The latest list of Donald Trump’s inauguration performers is in and requires a lot of Googling
With 24 hours to go, President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration committee has issued the latest list of entertainers performing at the events surrounding it.
All but one (3 Doors Down) your correspondent hadn’t heard of and had to Google, and at least three sound completely made up ('Tony Orlando', 'Big & Rich' and 'The Piano Guys', I’m looking at you).
The list is a far cry from the “plenty of movie and entertainment stars” Trump promised:
Latest list of entertainers who will perform at Inaugural: pic.twitter.com/rUH352Ajqj
— West Wing Reports (@WestWingReport) January 19, 2017
Trump inauguration performers list is actually a list of your dad’s alter egos pic.twitter.com/ChUbsT3S0g
— Christopher Hooton (@ChristophHooton) January 19, 2017
Trump at least knows his fan base as the majority of the performers are country singers, including Toby Keith (best-known for ‘Should’ve Been A Cowboy’ apparently) and Lee Greenwood (‘God Bless the USA’).
Unfortunately, Bruce Springsteen tribute act The B Street Band cancelled on him out of respect for Springsteen and his political views, while 13 dancers in the Radio City Rockettes dance company have said they will sit out the performance in protest.
Hosts of musicians declined to play the inauguration, including Sir Elton John, Moby, Charlotte Church and Rebecca Ferguson, who wrote an open letter stating she'd only attend should she be able to perform the song ‘Strange Fruit’ - Billie Holiday's sombre exploration of the lynching of African Americans at the start of the 20th century.
Today, we learned why theoretical Trump voter Kanye West wasn't invited to perform.
Inauguration performers list (as of 10am GMT, 19 January):
3 Doors Down
Toby Keith
Chrisette Michele
Lee Greenwood
Jackie Evancho
Big & Rich
Tony Orlando
The Rockets
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Piano Guys
Sam Moore (of the duo Sam & Dave)
Tim Rushlow
The Frontmen of Country
Travis Greene
DJ Ravidrums
The Talladega College Tornado Marching BandTalladega College Tornado Marching Band