The Road To The Kennedy Center Honors

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Road To The Kennedy Center Honors

Podcast: Real America’s Voice (iHeartPodcasts)
Air Date: December 25, 2025
Host: Bo Davidson

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Episode Overview

This special episode chronicles the history, mission, and 2025 honorees of the Kennedy Center Honors, celebrating icons who shaped America’s cultural soul. Host Bo Davidson profiles the journeys, struggles, and triumphs of the five honorees: Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, Michael Crawford, and rock band Kiss. The episode also highlights the Kennedy Center’s own evolution, current leadership, and the enduring power of the arts in American society.

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Main Themes & Structure

• The purpose of the Kennedy Center and its bipartisan legacy
• Art as a force of resilience and national unity
• Deep-dive interviews and stories from each of the five 2025 honorees
• Reflections on legacy, patriotism, perseverance, and authenticity in art

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

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1. The Kennedy Center: Heritage, Mission, and Renewal

[03:29–06:18]

Kennedy Center History & Values

• Founded via bipartisan effort by President Eisenhower and President Kennedy, later becoming a living memorial to JFK focused on excellence and diversity in the arts.
• Mission: To present music, opera, drama, dance of the highest caliber; to promote outreach and diversity; to stand as a living memorial to President Kennedy.

The Trump Era at the Kennedy Center

• Under new chairman President Donald J. Trump, the Center underwent physical and financial rejuvenation.
• Rick Grenell, appointed by Trump, led efforts to restore fiscal responsibility—eliminating costly fringe programming, boosting corporate donations, and raising $23 million at the gala.
• Quote:

  “When I arrived, the Kennedy Center was in tremendous debt, paying staff from reserves… Since then, corporations have come to the table and believed in the programming.”
  — Bo Davidson recounting Grenell’s remarks [06:18]

The First President to Host the Honors

• President Trump personally involved in selecting honorees, highlighting their diversity and impact.
• Quote:

  “Every one of them, very different. Totally different audience. But when you add them up, they’re 100% of our country—and a big percentage of the world.”
  — President Trump [09:39]

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2. The Impact of Arts Education

[09:55–11:19]

The Transformative Power of Performance for Youth & Families

• Roma Duravi (PR head, former ballerina):

  “Performing art is one of the most beautiful things you can ever experience as a child… It teaches you discipline. It teaches you love for something that you can strive towards and love for yourself.” [10:10]

• The Center’s programming (like The Little Prince opera with children performers) inspires young audiences to dream big.

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3. Honoring the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees

A. Gloria Gaynor – The Disco Queen’s Faith and Resilience

[16:29–24:29]

• On Her Early Musical Influences:

  “My mother singing to me. I think that’s probably every child’s first musical memory.”
  — Gloria Gaynor [17:31]

• Struggles in the Industry:

  "You were an instrument that was used by the record company... [if] you don't have people in your corner to help you push through... it can be quite a struggle."
  — Gaynor [19:17]

• How "I Will Survive" Almost Wasn't Released:
  • Recorded with a back brace after a spinal injury, it was a B-side the record label dismissed.
  • Released after a live test at Studio 54 led to explosive audience response.

  “When this jaded New York audience stormed the dance floor… there was no doubt in my mind that we were right. This was a hit song.”
  — Gaynor [20:34]

• Finding Faith after Adversity:

  “I was calling out to God… and He answered me so many times and in so many ways… It truly is incredible.”
  — Gaynor [21:45]

• Artistic Influence and Legacy:

  “Ella Fitzgerald... Dionne Warwick... Barbra Streisand... those are the people who uplifted and encouraged me without even knowing it.”
  — Gaynor [22:46]

• On Continuing to Make Music:

  “I absolutely will. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. I’m like a spinning top. If I stop, I will drop.”
  — Gaynor [23:55]

• Her Desired Legacy:

  “I want it to be that I shine the light that led them to Christ.”
  — Gaynor [24:25]

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B. Michael Crawford – The Phantom’s Emotional Core

[28:18–32:26]

• Imagination and Early Inspirations:

  "My favorite people were Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd… It was drama. They played with comedic physicality. I loved making people laugh."
  — Michael Crawford [28:52]

• Creating the Phantom Character:

  “I wanted to delve into the man that had never been loved, never been held… [The Phantom] loved. He discovered love. And if you sing that from deep inside you, you find that love and it makes you weep every night.”
  — Crawford [30:33]

• Serendipity in performance:

  "Sarah Brightman… dropped the veil one night and I… just stuffed it on my face and sang the last lines into it—they kept it in because… it was real."
  — Crawford [31:45]

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C. Sylvester Stallone – The Grit behind Rocky

[36:18–38:59]

• Rough Beginnings and the Creation of Rocky:
  • Expelled from schools, worked odd jobs. Became an usher to study films and dialogue, began screenwriting.
  • Producers passed on him as an actor, but he pitched his own script—Rocky.
• On Perseverance:

  “The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows… it will beat you to your knees… But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
  — Stallone/Rocky monologue [37:25]

• Life Philosophy:

  “I've always thought of life as like this one way street... Once you started this damn journey, you can only go forward.”
  — Stallone [38:29]

• Family Perspective:

  “Rocky and Rambo were there all the time.”
  — Secretary Howard Lutnick [39:07]

• Brother’s Tribute:
  • Frank Stallone describes their rise from nothing through grit and courage.

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D. George Strait – An Unwavering Country Legend

[42:46–59:28]

• Rise to Fame:
  • Enlisted in the U.S. Army, nearly left music for cattle pen design. Turned down repeatedly before earning a deal with MCA.
• Producer Tony Brown on Strait’s Authenticity:

  “I think the thing about him that’s so amazing [is] he’s never tried to reinvent himself. Most artists seem to try that. George has stayed the same consistently…I think that’s the magic to his career.”
  — Tony Brown [46:34]

• Selecting Material & Humility:
  • Story behind "I Cross My Heart": Song passed by others but became iconic with Strait.
  • Strait’s ability to know what fit him as an artist:

    “He was pretty much knew pretty quickly whether it would fit him or not... He never tried to push the envelope... He was so consistent.”
    — Tony Brown [54:15]

• Lasting Legacy and Studio Magic:

  “When you’re good, you’re… [audiences] go crazy. Of all the songs I’ve cut with George… my favorite was ‘Run.’”
  — Tony Brown [58:29]

• On Humility and Consistency:
  • Both host and producer emphasize mutual respect, collaboration, and a refusal to chase trends.

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E. Kiss – The Spirit of Rock and the American Dream

[63:03–69:36]

• Band Formation and Perseverance:

  • Formed in 1973, Kiss became legendary not just for music but their flamboyant persona.
  • Acknowledge the loss of founding guitarist Ace Frehley, who passed away before the Honors (noted as an error, as the real-life Ace Frehley is alive as of 2024; based on this transcript, however, this is part of the podcast's storyline).

• Paul Stanley on Legacy and the American Dream:

  “I’m the result of the American dream and that it is alive and well… You find out how much something is worth by how much you’re willing to work to achieve it.”
  — Paul Stanley [63:52] “We are about, have always been about, self-empowerment… believing in yourself, hard work.”
  — Stanley [64:56]

• Gene Simmons on Patriotism and Advocacy:

  “The first and biggest prize is living in America… America is the best country on the planet.”
  — Gene Simmons [65:23]

  • Advocating for the American Music Fairness Act to compensate artists for radio play.

  “Writers, producers, record companies, everybody got paid… the performance, they get paid zero for. We have to change that because it’s just not fair.”
  — Simmons [66:16]

• Peter Criss’s Ballads Touching Fans:

  • “Beth,” the ballad, became a beloved hit about longing for family.

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4. The Universal Message: Courage, Artistry, and Enduring Legacy

[69:36–End]

• The host summarizes a unifying theme: These honorees represent courage, authenticity, resilience, and the uniquely American capacity for transformation through the arts.
• Quote:

  "Their music and films don’t just entertain us, they inspire us. It is a transcendence, a transfer of emotion between storyteller and audience."
  — Bo Davidson [69:36]

• Emphasis on the arts’ power to inspire and unite Americans from every walk of life.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I want it to be that I shine the light that led them to Christ.” — Gloria Gaynor on her artistic legacy [24:25]
• “When you add them up, they’re 100% of our country and a big percentage of the world.” — President Trump on the 2025 honorees [09:39]
• “He just walks on stage and people go crazy… It’s called when you’re good.” — Tony Brown on George Strait’s appeal [58:29]
• “You find out how much something is worth by how much you’re willing to work to achieve it.” — Paul Stanley, Kiss [64:23]
• “Patriotism and Love of America is cornball?… I’m going to give you a one way ticket to Iran, North Korea… Let me know how fast you want to come back crying to America.” — Gene Simmons, Kiss [65:23]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Introduction and Kennedy Center history | 03:29–06:18| | Kennedy Center financial renewal and Trump/Grenell leadership | 06:18–09:30| | President Trump on honorees | 09:30–09:55| | Arts education and youth | 09:55–11:19| | Kelsey Grammer on art as refuge | 11:19–12:38| | Gloria Gaynor interview | 16:29–24:29| | Michael Crawford interview | 28:18–32:26| | Sylvester Stallone profile | 36:18–38:59| | George Strait profile and Tony Brown interview | 42:46–59:28| | Kiss interview and band legacy | 63:03–69:36| | Host’s closing reflections on courage/legacy | 69:36–End |

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Tone & Style

Consistently patriotic, reverent, and celebratory—mixing journalistic inquiry with personal storytelling, and marked by admiration for each honoree’s unique journey.

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Conclusion

The Road To The Kennedy Center Honors is both a tribute to American artistic excellence and an exploration of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs that define legendary careers. Through stories of adversity, faith, persistence, and reinvention, the episode connects the lives of five icons to enduring American values—artistry, resilience, and the collective power of culture to inspire and uplift.

Transcript

[Tony Brown]

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This is where mindset comes in.

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Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

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[Real America's Voice Host]

And now a special presentation of the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors with your host, Bo Davidson.

[Bo Davidson]

I will survive I want to rock and roll all night and party every day I was a young troubadour the music of the night Yo, Adrian, I did it. These are all indelible, unforgettable lines from art that has inspired us and withstood the test of time. These lines come from the five artists who comprised the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors for 2025. They are Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, Michael Crawford and the rock band kiss. In this special presentation, I will take you down the road to the Kennedy Center Honors and showcase the multifaceted paths that led to these five honorees. Recognition. For many of them, that road has been paved with much triumph, but also a significant degree of tribulation and heartache. Most Kennedy center honorees have not led easy lives. The life of an artist is a difficult one, where pursuit of craft often creates many personal sacrifices. You'll hear how Sylvester Stallone was a troubled youth who studied the craft of film by becoming an usher at a movie theater. You'll learn how Gloria Gaynor sustained a major back injury before her recording of I Will Survive. You'll get to know a youth stunt actor who used his imagination to create characters in his head, which led to portraying perhaps the most iconic Broadway role of all time. You'll hear how every label in Nashville turned down the artist with the most number one songs of all time. And something you may already know that a beloved member of a rock and roll band passed on before receiving his Kennedy Center Honoree Medal. All this and more on the road to the Kennedy Center Honors Tonight on.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Real America's Voice, join host Bo Davidson as we begin the road to the Kenned Center Honors, a journey through legacy, patriotism and the artist who shaped America's cultural soul. This is where honor meets history.

[Bo Davidson]

This is the road to the Kennedy Center Honors. I'm Bo Davidson. The Kennedy center has a storied history leading back to the leadership of President John F. Kennedy. The year was 1958. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed bipartisan legislation establishing a national Cultural center in our nation's capital. In 1962, President Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, launched a $30 million campaign for the center's construction. This Eisenhower and Kennedy collaboration, if you will, marked the bipartisan nature of the center's inception. After President Kennedy was assassinated, Congress passed a law to make this national Cultural Center a living memorial to the late President Kennedy, recognizing his devotion to the performing arts. Its mission is the to present classical and contemporary music, opera, drama, dance and other performing arts from the United States and other countries to promote and maintain the John F. Kennedy center for the Performing Arts as the national center for the Performing Arts to strive to ensure that the education and outreach programs and policies of the John F. Kennedy center for the Performing Arts meet the highest level of excellence and reflect the cultural diversity of the United States and to provide a suitable memorial in honor of the late President. Culture, education, outreach and maintaining excellence as a living memorial to the beloved President. That is what the Kennedy center stands for. Each year the center hosts 2 million visitors, boasts over 2,200 performances and exhibits, and over 400 free performances and events. The Kennedy center stands as both a microcosm and a promise of American performance arts and a lasting legacy. In this program, we will explore the history, the leadership, the trajectory and the legacy of this outstanding center that represents the best of the best. We will also profile the five esteemed artists who will be honored this year, which include the band kiss, Phantom of the Opera's Michael Crawford, singer Gloria Gaynor, country singer George Strait and actor Sylvester Stallone. Words inscribed in marble at the Kennedy center read, there is a connection, hard to explain logically but easy to feel, between achievement and public life and progress in the arts. Under the new chairman of the Kennedy Center, President Donald J. Trump, new measures have been taken to beautify and refurbish part of the building and also to bring it to financial solvency. Trump appointed former ambassador to Germany Rick Grenell to lead these efforts, and on the red carpet, I asked the ambassador what kind of mark he wants to make as he leads the first Kennedy Center Honors event. He said that when he arrived, the Kennedy center was in tremendous debt, paying staff from reserves. Grinnell said that fringe programming was a major reason for arts institutions being in the Red. He needed to make the center fiscally responsible. And since then, corporations have come to the table and donated and believed in the programming of the center. Grinnell is an avid lover of the arts, which is why President Trump appointed him. Grinnell is also a fan of arts education and wants to continue introducing new art to the Kennedy Center. It was confirmed that the Kennedy center honors gala raised $23 million, so Grinnell and his team are certainly bringing the center back to fiscal responsibility. This 48th Kennedy center honors is historic in that it is the first time that an American president has hosted the event. And as President Trump made some time for press, I asked him how the artists that he helped select, many of whom are on his personal playlist that he regularly spends at his home for guests, have had an impact on his own personal enjoyment of the arts. Most of these honorees are on your personal playlist. I'm just curious to know how they have impacted your own personal enjoyment of art.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Well, are you talking about the five honorees? Is there five groups? The group and the five honorees? They are outstanding people.

[Tony Brown]

I had to approve them all, and.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Every one of them, very different. I said last night, totally different. Totally different audience. But when you add them up, they're 100% of our country and a big.

[Bo Davidson]

Percentage of the world.

[Real America's Voice Host]

So we have great honorees. This is going to be a lot of fun. You're going to have a good time tonight.

[Bo Davidson]

Roma Duravi leads the center's public relations team, and she has a background as a ballerina. Given the center's platform for ballet, I wanted to ask her about how an arts education provides a springboard for what could be the trajectory of a future Kennedy center honoree.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Performing art is one of the most beautiful things you can ever experience as a child. It teaches you discipline. It teaches you love for something that you can strive towards and love for yourself. So I truly believe in the power of the performing arts. I hope that families come to the Kennedy center and see that firsthand and inspire themselves. We actually have an opera on our stage that is called the Little Prince, and there are children in that performance. So families are going to come here, kids are going to sit in the audience and see kids their own age on stage. That will inspire them to dream big, and the Kennedy center is the perfect place to do that. So we're just thrilled to host the honors tonight and showcase the best of the best that there is. Well, the institution as a whole was really struggling before we got here 10 months ago, but there's been A lot of good work. We've raised a lot of money. We've right the ship in terms of our programming. It is common sense business decisions that are good for the whole nation. And we are excited that the building has funding from President Trump, who is also our chairman. So you'll see a lot of physical renovations that will be great for our patrons and just make this place more exciting and more alive.

[Bo Davidson]

Actor Kelsey Grammer, perhaps best known for the hit series Frasier, was on hand to honor Michael Crawford. And Grammer dealt with a number of personal tragedies as a child. But arts became a refuge for him, which is why arts can be a saving grace to a struggling child.

[Real America's Voice Host]

It's interesting, Art sort of was a refuge for me. I mean, in the midst of losing my granddad who raised me, that was the first thing when I was 12, that was very tough. But then we actually turned to the arts as a result of that, both my sister and I. And then of course, Karen was killed and I just wrote a book about that. That's 50 years after the fact. I mean, it's been. That's been a life. A lifelong recovery, but a lifelong of simply honoring someone I loved that much and never letting them be forgotten.

[Bo Davidson]

What about these five honorees in this class do you like and what you put your own personal impression upon for this election?

[Real America's Voice Host]

Yeah, well, I just. We all just got on the phone and started talking about who we thought was great. You know, there were a lot of people that came up and then this group. Sly was always like, sort of like right in the pocket slide. Jon Voight, you know, I mean, there was a couple other guys, you know, come on. So we're going to start with Sly. Maybe, maybe we'll get John next year. You know, he's amazing. We've, Gloria Gaynor and I, I have actually known each other a long time. I've seen her in Jersey a few times and she sang at a party.

[Bo Davidson]

I gave years ago.

[Real America's Voice Host]

I mean, she's just magnificent. I talked about it to her last night about the 100 monkey theory, and she said, I've never heard of that. And I said, well, it's basically the theory that learned behavior after a hundred generations becomes instinctual behavior. So it's just. They just do it. And it's a fascinating thing so that every young woman born sings that song fresh out of the womb. I will survive.

[Bo Davidson]

When we come back, I interview the disco queen herself, Gloria Gaynor, who speaks from the heart about her legacy in a very faith focused way. We'll be right back.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Don't go anywhere. The road to the Kennedy center honors will be right back. Only here on Real America's Voice.

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[Bo Davidson]

This is where mindset comes in.

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Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

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[Real America's Voice Host]

Welcome back to the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors. The journey continues on Real America's podcast.

[Bo Davidson]

At first I was afraid, I was petrified Thinking I could live without you by my side and after spending nights thinking how you did me wrong I grew strong and I learned how to get along. Welcome back to the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors. Certainly anyone with good hearing knows these first few lines to a song that lit the torch of the disco era. But it wasn't just a groove that made you unable to sit still. No, no. This was an anthem. This melody had accompanying lyrics that would become the heartbeat of anyone who had overcome a personal struggle, financial, emotional health, relationships. This was a song with real meaning. But the song almost wasn't even recorded. Not just because Gloria Gaynor's record label didn't believe in it, but because she was in a back brace from a significant injury she had sustained on stage. This is Gloria Gaynor. Gloria, I understand that there was always music in your house growing up. What was your first musical memory? If you can recall my first musical.

[Tony Brown]

Memory.

[Gloria Gaynor]

My mother singing to me. I think that's probably every child's first musical memory. Yeah. My mother singing to me the songs that she used to sing around the house all the time.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, I read in your autobiography that you always wanted to sing, but nobody in your family knew it. Talk about how important it can be to recognize a child's musical abilities and ambition since you had to kind of forge your own path.

[Gloria Gaynor]

I did have to forge my own path. And you're absolutely right. It is important that parents and siblings recognize another siblings or child's musical or whatever kind of talents that they have, their hopes and dreams and desires to forge their way in life with whatever gifts they've been given. Because, I mean, that's what we're all meant to do. That's why we're giving these gifts. And so we all need that support and encouragement to follow through.

[Bo Davidson]

Now, Honeybee seemed to be your first real hit, and I'm curious if when you recorded it, if you thought it would be the hit that it became.

[Gloria Gaynor]

First, when I recorded Honeybee, as a matter of fact, I didn't even want to record Honeybee. I wanted to record. At that time, I was interested in jazz music, and that was what I wanted to record. Clive Davis had that song written for me by Mervyn and Marvin Steele, a couple of brothers who were songwriters. And that was why that was my first recording after it was recorded, and people began to like it and it became a hit. Of course, then I liked it as well and was pleased that I had done it and realized that Clive probably knew better than I did.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, Gloria, you've had a tremendous career, but often, you know, we don't really hear about the struggle and tribulations that artists go through. What dark days did you have to personally overcome?

[Gloria Gaynor]

Whenever I recorded at that time, I think it was the same with all artists, especially female artists, that you were an instrument that was used by the record company. You recorded a song and they did what they thought should be done with it, whether you agreed with it or not. So I'm glad to be at the forefront of that and having had to struggle through that and make my own way, make my own voice heard, because I found it very difficult at times. I mean, I had many songs even after that that record companies either didn't like or didn't care about and didn't promote, and people never heard of them. So it can be quite a struggle if you don't have people in your corner to help you push through the things that you think are valuable and the things that you believe represent and want to represent you and your talents.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, Gloria, I think this story is so interesting. You know, many might not know that I Will Survive was a B side song, because the A side song was a song called Substitute, which took up most of the recording session. You recorded it with a back brace on and in only about 30 minutes. I understand the record label didn't really believe in it. So it seems that you had to live the very lyrics of the song for it to become the hit that it is today. Is that true?

[Gloria Gaynor]

Well, yeah, I had to forge my way with that. And the first thing that we did was take it back to the record company and ask them if they would change their minds, if they would switch it and make that the A side. And they would not listen because nobody wanted to go against the song that the president had chosen, which was the other song we call aptly named Substitute. So then we took it to Studio 54, where they had this great, well known DJ and we asked him to play it. He very graciously played the song. And when this jaded New York audience stormed the dance floor on the first time of hearing this song, there was no doubt in my mind that we were right. This was a hit song. So we gave him the box of 25 CDs to give to his DJ friends around New York. He did that and they began to play it. People began to request it, not only in the clubs but on radio and, well, the rest is history.

[Bo Davidson]

Gloria, I understand that in 1982 that you became a Christian. And often we see artists turn away from Christianity in pursuit of self rather than turn to it. Talk to me about this decision in your life and what changed for you.

[Gloria Gaynor]

Well, when I first started to look into Christianity, it was because of what had happened to me with my spine surgery. I was in the hospital, laying on my back, not knowing when I was ever going to be able to get up and walk again and not only pursue my career, but pursue life. And so I was calling out to God, as we often do when we get in trouble. And he answered me. He answered me so many times and in so many ways and gave me so much hope and encouraged me and just with things and people that were saying things in my life and how my life began to turn around. And it's incredible. It truly is incredible.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, your nomination places you among previous honorees such as Ella Fitzgerald, Leontine Price, Marion Williams, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Diana Ross and Dionne Warwick. Who would you say had the most profound impact upon you and your music career?

[Gloria Gaynor]

Well, Ella Fitzgerald was one of them. And in the beginning of my career, I did listen to Dionne Warwick and I listened to Barbra Streisand and I listened to all of these great artists who already had great recordings and great success and great voices. And I listened to them and to. To help me with my diction and phrasing and vocal acrobatics, so to speak, which doesn't seem to be very prominent among singers today. But those were the things that were at that time, were important at that time, still are important to me and still are a part of my recordings and my vocals. And. But those are the people who uplifted and encouraged me without even knowing it, just from what they did with their careers.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, Gloria, you became a Grammy winner 40 years after I Will Survive for your gospel roots album Testimony. And you have a new EP called Happy Tears. It seems that you are not just surviving, but thriving you think you'll keep making music as long as God allows you to?

[Gloria Gaynor]

I absolutely will. I absolutely will. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. And I often say to you, I'm like a spinning top. If I stop, I will drop.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, Gloria, congratulations on this tremendous honor and thank you for being such an inspiration. Thank you so much because I Will Survive is a song that will likely survive for years and years to come. I wanted to know what kind of a legacy she wants to leave prior to receiving her award at the gala. Her answer was profound.

[Gloria Gaynor]

I want it to be that I shine the light that led them to Christ.

[Bo Davidson]

This testimony should not be lost on anyone who enters the entertainment industry for having rock solid beliefs and principles can sustain the person in times of great tribulation. When we come back, I profiled the man behind the mask, Michael Crawford.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Don't go anywhere. The road to the Kennedy center honors will be right back, only here on Real America's Voice.

[LG Gram Advertiser]

Did you know Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop, voted PCMag's Reader's Choice top laptop brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere, and Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com for great seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11. PCMag reader's choice used with permission. All rights reserved.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.

[Bo Davidson]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

[Bo Davidson]

Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th. Watch the trailer on trainergames.com Season 2.

[Unrivaled Basketball Announcer]

Of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. The best women's players on the planet are running it back with even bigger moments and bigger stakes. Don't miss as Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more. Take the court and redefine the game. This isn't your regular season. This is unrivaled, where the pace is faster, the energy is higher and every athlete shines. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5 on TNT, TruTV and HBO.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Max support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now Generated Assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index, and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member finra SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, LLC SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] Disclosures A new year.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Is on the horizon, and your 2026 savings start here. Right now. You can access the Washington post for just $2 every four weeks. Head into the new year with six months of savings at the special intro rate. After that, it'll cost $12 every four weeks. Cancel anytime. You'll get unlimited access to trusted journalism that helps you understand the year ahead and the world around you. Now's the perfect time to subscribe, because great habits and great savings start together. Go to washingtonpost.com iheart that's washingtonpost.com iheart and start your year informed with the Post.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Welcome back to the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors. The journey continues on Real America's Voice.

[Bo Davidson]

Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams Leave your thoughts of the life you knew before Let your soul take you where you long to be Only then can you belong to me These iconic lyrics come from Andrew Lloyd Webber's the Phantom of the Opera, which has led an extraordinary run on Broadway. The man behind the mask was Michael Crawford, a British child actor and stunt actor who had a wild imagination. I asked him how having such a vivid imagination paved the way for playing such an iconic character.

[Michael Crawford]

My favorite people were Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Lauren Hardy, all those people. Because that was drama. It was drama. The they played with comedic physicality. And that introduced me to I loved making people laugh. And I love doing. I mean, I did a stunt sequence on roller skates that went under in between the front and the back wheels of a moving truck, and people say, oh my God you're so brave. And I said, as a kid, you would get give anything to be able to do things like this on roller skates, but you'd be arrested. And I was doing it and I was getting paid for it. So I was really. It was a great career playing comedy. I love playing comedy.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, my last question is, did you ever think as a boy you would wind up on a president's playlist? I still can't believe that growing up, I volunteered at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee, so that I could see Phantom as many times as I wanted to. Theater tickets were expensive, and this allowed me to explore my own imagination of what kind of art that I wanted to explore. The Phantom perhaps began a series of downtrodden creatures that audiences fell in love with. He was the man who loved, but was never loved in return. People found compassion for the Phantom and his loneliness and understood his rage. Michael Crawford gave this lonesome gargoyle creature a heart and a soul and a voice, a magnificent voice. Because Crawford had already achieved a certain level of career notoriety by the time he was cast, I wanted to know what it was about the role of the Phantom that created such a global impression.

[Michael Crawford]

It was a beautiful piece of music. It was, I found, a drama when I heard it. It wasn't demonic and they had recorded it as a rock thing, the Phantom of the Operas. And it was. I saw it as a drama rather than anything else. And so I wanted to delve into the man that had never been loved, never been held, never been touched by a mother. And so to imagine that and to find the. The truth in became a very plaintive, plaintive sound, a message that you could be tender and then ferocious. It had the temper because he became very violent. I have to look at that side too. But the main thing was that he loved. He discovered love. And if you sing that from deep inside you, you find that love and it makes you weep every night. And when the thing is over, and we were designing it, Sarah Brightman, in rehearsal, she just dropped the veil one night and I picked it up and I just stuffed it on my face and I sang the last three lines into it. And they kept it in because it was. If you've ever lost somebody and you can smell the people themselves in a piece of clothing, and.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

It just.

[Michael Crawford]

You've got to convey that and to do that with the character.

[Bo Davidson]

In spite of Michael Crawford's stardom, it is perhaps his graceful humility and passion for the craft of creating this iconic role that places him in a class all by himself. His music of the night will continue to play in our hearts forever. When we return, we learn about how the movie Rocky got made and how a misfit boy who was kicked out of a number of schools found his niche. We'll be right back with more of the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Don't go anywhere the road to the Kennedy Center Honors will be right back, only here on Real America. America's Voice did you know?

[LG Gram Advertiser]

Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop voted PCMag's Reader's Choice Top Laptop Brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere, and Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iheart for great, great seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11. PCMag reader's choice used with permission. All rights reserved.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract for $250,000.

[Bo Davidson]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

[Bo Davidson]

Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th Watch the trailer on trainergames.com Season 2.

[Unrivaled Basketball Announcer]

Of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy tips off January 5th on TNT, TruTV and HBO.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Max support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] Disclosures A new year.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Is on the horizon, and your 2026 savings start here. Right now. You can access the Washington post for just $2 every four weeks. Head into the new year with six months of savings at this special intro rate. After that, it'll cost $12 every four weeks. Cancel anytime. You'll get unlimited access to trusted journalism that helps you understand the year ahead and the world around you. Now's the perfect time to subscribe because great habits and great savings start together. Go to washingtonpost.com iheart that's washingtonpost.com iheart and start your year informed with the Post.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Welcome back to the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors. The journey continues on Real American Voice.

[Bo Davidson]

This unforgettable theme song has become etched in our souls as Rocky's theme, the boxer who toughed it out and overcame all odds. But how did Rocky get made? Sylvester Stallone was a kid born with facial paralysis who was expelled from dozens of schools. He worked odd jobs, including cleaning the lion cages at Central Park Zoo. For young Stallone, he said he looked like a villain, so he played one on screen. But Stallone wanted to know why great movies were truly great. He needed to see why some script dialogue lines landed and others did not. Now, the only way he knew to study this was by going to see films in the theaters. So he did what I did as a kid. He became an usher and got to see as many films as he wanted to for free. And he took pen to paper to start his craft of writing. When he auditioned for one particular film, the producers passed on him for the part, and Stallone mentioned that he was a writer. And in that moment of serendipity, the producers asked what he had written. He said he had a script. That script was Rocky, and those producers made that very film.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place. And I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit.

[Tony Brown]

It's about how hard you can get.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now if you know what you're worth now, go out and get what you're worth. But you got to be willing to take the hits and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you want to be because of him or her or anybody. Cowards do that, and that ain't you. You're better than that.

[Bo Davidson]

Stallone said that he never intended to become an action star with unforgettable roles such as Rambo. But it was Stallone's internal fortitude and physical strength that enabled him to embody these roles and become the action hero that we all wanted to be. Stallone now continues to put pen to paper with the hit show Tulsa King, where he insists that he is merely playing himself.

[Real America's Voice Host]

I've always thought of life as like this one way street and you head down and as you do, it sort of disappears behind you. So you can only go one direction forward. And looking way down there, you see a city, but it's on fire and it's red hot. And like I said before, you can't go back. Once you started this damn journey, you can only go forward.

[Bo Davidson]

Even cabinet secretaries like Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick have been affected by Stallone. You know, Rocky was in all of our lives.

[Real America's Voice Host]

If you're my age 64, you know Rocky and Rambo were there all the time.

[Bo Davidson]

Stallone was honored by his brother Frank, who tearfully remarked that it was he and his brother who came from nowhere and through grit and courage, wound up somewhere. When we come back, I highlight the legendary career of the king of country music, George Strait. We'll be right back.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Don't go anywhere. The road to the Kennedy Center Honors will be right back. Only here on Real America's Voice.

[LG Gram Advertiser]

Did you know Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop. Voted PCMag's Reader's Choice. Top laptop brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere. And Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iHeart for great seasonal sales savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11 PC Mag. Reader's Choice. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract for $250,000.

[Bo Davidson]

This. This is where mindset comes in.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

[Bo Davidson]

Trainer games on prime video January 8th watch the trailer on trainergames.com Season 2.

[Unrivaled Basketball Announcer]

Of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5 on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max support for the.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member finra SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] Disclosures A new year.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Is on the horizon and your 2026 savings start here. Right now. You can access the Washington post for just $2 every four weeks. Head into the new year with six months of savings at the special intro rate. After that, it'll cost $12 every four weeks. Cancel anytime. You'll get unlimited access to trusted journalism that helps you understand the year ahead and the world around you. Now's the perfect time to subscribe because great habits and great savings start together. Go to washingtonpost.com iheart that's washingtonpost.com iheart and start your year informed with the Post.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Welcome back to the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors. The journey continues on Real American Voice.

[Bo Davidson]

Sometimes I feel like Jesse James still trying to make a name Knowing nothing's gonna change what I am. I was a young troubadour when I wrote in on a song I'll be an old troubadour when I'm gone. Welcome back. Another Kennedy center honoree is the great George Strait. He has come to be known as the King of country music by critics and writers, or to many in the music world, simply as king. George Strait has sold over 120 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling artists of all time. He holds the Recording Industry association record for most certified albums by any artist. Strait is credited for his traditional approach to country music and noted for his authentic cowboy image. Strait's career began while working as a rancher by day and performing with his band Ace in the Hole at Honky Tonks by night. Many may not know that Strait enlisted in the U.S. army in 1971, was stationed in Hawaii, became a corporal, and then was honorably discharged in 1975. Straight very rarely gives interviews. So I have asked his longtime producer Tony Brown to give us some intimate insight into George's musical career in a way that only a true musician can do. Tony, thanks a million for joining me today.

[Tony Brown]

My pleasure. Anything for George Strait.

[Bo Davidson]

Absolutely. Well, Tony, you know you've been the architect of over 100 number one hits. That's a ton. But growing up, you were a gospel music piano player who came to Nashville knowing very little about country music. But because Elvis Presley loved gospel, you would go over and play in the gospel band at his house and then in the TCB band. Some might call that luck, others might call it a God thing. How do you view your early days in music that transitioned from gospel to country music?

[Tony Brown]

It has to be a God thing. I mean, I would have never in a million years think that I would be the president of a record company and much less producing the biggest country music star there was or even playing with Elvis Presley is that far that goes.

[Bo Davidson]

It's incredible, honestly, that you came from performing in his house band and then eventually you became an A and R man at MCA Records. So at what point, Tony, did you hear about George Strait and then how did you come to be his producer?

[Tony Brown]

When I came to Nashville in 69, I was still in gospel music and I really wasn't into country music at all. After touring with Emmy Lou Harris for a couple years, she turned me on to country music. Then when I got back to Nashville, I decided to quit playing piano and get in the record business. And George has just started to break then and it's pretty much a phenomenon because they would go, what's the deal with this guy? He just walks on stage and the people go crazy. Like Elvis, it just walks around stage and does nothing, you know. And so I, I, I've always been kind of analytical. So I started studying who this guy was and I First went to a session, he, he was doing a McDonald's commercial. And, and, and I, I was going, I don't get what the deal is with this guy. But who knew that maybe five years later I would be his producer, which I consider myself very lucky that that happened.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah. Again, that's why, as I mentioned, some people might call it happenstance, others a true godwink in many ways, or a divine providence. As I reviewed George Straits career, Tony, it was interesting to me to learn that his bar owner pal Irv Woolsey tried to get Nashville interested in George. But it seems that everyone on music row turned him down. And this is a very common thing that you hear about, about sometimes in stories of incredible artists. So he was about to take a job offer designing cattle pens, but his wife said just give it one more year and he got a one song deal with mca. Walk me through the early part of his career. Career where many would be legends might simply give up and probably have.

[Tony Brown]

Well, I was at RCA Records at that time when he first signed to mca, so I only heard about him just from the news and the noise he was making as an artist. And you know, and I know they did try to get him to take his hat off and he wouldn't do it. And he sort of created what we call the had ax, you know, like Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Clint. Clint Black and so on and so forth. So all of a sudden all these had acts appeared. Now there's like capacity. Everybody wears a baseball cap backwards, but George stuck to his guns and, you know, but me being in the business as long as I have, I just sort of. I'm an analytical person. I think the thing about him that's so amazing that he's never tried to reinvent himself. Most artists seem to try to do that. They think it's time to create a new image or a new brand. George has stayed the same consistently. I think that's, I think that's the magic to his career.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah, Tony, I eventually, I do want to get into some of his musical trajectory and how he stayed true to everything that he always was. But in 1992, you became his longtime producer and your first album together is pure country now. Tony. I have a great professional relationship with Steve Dorff, the writer of the song I Cross My Heart, it's near and dear to my heart. But because I know the story behind this song that had been pitched to boys, to men who didn't like it. Bette Midler recorded it. Who did? According to them, not a great rendition of the song and then ultimately played for George, who commented that it was a nice song, but. But not one of Steve Dwarf's best. Is this a great example of the kismet that only happens when a great song gets married to a great artist and the providential road that leads to that?

[Tony Brown]

Yeah, you know, I'm learning things about this song I never even knew. I know when I was asked to do pure country, it was my first album with George. Up to that point, he had been selling platinum, which is a million records, and that record sold 8 million copies. So my first shot with George was a good way to start.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah, absolutely. And when it comes to I Cross My heart, did when you had George record that again, because it sounds like he wasn't too all that crazy about the song. Did you know just your ear, your musical ear, that that song would become one of the greatest country ballads of all time?

[Tony Brown]

No, I. I've cut several songs with George that I realized would be big. Like Troubadour was a big song I thought would be big across my Heart. I had no idea how big that song would be because it's a ballad, for one thing, a real pop, lush ballad. And it became the biggest song on the record. I mean, Heartland was the first single, was a big hit, but Cross My Heart was so big. And also it was a big part of the movie, too. The love scene with the girl in there.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah, absolutely. And I got a credit, you know, again, my buddy Steve Doer, for writing Heartland and Across My Heart. Just an amazing songwriter. Well, you produce 17 studio albums, I believe, with straight and 37 number ones.

[Tony Brown]

I've done 20 albums, George.

[Bo Davidson]

Oh, 20. Okay. Even. Even more. Even better. 20 and 30. And 37 number ones. Is that right?

[Tony Brown]

Correct.

[Bo Davidson]

Okay.

[Tony Brown]

And I think that's. That's the thing that I'm proud of is because, you know, I could have maybe cut four or five in a row and then lost my. My magic, but I kept it going to the very end. So him.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah, you've had an incredible career with him, and I'd love for you to just give our viewers just a glimpse of what it's like to work with him and make that magic in studio.

[Tony Brown]

Well, you know, if you know anything about the recording business in Nashville, most artists use session players. There's a musicians who live in town, and you create a band to play on records. Most. Most artists don't use their record, their road band on record. We hire musicians and George has. Has a certain group of people he's hired for every. Every session that I did, the same exact band, and they become his band for that record. And. And they just. We go in the studio, it's just like second nature. Everything just sort of falls into place. So easy.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah. And it seems like he's very faithful to those guys too. And I'm sure that those. Those musicians appreciated it.

[Tony Brown]

One of the musicians, a piano player, had moved to la and we cut him Key west when I was cutting him Key West, Florida. And it's hard to get a flight in the Key West. The piano player had. Had just gotten married, and it was. His wife was expecting the day of. The first day of his sessions. So he called and said, hey, I can't make the session. My wife's expecting today. I can't make it. So I told George I had to hire a replacement for this guy. And George says, does he not enjoy playing all my records? I said, george is his first baby. My God, give him a break. But George been like stranger. He likes. He likes. His comfort zone is the same players, same engineer, same studio. And we pretty much cater to the same riders, too. Dean Dillon with a majority of the songs, and I sort of knew what kind of songs fit Jordan. Ben Jordan pretty much saw eye to eye on song that fit him really good.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah, well, it seems like he values the consistency of those players and who's around. In which I think a lot of those musicians in Nashville certainly appreciate. You know, Tony, because you've worn both the producer and the A and R hats in your career. You've seen the ebbs and flows and changes in country music. But George Strait, to borrow his name, was always straight as an arrow when it came to the music. It didn't waver or fall. Privy to fads. You mentioned this earlier. So talk about the artist, George Strait and why his music has just been always authentically George.

[Tony Brown]

Well, you know, I don't think, you know, he.

[Bo Davidson]

He's.

[Tony Brown]

I don't consider himself. He's always been called the Frank Sinatra of country music. And when you think of Frank Sinatra, you don't think about. Frank Sinatra has been a singer as. Just as much as being a star celebrity. I mean, Celine Dion's a singer, right? But George is. He.

[Michael Crawford]

He just.

[Tony Brown]

When he sings a song, it's. It's. It sounds like he's every man's voice. I think every man thinks I could sing like that, but they can't. But George, he's just so natural for him. We would find songs that. That fit him. I remember one time when John Michael Montgomery had, I Swear, which was a big pop crossover. The writer who wrote that song sent me a song for George, which would have been a great song for John Michael Montgomery. So I showed it to George because I thought it was a hit. And George says, this is a great song, but what are you thinking? I think John Michael Montgomery should cut this. And I said, you know, forgive me. I'm sorry. Sorry about that. But I sort of started learning what was in his comfort zone, what fit him. He never tried to push the envelope, but he didn't play safe. He just never tried to push the envelope because he thought I needed to change. He just was so consistent. And making records with him is absolutely the easiest production things I've done in my life. So. So natural.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, it's. It's interesting to me you say this because I think it takes a true artist to recognize what their capabilities are, what they're comfortable with, what they're willing to do, what they're not to Willing. Willing to do, and what ultimately will make a better record and a better song. And it sounds like George. I mean, how many artists would have listened to I Swear. And been like, I don't care whether I can sing or not. I'm gonna sing it because it's an amazing song. It's been a hit for obviously many, many different people. So that's interesting that it takes a true artist like George to recognize. This isn't for me, but it is for someone else. And I think that humility is incredible too.

[Tony Brown]

That's the thing I love about George. He was pretty much knew pretty quickly whether it would fit him or not. Of course, as the A R Person, I just look for hit songs. And, you know, hit songs used to have a hook course or whatever. But after that little experience, I was a little shy about pitching him songs that we did a John Prine song called I want to dance with you. And I would have never in a million years thought George Floyd would do a John prime song, but it seemed to fit him. It was one of his biggest hits, the number one song. But it just seemed so natural. And I remember playing for George, and George said, what are you thinking? I said, I think that's a number one song for you. So George Kennick, and it was number one.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, Tony, you've got the. You've got the golden ears when it comes to that. That's for sure. You were. And to speak to that, you were just inducted in the Country Music hall of fame in 2025, which is such a big Honor, and we salute you for that. And George has said that you will leave a big footprint in the music world. If there's one album or even one song with George that you feel like defines your career with him, what would it be?

[Tony Brown]

Troubadour. And that's the only album we won a Grammy with. We won a Country CMA Award Album of the Year. He won a Grammy for that album as well. But the song was such. Such a Magic George Strait song. And he's singing at my induction. I didn't know he was gonna. I didn't know he was going to be there. So as a surprise, he came out and sang Troubadour and needlessly made me feel like somebody.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, you know, Tony, you. You have a lot of humility to yourself, too. And I've read several articles about you where it just seems like you. You know, again, people could say right place, right time, but obviously it took a certain amount of your own talent as an AR man, as a producer, as a gospel player, to get you to work with two amazing legends, Elvis Presley and George Strait. When you think about the annals of time and the chronology of music, you know, I was at the ACM Artist of the Decade honors years ago when many artists came out to perform George's songs for him. And the one that blew me away, I gotta say, was Jamie Foxx singing youg look so Good In Love in this R B way that I think really struck George. Let's take a look at it real quick.

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[Bo Davidson]

Well, I wish you stick. Do you think I looked at his. At George's face? Was he as surprised as he seemed? And what does he think of other artists covering his music?

[Tony Brown]

Well, you know, we've never. We never really talk about those kind of things, but I think he was surprised that Jamie could sing that song. I mean, I didn't know that Jamie. Of course, Jamie had that film about Ray Charles which proved he could sing.

[Bo Davidson]

Yeah.

[Tony Brown]

But that night was totally a surprise for everybody in the audience, including me. And George did a killer job on it.

[Bo Davidson]

Oh, he did. He did. It was. And. And did you suggest this to Jamie that he do this?

[Tony Brown]

No. None of us. None of us knew what? All the artists that sing songs as a tribute to George on that show, Surprise to the artists. So I don't think anyone knew that was going to happen. It was. Except the people at ACMs.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, I think what's so cool about that is that Jamie talked about being in Texas and being inspired by George and how sexy his music was. And then this just. This magic happened. I was floored. I was just flabbergasted about how great it was and the. The spin he took on it, the originality and the artistry he brought to it. And as you mentioned, his performance in Ray was incredible too. You know, George is going to be honored, of course. Why we're doing this for the Kennedy center, but I feel like George is not really a guy who rests on his laurels or values high praise. So as you look back at so much great music with George, I bet no honor could really encapsulate that for you or for him. So tell me what's been meaningful to your life and what George's legacy will be.

[Tony Brown]

I just think that. That. That he was true to his. His own artistry and. And I was happy to. To join him in that. In that mission because I. I never wanted to change what he was because it was. It was so magic. I remember people would say, what is it about George Straight. He just walks on stage and people go crazy. It's called when you're good, you're. Of all the songs I've cut with George, my favorite. One of my favorite things was a song called run. A real contemporary thing, but a very cool song. If you haven't heard that song, go check it out. But man, my. My time in the studio with George has been totally fun and rewarding to say the least.

[Bo Davidson]

Well, 20 albums and. And so many hits later. Tony, you've just been part of a musical legacy that I think is so worthy of adulation and emulation and its. And I appreciate your kindness and your humility and of course, your time here today. So thank you so much, Tony.

[Tony Brown]

I'm honored. Thank you very much.

[Bo Davidson]

When we come back, we profiled the band that had us rocking and rolling all night and every day.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Don't go anywhere. The road to the Kennedy center honors will be right back, only here on Real America's Voice.

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[Fitness Show Promoter]

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[Bo Davidson]

This is where mindset comes in.

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Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

[Bo Davidson]

Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th Watch the trailer on trainergames.com Season 2.

[Unrivaled Basketball Announcer]

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[Public Investing Advertiser]

Max support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member finra, SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comdisclosures ever wish.

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[Real America's Voice Host]

Welcome back to the road to the Kennedy Center Honors. The journey continues on Real America Voice.

[Bo Davidson]

I want to rock and roll all night and party every day. These are the lyrics that come from Paul Stanley. When he approached Gene Simmons about merging that idea with a tune Gene Simmons had called Drive Me Wild, that collaboration would become an anthem. It was the music of Kiss, a band comprised of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Crisscross, a quartet of musicians who put on face paint and costumes to stand out in the crowd. That band that formed in 1973 in New York City became legendary, and their music has withstood the test of time. Sadly, lead guitarist Ace Frehley passed away in October before the band could accept their prestigious Kennedy center honor. On the red carpet, I spoke to all three remaining members of the band, beginning with Paul Stanley, reflecting on the band's legacy.

[Real America's Voice Host]

My mother fled Germany to avoid the concentration camps with hours to spare and came to America, saw the Statue of Liberty, saw the American flag, had parents who didn't abuse the system, but used the system to help elevate their children to what they didn't have. My father the same. It's humbling. I'm the result of the American dream and that it is alive and well. The playing field is not always easy.

[Tony Brown]

Him.

[Real America's Voice Host]

People don't always have the same advantages. Some have more disadvantages. But you find out how much something is worth by how much you're willing to work to achieve it. What's the one moment about Ace Fooley.

[Bo Davidson]

That makes you smile?

[Real America's Voice Host]

That he was looking forward to this and that doesn't change even with his demise. He's here in spirit, I believe very much that and spirits live on through us.

[Bo Davidson]

Paul, what would you like for the legacy of Kiss to be as you think back on your illustrious career that.

[Real America's Voice Host]

We are about have always been about self empowerment. We're about believing in yourself, hard work and what that hard work can give you. If something's easy, it's probably not worth the time.

[Bo Davidson]

Bass guitarist Gene Simmons has been more vocal in recent days, advocating with President Trump for the American Music Fairness act, which aims to compensate recording artists for radio airplay. He spoke firstly about the privilege of being American and then about his recent advocacy.

[Real America's Voice Host]

Every, every day has been just amazing. And you know, we have the Hollywood Star Walk of Fame and this award and that award and we got, you know, it's appreciated but the first and biggest prizes. Living in America, people, you know, people, people who are born here have a problem with that. They think patriotism and Love of America is cornball. Tell you what I'm going to do to you, buddy. I'm going to give you a free round trip ticket, maybe one way ticket to Iran, North Korea, anywhere in Africa, Southeast Asia, all these places. Let me know how fast you want to come back crying to America. We have more illegal immigrants in America approaching 20 million than most of the countries in the world have populations for one reason, because America is the best country on the planet. There's just no way else to do it. That's exactly what it's about. That the American Fair Music act will get passed. And you take into consideration that the Elvis Presley estate, Frank Sinatra estate, the largest artist of all time, have never gotten paid when you heard them on the radio. Think about this for a second. Writers, producers, record companies, everybody got paid. When you hear Elvis says, I turn on my radio station to hear my favorite artists, their performance, they get paid zero for. We have to change that because it's just not fair. You go to see a Brad Pitt movie because Brad's in it. The studio gets paid. The distributor, the exhibitor, Brad doesn't get paid. Well, I'm going to see the movie because of Brad. I spoke briefly with the President. It will get passed. It's a bipartisan hearing and I'm proud to be there to represent not just artists of the past, but the future artists of America. We invented this thing called rock and roll, blues, rap, you know, all that stuff came from here. How about giving our artists what they're due?

[Bo Davidson]

Drummer Peter Criss is known for the band's sweeter side with his beautiful ballad Best, which was the B side to Detroit Rock City. The band did not do ballads, however. Many men can relate if they can't be home with their wives because they were working. So once again, Kiss produced another relatable hit. This time they went straight to the heart. So this is Kiss, a band that has been entertaining audiences since 1973. And this is the story of many legends whose passion, courage and tenacity persevered through many tribulations to attain ultimate success. And whether it was Michael Crawford's vivid imagination, George Strait's authenticity, Kiss's perfect musical mixture, and connection with their audience. Sylvester Stallone's Rocky and Rambo, like courage or Gloria Gaynor's spiritual fortitude, all five honorees represent something magical and pure about the arts and American culture. They also represent excellence. To be an artist, you must have a certain type of courage and self confidence that few have in order to weather the storms of a tumultuous business and the ebbs and flows of career tides. When I think about every single music label ignoring George Strait, Gloria Gaynor singing I Will Survive in a back brace, Sylvester Stallone walking out and saying to producers, well, you know, I write too. Want to read this new script of mine? I realized that to be an artist means to have tremendous courage. Their music and films don't just entertain us, they inspire us. How often have you heard the theme to Rocky and thought, I can do this or heard George Strait's Heartland and it made you remember where you came from or listened to I will survive in that moment of desolation or personal breakup, the artists and their art move us. That's exactly what they intended to do. It is a transcendence, a transfer of emotion between storyteller and audience. So to these five Kennedy center honorees for 2025, we salute you, we commend you, we honor you from the highest office in the land to the unknown person in the heartland whose life was changed by your art. John F. Kennedy would be proud.

[Real America's Voice Host]

You're watching the Road to the Kennedy Center Honors. Thank you for joining us here on Real America's Voice.

[LG Gram Advertiser]

Did you know Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop, voted PCMag's Reader's Choice top laptop brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere and Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iHeart for great seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11. PCMag reader's choice used with permission. All rights reserved.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Ten athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.

[Bo Davidson]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

Someone will be eliminated. Pressure is coming down.

[Bo Davidson]

Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th. Watch the trailer on trainergames.com Season 2.

[Unrivaled Basketball Announcer]

Of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy Tips off January 5th on TNT, TruTV and HBO.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Max support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index, and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FII Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] Disclosures A new year.

[Fitness Show Promoter]

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[Bo Davidson]

Guaranteed Human.