Alan Jackson Lays Down Emotional ‘Where Were You’ for ‘National Memorial Day Concert’ [Watch]
Alan Jackson sang "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" as part of PBS' 2021 National Memorial Day Concert: A Night of Remembrance. The song, which Jackson penned in the weeks after 9/11, was a fitting choice for the evening.
As the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001 approaches, a somber Jackson delivered the song backed by a full band. Violins and acoustic guitars made for an emotive rendition of the introspective classic, and as Jackson finished singing, the famous Raising the Flag at Ground Zero photograph by Thomas E. Franklin was projected onstage.
Jackson stood and gave the photograph a salute as he turned to walk away.
"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" earned the country icon his first-ever Grammy nomination. In 2011, Jackson spoke to Yahoo News on what it means to perform this song as the years pass.
"I've seen people crying in the crowds, and they cheer on lines that mean something, like the line about the heroes just doing what they do — they really like that," the country icon remarked. "There's a lot of emotion going on in the room during that song, and it always makes me feel good that it has affected people that way."
In addition to honoring late military, the National Memorial Day Concert paid tribute to the 9/11 Gold Star Families and all of those lost in the attacks. Actor and former firefighter Steve Buscemi narrated a special tribute from Ground Zero. The full concert included performances by Vince Gill and Mickey Guyton.
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