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CNN Live Today

Band Performs 'Hero' for Holiday

Aired July 04, 2002 - 11:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Kendis Gibson, you take it from here, with these great musicians you have joining us here at CNN. And you have a great holiday as well.

KENDIS GIBSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, happy Fourth to you as well.

KAGAN: Thank you.

GIBSON: As you mentioned, Cornbread is on the recipe today. And we have Cornbread, this group from South Carolina.

You know, we've been talking about how patriotism...

(CROSSTALK)

KENI THOMAS, FMR. U.S. ARMY RANGER: Columbus, Georgia.

GIBSON: Columbus, Georgia. All right.

THOMAS: We'll tackle you if you start getting it wrong, boy.

GIBSON: But you know, we have been talking about how patriotism, patriotic music, has been taking off of lately, from "The Star- Spangled Banner" to "God Bless America. Music really has been taking off.

Keni Thomas is the lead singer for the group.

Have you kind of noticed that within the last year?

THOMAS: Oh, yes, who hasn't? It's something -- when you get something that's that -- when people start to become aware of patriotism, it is something that's always been in everybody's heart. And now that -- especially musicians, it's something that's passionate for them, it's going to come out of them.

GIBSON: And Keni, even -- you're a former Ranger. You spent some time in Somalia. We've all seen -- a lot of people have seen the movie for "Black Hawk Down." You remember those scenes. You -- what -- how did that kind of help you get into this, and how did that kind of carry over into this patriotic feel?

THOMAS: Well, it definitely carried over; I don't know if it actually helped me get into music. But it was one of those things that it meant so much to me that, that it's affected your songwriting, affects the way that you perform, affects the reasons that you perform. Believe me, every day that we're on stage, you know, I'm just, Thank God I'm here to be able to be on stage.

In fact, the song that we're going to do, called "Hero," was written for the men of Task Force Ranger from the 75th Ranger Regiment.

All right, Keni Thomas and his co-band members Alan Schaefer and Robby Wilson are going to play us out.

(CROSSTALK)

(band plays "Hero")

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