Upon seeing the size of the crowd, the trio of middle-school students scheduled to perform The Star-Spangled Banner became petrified.  It was the monthly U.S. Immigration Naturalization Ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland.  We were backstage.  Every month the ceremony was ended with me performing my original song, “Celebrate America.”  I felt honored that my song was the first heard by the new Americans. The hall overflowed with a thousand or more people – applicants extremely excited about taking their oath of allegiance to the United States of America, and their supportive families there to witness the auspicious occasion. The kids sounded great rehearsing backstage.  However, halfway through their performance center stage in front of the audience, they panicked.  They stopped singing and stood there shaking.  I joined the kids on stage. I told the audience that these brave kids were prime examples of what it means to be an...(Read Full Post)