Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will be sharing the stage with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square this weekend for a special broadcast of “Music & the Spoken Word.”
The special broadcast, celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary, will be presented live on Sunday, July 5, at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. MDT at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
Reid will be joining both live performances as guest narrator, sharing a message reflecting on the principles of faith, unity and perseverance that have shaped the American story, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“I spent more than a decade just down the road from Independence Hall (in Philadelphia), where our Founding Fathers put pen to paper on the Declaration of Independence,” Reid said in the church’s news release.
“They were the ultimate team — facing adversity, staying the course and building something that has endured for 250 years. I’m honored to join the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square to celebrate the birth of our nation in a place that reflects the same spirit of unity and faith.”
Here are details on how to watch the special broadcast and how the Tabernacle Choir — once referred to as “America’s Choir” — has accompanied the nation for nearly 180 years.
How to watch the special broadcast of ‘Music & the Spoken Word’
All are invited to watch the special broadcast of “Music & the Spoken Word” on Sunday, July 5, at 9:30 a.m. on the Tabernacle Choir’s YouTube channel.
Those interested may also stream the live pre-show, which will include an interview with Thurl Bailey and Andy Reid. The pre-show will begin at 9:10 a.m. and will be streamed at the same link as the 9:30 a.m. broadcast.
Virtual audiences may also stream the 9:30 a.m. broadcast on:
- BYUtv
- C-SPAN
- News Nation
- NBC stations in Salt Lake City; Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Kansas City, Kansas.
A guide with a complete list of other TV, radio, cable, satellite and streaming media platforms is also available here.
Tickets to see the special broadcast in person at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. have sold out.
A standby line will be available for those without tickets to either performance. However, attendance is expected to reach capacity, and a secondary viewing location will not be available due to ongoing construction at Temple Square.
See further details for in-person attendance here.
How the Tabernacle Choir’s history intertwines with American history
At nearly 180 years old, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has performed in “renowned venues worldwide,” according to the church’s news release. These have included the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and multiple U.S. presidential inaugurations.
The choir was also once referred to as “America’s Choir” by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President George W. Bush in 2003.
“The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square lends its voice in celebrating the freedom of religion proclaimed to the world in the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago,” choir president Michael O. Leavitt said in the church’s news release.
Last year, the Tabernacle Choir’s signature program, “Music & the Spoken Word,” reached its 5,000th episode — solidifying its legacy as the world’s longest-running continuous broadcast.
“Music & the Spoken Word” first aired nearly a century ago on July 15, 1929, shortly before the Great Depression.
It has been broadcast weekly since and now receives more than 12 million weekly viewers in over 50 countries, according to the church’s release.
Learn more about how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is celebrating the nation’s historic anniversary here.