In a musical act of bipartisanship, country icon Garth Brooks says he’ll perform at President-elect Joe Biden’s inaugural swearing-in ceremony.
“This is not a political statement. This is a statement of unity,” Brooks told reporters on Monday.
Brooks joked that he may “be the only Republican at this place” but that he was showing up on Wednesday to witness Biden take his oath of office because he wanted “the divided times to be behind us.”
“I want to be able to differ in opinion and hug each other at the same football game,” he said. “I’m so tired of being divided.”
Asking questions for about 30 minutes, reporters playfully offered song suggestions. While Brooks remained mum about his set list, he hinted it was unlikely to include “We Shall Be Free,” since he sang it at President Barack Obama’s 2009 inaugural.
Brooks seemed hesitant to comment on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, but he described the events that unfolded as President Trump’s supporters stormed Congress to disrupt the counting of Electoral College votes as “disturbing.”
“It felt like it was some other country, but it was here,” he said. “Now, we deal with it, take responsibility. We claim it, and now, we do our best to make sure something like that never happens again.”
Brooks will join Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez as one of the few people invited to share the platform with Biden on Wednesday. The coronavirus pandemic and heightened security concerns after Jan. 6 has severely curtailed access to the event.
