Sam Moore sings at Donald Trump inaugural concert

12:30 PMWhen Donald Trump began his inaugural concert on a gloomy Thursday night in Washington, D.C., a black man welcomed in the proceedings, from a musical standpoint. It was Sam Moore, half of the duo Sam & Dave, famous for their hits Hold On, I’m Comin‘ and Soul Man from 1966 and 1967, respectively. After being introduced by actor Jon Voight, Moore sang America the Beautiful with a choir.

The performance was stirring, particularly for an 81-year-old man. But the real story came from looking at his backup singers, none of whom seemed able to manage a smile during the entire performance. As the camera panned across the stage, while they hit their notes with grace, very few appeared to be enjoying themselves. Overall, the entire vibe of the concert was a far cry from what we saw eight years ago, when Barack Obama was headed to the Oval Office.

[protected-iframe id=”8a514b4e77cfa45cb1d8bfb5c03ddee9-84028368-105107678″ info=”hash” class=”twitter-video”]

https://twitter.com/talljoy/status/822456820757397505

Moore’s performance was not without controversy as his route to getting on the bill directly involved another performer who backed out. After Jennifer Holliday decided she no longer wanted to be a part of the “Make America Great Again Welcome Celebration” after receiving death threats and other backlash, Moore asked if he could take her place, citing the criticism against her as unfair.

“I am not going to let them, the left side, intimidate me from doing what I feel is the right thing to do for the country and that [presidential] seal,” Moore told The New York Post‘s Page Six this week. ““He’s got a big mouth, like me. Whether you agree with him or not, he’s going to say what’s on his mind.”

Not everyone had a problem with it. Moore is an octogenarian from the Deep South, so it’s not entirely surprising that he would lend his talents to a conservative effort. Public disdain for his efforts was certainly far less visible than that reserved for Chrisette Michele, who was publicly rebuked by filmmaker Spike Lee for trying to defend her goal of performing at the event, on the grounds that she wanted to help unify the nation.

Listening to #SamMoore singing, makes me glad the lip syncing celebs did not show up for #TrumpInauguration allowing real talent to shine.

— B.T. Samuel. Michael Cohen Mystery Client (@JustBeaTee) January 20, 2017

Listening to the replay of #SamMoore singing "America the Beautiful" at the #TrumpInauguration Concert got me like…🎉🇺🇸#Inauguration2017 pic.twitter.com/cu8FNZYsVs

— Steven George (@MrStevenGeorge) January 20, 2017

Michele did not end up performing Thursday night, but is reportedly going to be a part of the official inaugural ball Trump is holding Friday night. In a statement on her website, she channeled Martin Luther King Jr. “This country has had great moments. God has shined His light upon us,” she wrote. “Today, I hope that Great Moments begin in peaceful & progressive conversation. I am willing to be a bridge. I don’t mind ‘These Stones,’ if they allow me to be a voice for the voiceless. I am here. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about what matters.’ I am here, representing you, because this is what matters.”

Meanwhile, Kanye West was never asked to perform, because rap isn’t traditionally American enough, apparently. Welcome to 2017.