Trace Adkins Performs "Empty Chair"
Clip: Season 2023 | 3m 39sVideo has Closed Captions
Trace Adkins performs "Empty Chair" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert.
Trace Adkins performs "Empty Chair" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. Aired May 28, 2023, on PBS.
Funding is provided by Lockheed Martin, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, General Dynamics, 84 Lumber and American Airlines.
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Trace Adkins Performs "Empty Chair"
Clip: Season 2023 | 3m 39sVideo has Closed Captions
Trace Adkins performs "Empty Chair" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. Aired May 28, 2023, on PBS.
How to Watch National Memorial Day Concert
National Memorial Day Concert is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Wall of Remembrance
Who would you like to remember? Visit the National Memorial Day Concert Wall of Remembrance and submit a tribute to loved ones and friends who have served in our nation's military.- [Announcer] Please welcome country music superstar, Trace Adkins.
♪ We commandeer a corner table ♪ ♪ At our small town diner ♪ ♪ Just five or six old men throwin' out ♪ ♪ corny ol' one-liners ♪ ♪ They pat the heads of children ♪ ♪ Give friendly nods to strangers ♪ ♪ They sure seem quick to laugh ♪ ♪ Makes you think they're slow to anger ♪ ♪ Those guys were front-line brothers ♪ ♪ Their lives depended on each other ♪ ♪ They were soldiers long ♪ before they were men ♪ ♪ Yeah, the ones that somehow survived ♪ ♪ Came home, went on ♪ to build their lives ♪ ♪ Never chargin' us a penny ♪ for the debt we owe to them ♪ ♪ But you can almost smell the gun smoke ♪ ♪ And the foxholes that they shared ♪ ♪ On the days they raise their coffees ♪ ♪ And toast the empty chair ♪ (lively music) ♪ They'll ask you where you're from ♪ ♪ What you do, what you've done ♪ ♪ Don't go thinkin' they're all talk ♪ ♪ 'Cause you wouldn't ♪ wanna tick them off ♪ ♪ Those guys were front-line brothers ♪ ♪ Their lives depended on each other ♪ ♪ They were soldiers long ♪ before they were men ♪ ♪ Yeah, the ones that somehow survived ♪ ♪ Came home, went on ♪ to build their lives ♪ ♪ Never chargin' us a penny ♪ for the debt we owe to them ♪ ♪ But you can almost smell the gun smoke ♪ ♪ And the foxholes that they shared ♪ ♪ On the days they raise their coffees ♪ ♪ And toast the empty chair ♪ (melancholy reflective music) ♪ They'll tell you ♪ anything you wanna know ♪ ♪ But there's one place ♪ they just won't go ♪ ♪ 'Cause they don't ♪ wanna ruin our dreams ♪ ♪ By tellin' us the things they've seen ♪ ♪ Those guys were front-line brothers ♪ ♪ Their lives depended on each other ♪ ♪ They were soldiers long ♪ before they were men ♪ ♪ Yeah, the ones that somehow survived ♪ ♪ Came home, went on ♪ to build their lives ♪ ♪ Never chargin' us a penny ♪ ♪ For the debt we owe to them ♪ ♪ And you can almost smell the gun smoke ♪ ♪ And the foxholes that they shared ♪ ♪ On the days they raise their coffees ♪ ♪ And toast the empty chair ♪ - To the brother who's not there, we salute you.
(melancholy reflective music) (audience applauds) (audience cheers) (dramatic music)
Yolanda Adams Performs "Count on Me"
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Yolanda Adams performs "Count on Me" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (3m 9s)
The War And Treaty Performs "We Are One"
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The War And Treaty performs "We Are One" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (3m 19s)
The War And Treaty Performs "Up Yonder"
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The War And Treaty performs "Up Yonder" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (3m 27s)
S. Epatha Merkerson, Dulé Hill Tell the Magee Family Story
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S. Epatha Merkerson, Dulé Hill, and Chosen Jacobs tell the story of the Magee family. (9m 57s)
Reach Out Moment with The War And Treaty
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Reach out moment with Michael and Tanya Trotter of The War And Treaty at the 2023 Concert. (2m 18s)
The NSO Performs "The Armed Forces Medley"
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The NSO performs "The Armed Forces Medley" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (3m 58s)
Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise Remember the Fallen
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Joe & Gary remember the fallen & their families at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (1m 38s)
Jo Dee Messina Performs "Heaven Was Needing A Hero"
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Jo Dee Messina performs "Heaven Was Needing A Hero" at the National Memorial Day Concert. (4m 28s)
Gary Sinise Honors Vietnam Prisoners of War
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Gary Sinise honors Vietnam prisoners of war at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (1m 47s)
Yolanda Adams Performs the National Anthem
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Yolanda Adams performs the national anthem at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (2m 9s)
Now PlayingTrace Adkins Performs "Empty Chair"
Video has Closed Captions
Trace Adkins performs "Empty Chair" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (3m 39s)
Phillip Phillips Performs "Gone, Gone, Gone"
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Phillip Phillips performs "Gone, Gone, Gone" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (2m 47s)
Megan Hilty Performs "I'll Be Seeing You"
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Megan Hilty performs "I'll Be Seeing You" at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (2m 46s)
John Slattery & Mary McCormack Tell Carlyle Harris' Story
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John Slattery & Mary McCormack tell Col. Carlyle "Smitty" and Louise Harris' story. (9m 57s)
Joe Mantegna Pays Tribute to WWII Veterans
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Joe Mantegna pays tribute to WWII veterans at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (5m 9s)
Joe Mantegna Honors Korean War Veterans
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Joe Mantegna honors Korean War veterans at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (4m 59s)
Gary Sinise Pays Tribute to Vietnam War Veterans
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Gary Sinise tributes Vietnam War veterans at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (2m 12s)
Gary Sinise Pays Tribute to Gold Star Families
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Gary Sinise pays tribute to Gold Star Families at the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert. (2m 24s)
2023 National Memorial Day Concert Preview
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Watch the 2023 National Memorial Day Concert, Sunday, May 28, 8/7C. (30s)
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Funding is provided by Lockheed Martin, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, General Dynamics, 84 Lumber and American Airlines.