Press Release

The Henry Ford, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and WDIV partner for television event “Salute to America” on WDIV-Local 4

DETROIT, June 22, 2020 – The Henry Ford, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and WDIV-Local 4 present “Salute to America,” a TV only event to kick off the Fourth of July weekend. For the first time in its 28-year run, “Salute to America” concerts will not be held in Greenfield Village during the Fourth of July weekend.

This long-running signature event typically brings together sold-out crowds and two great Detroit-area cultural institutions for what has become a cherished holiday tradition with the community. The extraordinary outdoor Independence Day concert experience would normally come to life complete with patriotic music, national performers including the United States Army Field Bands and Choirs, cannons and a fireworks finale.

This year, WDIV-Local 4 will produce an hour-long primetime program filled with all the music and fanfare for which the Salute to America concerts are known and loved. The live concerts are not taking place due to restrictions on public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The televised special will remain proudly supported by the event’s long-time sponsors Bank of America and Ford Motor Company.

Jason Carr and Tati Amare of WDIV-Local 4’s “Live in the D” will host the special from Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford. Music will include encore performances drawn from the orchestra’s extensive DSO Replay archive recorded at Orchestra Hall prior to the pandemic. Conductors Leonard Slatkin and Michael Francis lead performances of John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare,” Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

In addition, a DSO brass quintet will be featured in a newly recorded segment at Greenfield Village. Viewers will also learn how the July 4^th holiday was celebrated during America’s centennial, as well as get an up close look at an authentic muzzle-loading Napoleanic-era cannon used during the “1812 Overture.”

The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus, regular guests at Salute to America concerts, will perform its “Armed Forces Salute,” traditionally presented at the event in recognition to veterans and active-duty military for service to their country.

Detroit musician and “The Voice” contestant Beth Griffith-Manley will sing “America the Beautiful” to honor this unique moment of American history.

“Salute to America” will premiere on WDIV-Local 4 on July 3 at 8:00 p.m.

About WDIV-Local 4
Local 4 News is currently the No. 1 newscast at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. in Nielsen ratings for the Detroit television market. WDIV is the No. 1 NBC affiliate in the top 20 LPM markets. In addition, Local 4's ClickOnDetroit.com is a top breaking news and weather website and the No. 1 news website in Metro Detroit according to ComScore.

About the DSO
The most accessible orchestra on the planet, the acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra is known for trailblazing performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and a deep connection to its city. In January 2020, Italian conductor Jader Bignamini was named the DSO’s next music director to commence with the 2020-2021 season. Making its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, the DSO offers a performance schedule that features Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, William Davidson Neighborhood Concerts, and Young People’s Family Concert series. A dedication to broadcast innovation began in 1922, when the DSO became the first orchestra in the world to present a radio broadcast and continues today with the free Live from Orchestra Hall webcast series, the on-demand archive DSO Replay, and Classroom Edition webcasts for schoolchildren.

About The Henry Ford 
Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford, a globally-recognized destination, fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at thehenryford.org, its national television series, The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford inspires individuals to unlock their potential and help shape a better future.