Oklahoma’s Ford Burget to Help America Begin Its 250th Birthday Celebration on Great American Family

NEW YORK, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Great American Media is bringing its new “America Sings the Anthem” initiative to life by introducing the first featured voice that will help open the broadcast day on Great American Family.

On July 4, 11-year-old Ford Burget of Oklahoma will lead the network’s daily presentation of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” marking the beginning of a yearlong celebration showcasing voices from across America.

Ford’s selection is especially fitting.

Earlier this year, millions of Americans watched as Ford courageously stepped forward to sing the National Anthem before an Oklahoma Sooners softball game. When a brief sound malfunction caused him to stop, believing he had made a mistake, players, coaches and thousands of fans immediately joined together to continue singing until he found his place again.

What could have been an overwhelming moment became one of encouragement, grace, and unity. The video quickly spread nationwide and was later featured during “ABC World News Tonight’s” America Strong, reminding viewers that the National Anthem still has the unique ability to bring Americans together.

That spirit is exactly what inspired “America Sings the Anthem.”

Created as part of Great American Media’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday, the initiative invited Americans from every walk of life, students, families, churches, choirs, veterans, active-duty service members, first responders and community groups, to share their rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The response reflected voices and stories from communities across the country, all united by a shared love of country.

Beginning July 4, those voices will become part of Great American Family’s daily tradition of opening the broadcast day with the National Anthem, celebrating the people, places and shared values that continue to unite America.

“When we launched “America Sings the Anthem,” our hope was to celebrate the people behind our country’s story,” said Bill Abbott, President & CEO of Great American Media. “Ford’s experience reminded millions of Americans that the National Anthem has a remarkable way of bringing people together. An entire stadium chose encouragement over criticism, unity over division, and that’s a beautiful reflection of the country we love. We couldn’t imagine a better voice to help begin America’s 250th birthday celebration and launch what we hope becomes a meaningful tradition for our viewers.”

The initiative follows the overwhelming response to “America Reads the Bible,” which reached millions of homes and demonstrated the desire for meaningful, shared experiences centered on faith, family, and country. With “America Sings the Anthem,” Great American Media continues that commitment by celebrating the voices and stories that reflect the heart of America.

Ford’s performance will air July 4 at 6:00 a.m. ET, helping begin America’s birthday with a moment of gratitude, reflection, and patriotism. His performance marks the first of many voices that will be featured throughout the year as part of “America Sings the Anthem,” creating a new tradition that celebrates communities across the nation and reinforces Great American Family’s commitment to beginning each day with the National Anthem.

ABOUT GREAT AMERICAN MEDIA
Great American Media is the leader in faith and family entertainment, and one of the fastest-growing entertainment networks on television. Great American Media is home to a portfolio of entertainment brands that celebrate faith, family and country, including Great American Family, the flagship linear network featuring original Christmas movies, rom-coms and beloved series; Great American Pure Flix, the leading faith and family streaming service; Great American Faith & Living, the unscripted companion network; and GFam+, an app that lets viewers watch anytime, anywhere. Great America Media, established in June 2021 by Bill Abbott and a group of U.S.-based family offices, is available via cable, streaming on Pure Flix and YouTube TV, and on the GFam+ app.

Media Contact:
Debbie Davis
E: media@crosswindpr.com
C: 214-802-8979

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SOURCE Great American Media