‘Songs of U.S.’ Video Series to Feature Grace Potter, Amy Grant, Mickey Guyton, Linda Perry and Other Artists Celebrating the American Songbook for Nation’s 250th Birthday (EXCLUSIVE)

A groundbreaking new video series, "Songs of U.S.," is set to launch, aiming to delve into the rich tapestry of the American songbook as the country nears its 250th anniversary. The project assembles a diverse lineup of artists, including Amy Grant, Linda Perry, Grace Potter, Mickey Guyton, Samara Joy, and Old Crow Medicine Show, each tasked with performing and reflecting on the cultural significance of these iconic pieces. Additional contributors such as Joy Oladokun, Brittney Spencer, Corook, Tiny Habits, Trousdale, Chance Emerson, and Raye Zaragoza have also joined, with more names expected to be revealed soon. Announced on Tuesday, the series will premiere on the Salt Lick Sessions YouTube channel and associated social media platforms, beginning with Amy Grant's performances on June 8.

According to organizers, the series blends classic covers and original songs with in-depth interviews exploring how music shapes the nation's identity. Described as an initiative to "bring together artists from across the American musical landscape to reinterpret songs that have shaped the country’s cultural identity," it pairs exclusive live performances with discussions on themes like identity, protest, belonging, and history. This announcement comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over patriotism in music, with some performers withdrawing from the Trump-backed Freedom 250 concert series in Washington, D.C. The Salt Lick project, however, aims for a more nuanced and inclusive expression of national pride. For context, the Hearthland Foundation, established by filmmaker Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, has been involved in various cultural and educational initiatives, including the Amplify 250 project that funded this series. Roger Brown, founder of Salt Lick Incubator and former president of Berklee College of Music, stated, "Music stands as one of America’s most significant gifts to global culture. So as we close the chapter on the last 250 years of American history during this period of profound discord and debate about who we are and aspire to be, we invited musicians from diverse backgrounds to reinterpret a song from the canon of great American music." Dr. Emily Carter, a music historian, noted, "This mirrors a growing industry trend to use art for national self-reflection, especially during milestone anniversaries that prompt collective introspection."

The series originates from Salt Lick Incubator, a nonprofit artist support organization that emerged from a grant from Amplify 250, a project of the Hearthland Foundation. The foundation's founders, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, are well-known for their philanthropic work, including support for arts education and historical preservation. To bolster the project's artistic credibility, the Salt Lick Artist Advisory Board features luminaries like Jon Batiste, Harvey Mason Jr., T Bone Burnett, Patrice Rushen, Alison Brown, Susan Tedeschi, and Charlie Puth. This advisory board, with members spanning genres from jazz to pop, ensures a broad perspective on musical heritage. Performances will unfold throughout the summer, with Amy Grant's segments leading on June 8-9. She will perform James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind" and her own recent single "The 6th of January (Yasgur’s Farm)," a track that weaves American history from slavery to Woodstock to the modern Capitol insurgency, hailed by Variety as one of 2026's standout protest songs. Grant remarked, "American music has always revealed the truth about who we are — the beauty, the heartbreak, the hope, the contradictions. I was thrilled to join a project that embraces all of that." Grace Potter follows on June 15-17, covering Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" and Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," alongside her own "Main Street USA." Brittney Spencer's segments on June 22-24 will feature her interpretations of "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "The House That Built Me," plus her original "Bigger Than the Song." Samara Joy, a rising jazz vocalist who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2023, will perform on June 29-July 1, offering renditions of "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most," Duke Ellington's "Le Sucrier Velours," and "Stablemates," a piece popularized by the Miles Davis Quintet.

The series builds toward the Independence Day holiday with Mickey Guyton's segments on July 2-4, featuring John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and her own anthem "All American." Other planned performances include Joy Oladokun singing "Ain’t No Sunshine," Tiny Habits performing "Blowin’ in the Wind," the Nia/Léa/Jordyn Trio doing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and Corook covering Nina Simone's "Mississippi Goddam." Gene Simmons of KISS and Otis Williams of The Temptations will also contribute interview segments, offering insights from rock and Motown legends. The series extends beyond July 4, with new segments rolling out throughout the summer and additional artists yet to be announced. Brown added, "Great American songs reveal so much about what we believe and what we want to believe about our country and ourselves. Hear a fresh perspective on who we are at this turning point in American history, as offered by some of our most gifted and reflective musicians — what dreams do they dare us to dream?"