WASHINGTON, July 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As a special present for America's 233rd birthday, President Barack Obama will deliver a message to the nation that will air exclusively on PBS's A Capitol Fourth, America's national Independence Day celebration. Celebrating his first Independence Day as President, Obama asks all Americans to honor those who created a new form of government and to re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals for which so many have given so much. He also marks another special moment in our nation's history with a congratulatory message to the breakthrough children's television series, Sesame Street, who are also celebrating a milestone, 40 years of fun and learning! The biggest and brightest birthday party in the country airs live in high definition from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Saturday, July 4, 2009 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings.) Hosted by Jimmy Smits, the event boasts a star-studded line up from Barry Manilow to Aretha Franklin, Natasha Bedingfield and the cast of Jersey Boys to the Muppets from Sesame Street.

For A Capitol Fourth executive producer Jerry Colbert and producer Michael Colbert have assembled an award-winning production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television's most prestigious entertainment awards shows. This includes Emmy award-winning producer Walter C. Miller, American's leading director and producer of live programs including the Grammy Awards and Country Music Awards; award-winning director Paul Miller whose credits include the Country Music Awards and Saturday Night Live; and veteran television writer Jon Macks, whose credits include the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. The program is a co-production of Jerry Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C.

For more than 25 years, Capital Concerts has produced the two major patriotic events at the U.S. Capitol. In 1981, 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 80 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 2009 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 television stations nationwide. Air travel is provided by American Airlines.

Web Site: www.pbs.org/capitolfourth

Press Web Site: www.pbs.org/pressroom

SOURCE Capital Concerts

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