Carrie Underwood: Quintessentially American

It was a pivotal moment, small but significant. You saw it, right? At President Trump’s inauguration, indoors at the Capitol last week – where silence echoes – the sound system failed. The soundtrack meant to accompany Carrie Underwood singing “America the Beautiful” started, then stopped. She did not miss a beat, creating a quintessentially American moment – recovery, resilience, success.

As Underwood prepared to sing, with all the world watching, the start of accompanying music began, then suddenly cut off. Everyone expected it to begin, technology to come through. It did not. Everyone suddenly realized there was no sound system. Underwood did what Americans do.

She improvised, leaned in, and stepped up. Demonstrating extraordinary poise, confidence, and the quality we often call “American can-do,” she picked up the fallen torch and carried it home.

That wonderful, transcendent, patriotic, and moving song .. she sang by herself. With her wonderful, transcendent, patriotic, moving voice, no technology, every note came out perfectly.

She decided on the spot to rescue that vital moment, step up, and rescue the inauguration’s solemnity, poignancy, and musical capstone. She trusted her voice to do it alone.

That would have been extraordinary, inspiring, uplifting, and a point of pride. But on the spur of the moment, she did more than that. She reached out to all those present, those who might otherwise have murmured the words or listened, and urged everyone to sing. I did … at home.

In the flash of a passing second, wink of an eye, she brought the entire group together, empowered them, leaned on them, and motioned them to join her in song. They did. They sang with her, sang with their heart, voiced with her the unity of the moment, and helped rescue each other from awkwardness.

In one swift, confident, inspired moment, she pulled that entire Rotunda of people togetherand did it with song, which lifted the moment, reshaped it, and made it not about her but about them andabout us.

And then, as the song’s closing words and notes – her voice and theirs – ebbed and echoed in that majestic, historic place and moment, she added grace to wit, heart, and inclusion. She leaned toward the crowd with joined hands and offered to everyone who sang with her – gratitude.

Then, without missing a beat, without bringing more attention to herself, but in a way converting her inner song, their inner song, our national song, into action, she turned and shook hands with President Trump, Vice President Vance, and former President Biden. She closed the circle.

We all saw and most appreciated it, yet it passed so quickly, almost as if the moment were mere embroidery on the magnificence of the ceremony, day, place, and words that preceded it.

But here is the point: It was not mere embroidery, not insignificant, not so much an accident or inconsequential innovation as a revelation, as much one as any of God’s quietly given little gifts.

You see, that moment encapsulated who we are, all of us, why and how, and to what depths we care – about our Nation, each other, the importance of honor, service, and rising to the occasion. We Americans do what needs doing when it needs doing, often instinctively, often with grace.

That presence of mind, willingness to act, inclusive disposition, performance with poise under unexpected pressure, and resolve not to let others down was quintessentially American and inspiring.

In truth – and is this not how God works? – that was a pivotal, poignant moment, small but large.

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).