With over 25 million albums sold, eleven #1 songs (across multiple platforms), and 25 charted singles, Lee Greenwood continues to ride high with an award-winning career that rolls into its fourth decade!   Greenwood has won numerous industry awards including, Male Vocalist of the Year from the Academy of Country Music in 1983, two Male Vocalist of the Year awards from the Country Music Association in 1983 & 1984 and a Grammy for Top Male Vocal Performance in 1985 for “I.O.U.”. The CMA also named “God Bless The U.S.A.” its Song of the Year in 1985. 

Now, in 2024, 40 years later since its original release, “God Bless The USA,” topped the Billboard Rock chart – a first for Greenwood !  “God Bless the USA” continues to exceed Greenwood’s highest expectations from when he wrote it in the back of his tour bus in 1983.  The song has been in the top five on the country singles charts three times (1991, 2001 and 2003), giving it the distinction of being the only song in any genre of music to achieve that feat. It was also #1 on the pop charts after 9/11/01. In addition, CBS News voted “God Bless The U.S.A.” the most recognizable patriotic song in America.

On a personal level, Lee Greenwood wakes up every day with deep gratitude to God as well as a sense of responsibility as the writer of “God Bless The USA”, knowing what it means to so many people across this great country.  For 40 years, Lee Greenwood has performed all over the world for the American military and U.S. Presidents and is often called upon to uplift Americans during times of war and national tragedy, like on September 11.  Few artists have ever written a song that has become more a part of America’s cultural landscape than Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.” 

Lee Greenwood was born in Los Angeles in 1942 to Eugene and Bliss Greenwood.  Lee’s father joined the Navy the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  His parents divorced during World War II, and he would not meet his father until he was a teenager.  His mother could not raise Lee and his sister Patricia on her own so the two were sent to live on their grandparents’ farm.  Growing up on a farm near Sacramento, California, his love for music and baseball became his passions in between the hard work and daily chores required of him on the farm. He began playing the saxophone at seven and by the time he was 14, he could play nearly all the instruments in the school orchestra. While still in junior high school, he launched his first band, the Moonbeams. 

Greenwood became a working musician at a young age and was very focused on his career. He passed on a music/track scholarship to the College of the Pacific and a shot at a professional baseball career to pursue his musical ambitions. He even skipped his high school graduation ceremony because he had his first professional engagement with his own band to play in Reno. Within a year, Lee would move to Las Vegas where he worked for the next 20 years, writing, performing, and singing in every casino on the strip. He even became a casino dealer for several years to support himself.   

In 1979, a chance meeting took him to Nashville, where he signed with MCA Music as a songwriter and MCA Records as recording artist.  After 36 successful albums and 44+ years as a touring artist, Lee Greenwood has made a lasting impact on the music business and in the hearts of Americans.

Greenwood’s success brought many songs to the Billboard Country chart, including “It Turns Me Inside Out”, “Ring On Her Finger Time On Her Hands”, ”She’s Lying”, “I Don’t Mind the Thorns If You’re The Rose”, “Dixie Road”, “Somebody’s Gonna Love You”, “Going, Going, Gone”, “You Got A Good Love Comin”, “Fools Gold”, and “Mornin’ Ride”.  It was his hit “IOU,” that delivered Greenwood to the stage of the prestigious Grammy awards – with a WIN – and afforded his music to crossover onto the mainstream pop charts.  Those songs included “Touch & Go Crazy,” and a duet with Barbara Mandrell, “To Me”.

As hits continued through the 80s and early 90s, Greenwood always made time for those serving in the US Armed Forces.   Greenwood performed on countless USO/DOD Tours in every hot spot around the world, one of which in 1989 he met his wife Kimberly Payne, a former Miss Tennessee USA.  Competitive and driven as an entertainer, Lee Greenwood is also a devoted family man.  Lee and Kim have been married since 1992 and have two sons, Dalton and Parker.  His family is a source of great joy and pride in his life.

In 2021, Greenwood was humbled and flattered by 40 other esteemed musical artists from country, rock, gospel and pop honoring his 40 years in music.  “An All Star Salute To Lee Greenwood,” which took place in Huntsville, Alabama highlighted songs and stories of Greenwood’s career, all of which are documented in a DVD project. That project is available exclusively at LeeGreenwood.com.

His passion and admiration for those serving has never changed, in 2024, Greenwood was honored by Helping A Hero, an organization that helps provide specialty adaptive homes for Wounded Veterans.  Greenwood has served as National Ambassador for Helping A Hero from its infancy helping to raise funds and awareness for the organization. Today, Helping A Hero has built over 220 homes in 13 years for wounded veterans.  

Greenwood has also served Tunnels to Towers, Folds of Honor, the Gary Sinise Foundation and many other organizations supporting our military, armed forces and first responders.

Greenwood was appointed by President George W. Bush to the National Endowment of the Arts, where he continued to serve under Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden as a council member from 2014- 2021.

Greenwood was appointed by President Donald J. Trump as a Kennedy Center Trustee, 2017 to present. 

Among other awards, Greenwood has been honored by the Medal of Honor Society with their Patriot Award, received the Air Force Americanism Award, the Amvets Silver Helmet Award, VFW Patriot Award, Washington Times Freedom Award, Points of Light Award from the George and Barbara Bush Foundation and the Family Hero Award from California Law Enforcement and served as an Advisory Board Member to the Challenger Center.  He has also received an honorary doctorate from Cumberland University, Trine University and Lincoln Memorial University.