TEAM USA HONORED

[USAS]

TEAM USA HONORED WITH A SPECIAL TRIBUTE IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

America's Biggest Birthday Party Offers Patriotic Send Off for America's Athletes

Colorado Springs, Colo. - Members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams will be honored with a special tribute during the annual Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C. The celebration will be televised on the 28th annual broadcast of A Capitol Fourth, hosted by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits.

Live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, gold medal winner Scott Hamilton will lead the tribute to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams honoring past and present Olympians and Paralympians before a crowd of hundreds of thousands. Olympians and Paralympians to be honored during the tribute include: Eli Bremer (modern pentathlon, 2008); B. Pat Connolly (athletics, 1960, '64 & '68); Harold Connolly (athletics, 1956, '60, '64 & '68); Jake Deitchler (wrestling, 2008); Kendrick Farris (weightlifting, 2008); Dominic Grazioli (shooting, 2008); Alexandra Harbold (canoe/kayak, 1992 & '96); Mike Harbold (canoe/kayak, 1988, '92 & 96); Dave Johnson (swimming, 1968); Jessica Long (U.S. Paralympics, swimming, 2004 & '08); Khan "Bob" Malaythong (badminton, 2008); Tim Morehouse (fencing, 2008); Lacey O'Neal (athletics, 1964 & '72); Nancy Rios (sailing, 2008).

Additionally, a musical tribute from the National Symphony Orchestra with maestro Erich Kunzel will include John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare" and the inspirational song "This is the Moment" performed by Tony Award-winning Broadway Star Brian Stokes Mitchell.

The multi-award winning event will be broadcast in high definition and commercial free on PBS Friday, July 4, 2008 from 8:00 to 9:30 pm ET (check local listings). The event will also be simulcast on National Public Radio and around the world to our troops on the American Forces Network.

A Capitol Fourth will also include special performances by Grammy Award-winning musicians Huey Lewis and the News, American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame legend Jerry Lee Lewis, classical superstar Hayley Westenra and American soprano Harolyn Blackwell in performance with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Erich Kunzel.

New this year is extended coverage of the most dazzling display of fireworks in the nation. The skyline of our capital will come alive with vibrant and booming pyrotechnics, set against silhouettes of national landmarks including the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.

In addition, the program will feature performances by The Choral Arts Society of Washington, The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, The U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery, and an Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

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For more information, please contact the USOC Media and Public Relations Division (719/866-4529). This release also is available on the USOC's public web site (www.teamusa.org) and our media-specific web site (www.usocpressbox.org)

About the U.S. Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games.

About Capital Concerts
For more than 25 years, Capital Concerts has produced the two major patriotic events at the U.S. Capitol. In 1981, executive producer Jerry Colbert presented the first PBS Fourth of July telecast with the National Symphony Orchestra and guest artists performing live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. In 1990, he introduced the National Memorial Day Concert. Since then, both holiday specials have been honored with over 55 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.

A Capitol Fourth 2008 is made possible by grants from The Boeing Company, the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, the National Endowment for the Arts, PBS and public televisions stations nationwide.