Bradley Whitford to Host 35th Anniversary of A CAPITOL FOURTH on PBS

This July 4 th, America's national Independence Day celebration kicks off our country's 239 th birthday as A CAPITOL FOURTH on PBS welcomes Emmy and SAG Award-winning actor Bradley Whitford as host of the 35 th edition.

Bradley Whitford is perhaps best known for his role as Josh Lyman in Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing and has appeared in many films, such as the recent Saving Mr. Banks, and television projects, including the Showtime dramedy Happyish.

"It is a thrill and an honor to be hosting this year's CAPITOL FOURTH celebration," said Whitford. "I invite you all to join us live from the Capitol on the Fourth of July for a concert and fireworks display you'll never forget. It's gonna be a blast!"

Added executive producer Jerry Colbert of Capital Concerts, "On the Fourth of July, we bring the country together to celebrate the birth of our great nation with music, fun and fireworks. We welcome Bradley Whitford to host this amazing participatory experience where the joy is contagious and we remember that we are all Americans."

Whitford will lead an all-star cast in a patriotic evening of unrivaled musical performances, topped off by the greatest display of fireworks anywhere in the nation, featuring music legend Barry Manilow, the most successful country music group of all time, Alabama;Grammy nominatedsinger/songwriter, with over 70 million album sales, Nicole Scherzinger; five-time Grammy nominee, CMA Award-winner and multi-instrumentalistHunter Hayes; vocal powerhouse Meghan Linsey (THE VOICE); Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum selling band, fronted by the Founder of the Dance Revolution, KC and the Sunshine Band; world renowned piano virtuoso Lang Lang; and inspirational classical cross-over global star and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan; with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly. In celebration of American icon Frank Sinatra's 100th birthday, the award-winning star of film, television and the concert stage Robert Davi will pay tribute to Ol' Blue Eyes. The 35th annual broadcast of A CAPITOL FOURTH airs on PBS Saturday, July 4, 2015 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard live in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide.

The program is a co-production of Jerry Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C. Executive producers Jerry Colbert and Michael Colbert have assembled an award-winning production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television's most prestigious entertainment awards shows. This includes: Emmy award-winning producer Walter C. Miller, whose credits include the GRAMMY AWARDS and COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS; award-winning director Paul Miller whose credits include THE COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS and SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE; and veteran television writer Jon Macks whose credits include the TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, THE ACADEMY AWARDS and the EMMY AWARDS.

About Capital Concerts
Capital Concerts is the production force behind two of television's longest-running and highest-rated live programs commemorating America's most important holidays. THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, the nation's tribute to our men and women in uniform, and A CAPITOL FOURTH, our country's biggest birthday party, have become American traditions that have consistently ranked among the highest rated programs on PBS over the past decade. The holiday specials have been honored with over 70 awards including the New York Film Festival Award, the Telly Award, the Golden Cine Award, the Videographer Award, the National Education Association Award, the Aurora Award, the Christopher Award, the Communicator's Award, the AXIEM Award, the Omni Award and the Writer's Guild of America Award.

Underwriters
A CAPITOL FOURTH is made possible by grants from The Boeing Company, the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel is provided by American Airlines.

Twitter: @July4thPBS; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capitolfourth

SOURCE Capital Concerts