Posts Tagged ‘commander-in-’

Watch Chris Cornell Perform at President Obama’s Commander-in-Chief’s Ball

YouTube President Obama began his second term with his inauguration earlier this week and with the ceremony came a number of galas . Soundgarden ‘s Chris Cornell , one of Obama’s many supporters, was invited to perform at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, which recognized Medal of Honor recipients and Wounded Warriors, and video footage of his entire performance has surfaced online. Cornell, armed with an acoustic guitar, took the stage to perform a trio of cover songs. However, with some microphone problems on the guitar, the set really provided a spotlight on his voice. The vocalist took the stage, telling the audience, “I’ve got to say this is an honor to play for you guys and to celebrate this event, the re-election of President Obama, so thank you so much.” From there he launched into ‘(What’s So Funny Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,’ the Nick Lowe song popularized by Elvis Costello. After making note of the microphone issue, he would perform his other two tracks with a little more amplification for the guitar. First came a powerful performance of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic ‘Long As I Can See the Light,’ which really showed off the wonderful rasp and emotion in Cornell’s voice. He followed with what he called “a song of hope or an impossible dream maybe” — a cover of John Lennon ‘s ‘Imagine.’ The full almost ten-minute performance can be seen below. Cornell would return later in the evening with the full Soundgarden lineup to perform at the Inaugural Ball , doing a three-song set of ‘Been Away Too Long,’ ‘Outshined’ and ‘Rusty Cage’ for those in attendance. Watch Chris Cornell’s Commander-in-Chief’s Ball Performance [button href=”http://loudwire.com/soundgarden-talk-future-albums-perform-at-inaugural-balls/” title=”Next: Chris Cornell Discusses Soundgarden’s Future” align=”center”]

Chris Cornell and Soundgarden to Perform at Commander-in-Chief’s Ball + Inaugural Ball

Chris Hyde, Getty Images Although Soundgarden are in the midst of their current North America tour run, the recently reunited rockers just added a very special appearance to their itinerary. Frontman Chris Cornell has signed on to perform at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, helping President Obama and Vice President Biden honor U.S. armed forces, while all of Soundgarden will be providing entertainment at the Inaugural Ball on the same day. Scheduled for Monday, Jan. 21, at the Washington Convention Center, the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball will recognize Medal of Honor recipients and Wounded Warriors with a guest list that includes both active duty and reserve military. In addition to Chris Cornell, the entertainment portion of the evening includes artists and celebs like Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Hudson. Things get turned up a few notches for the Inaugural Ball, which will feature several artists,  including Soundgarden, performing on multiple stages. An all-star cast of stars will join Soundgarden in the celebration, among them Stevie Wonder, Usher, Katy Perry and Smokey Robinson. Many of the artists performing have played a role in helping President Barack Obama get re-elected, including Cornell. Back in September, he joined a rally for President Barack Obama in Des Moines, Iowa, and performed a moving acoustic set. The Inaugural Ball serves to celebrate and unify Americans across the nation from community leaders to grassroots volunteers and elected officials. In addition, U.S. military around the world will be invited to join in the celebration through a live broadcast and everyone is invited to tune in here for a live stream. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/soundgarden-announce-2013-north-american-tour-unveil-been-away-too-long-video/” title=”Soundgarden 2013 North American Tour Dates” align=”center”]