As Americans – as different and independent as we can be – we have historically come together in times of national crisis to sing from “the same hymnal” and to act as one with determination and resolve. Can we do so now in a national crisis of our own making?
In the days immediately following 9/11 and the attack on the World Trade Center, when people assembled to sing the national anthem – at ball games, school assemblies, and community get-togethers – tears of unity flowed down our faces. There were plenty of things to divide us back then, but we felt an urgent need to sing in one harmonious voice and the sense of unity was real and very special indeed. The urgent need and special sense of oneness grew from recognition that we were all in it together and that we fundamentally cared about one another.
Now – fast forward – we are still dealing with the days leading up to January 6 and the attack on the U.S. Capitol. And guess what? This time, we are not singing together, there are no tears of unity, and there is no sense of oneness. To the contrary, there are profound indications of division wherever you look – signs of a society splintered along fissures in many facets of American life. This time around, we may all be in it together, but we seem to be missing a key ingredient: the concern for one another.
Given this currently tattered state of affairs, the question is: Can we sing together again? Can we join our different and distinct voices together to sing as one, recognizing in the unison that we are in it together, that we do care about each other, and that we need to tend to (and defend) our common home?
There is one among us who thinks it is possible – that we can sing together again! His name is Howard Clark III. Howard is a lifetime musician who hails from Geneva, Illinois, and he invites us to consider his newly released musical creation, America My Home – an original American patriotic song that Howard developed in response to events in recent years. His goal is to focus on the things that bring us together, not on the things that divide us. In his own words, “Let the beauty of combined voices make the statement that Americans can one day stand in harmony and regain the pride in knowing we are envied throughout the world because we are Americans.”
Please take a moment to experience this very special outlook in America My Home, by Howard Clark III
Music Video Notes
Noteworthy highlights for when you first hear and see America My Home:
- You will definitely hear 20 beautiful and unique voices – presenting the richness and strength that only grows from a diverse group of people working together. The vocalists are associates that Howard as pianist has accompanied over the years who have become valued friends. They volunteered to help bring America My Home to life.
- You will likely find comfort in the way that certain words of the song establish familiarity. They speak of America from sea to shining sea and reference that God shed his grace on thee. In addition, the dimensions of America are drawn from your mountains … to your prairies … to your oceans white with foam. It is in such familiar phrases and images that we find welcome reminders of America’s greatness.
- Similarly, you will clearly see how the American military is featured as a source of collective national pride. The song’s lyrics read in part: To soldiers who have given their lives … in the end, you made strong America (and, in the subtext, it rings: Let’s remember what we’ve fought for).
- Lastly, you will be directly challenged to acknowledge some difficult truths and to respond with renewed faith and hope. While America spans from shore to shore, it is torn within and inside you’re hurting right now. But God always blesses America and your people throughout America in harmony one day will stand.
Prospects for Singing Together
With this content information in mind, let’s reconnect to the thematic question: Will America My Home get us singing together again? Is Howard Clark right to think that America My Home could create a sense of unity and cohesion among us?
Howard puts the answer back on America when he writes in the song, “How can I tell you, America, that God has always blest you?” And, when Howard puts it back on America, he’s putting it back on us, because we are the ones who have to stand and raise our voices on America’s behalf. In fulfillment, if we choose, we can raise our voices by singing along with Howard’s America My Home and embracing its spirit. Or we can raise our voices by “singing songs” of our own making that show our pride in America, our love and concern for fellow Americans, and our willingness to accept differences in others. But, either way, the answer does depend entirely on us.
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. —Martin Luther King Jr.
A Bridge-Building Initiative
Howard Clark III has raised his voice in the form of a remarkable musical composition and, by generously sharing it with us, he invites us to join him in his bridge-building initiative. Will you join him? How will you raise your voice? Can we sing together again?
About Howard Clark III — Alongside a 42-year career in the railroad industry, Howard actively pursued musical interests in performance, composition, and direction. As pianist and organist, Howard has performed with many other music professionals, accompanied a variety of choirs, and played in numerous local churches. Howard lives in Geneva, Illinois, with Holly, his wife of 45 years, and together they raised three sons.