

He wrote the song after becoming an American citizen and convinced his commanding officers to let him write a musical comedy review to raise money and increase morale among service members. There are few versions of this song patriots can choose from, including the original written in 1918 by Irving Berlin, which he later revised.

Charles performed the song at the 2001 MLB World Series, bringing some fans to tears. Since then, the song has been covered by a slew of musicians, including soul singer Ray Charles. This classic was first written in 1893 by author and poet Katharine Lee Bates, according to the Library of Congress. Since then, it has been performed by numerous famed singers, including the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, at then-president Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009 and Kelly Clarkson in 2013 at Obama’s second-term inauguration. The song made its debut on Jat a children's program at the Park Street Church in Boston, Massachusetts. “My Country, 'Tis of Thee” is also known simply as “America.” Baptist minister Samuel Francis Smith originally wrote the song while studying at Andover Theological Seminary in 1831, according to the Library of Congress.
