of its powerful meaning today. Most Americans learn the tale in elementary school: During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key witnessed the daylong bombardment of Baltimore's Fort McHenry by British navy ships; seeing the Stars and Stripes still flying proudly at first light, he was inspired to pen his famous lyric. What Americans don't know is the story of how this everyday "broadside...