DESCRIPTION:
This video salutes America and the veterans who have sacrificed to make Our Country great. We're proud of America and our military who serve so faithfully. Please enjoy this tribute which is the culmination of a four-year process in which we dedicated ourselves to writing and re-writing until the messaging was just right. The video features US Veterans, heroes, mothers of the wounded and fallen, and images of what America represents. The song was also interpreted for the hearing impaired.

Legendary Hollywood voice actor Peter Cullen lent his voice to this music video (you will recognize him as the voice of one of his most famous characters -- Optimus Prime from Transformers). Acclaimed director Michael Bay has said of Cullen's Optimus Prime voice, "It gives me chills." I am blown away that Peter would think highly enough of my song to let me utilize his "voice" to start my video

The video is dedicated to Captain H. L. "Larry" Cullen, the brother of Peter Cullen. In my work with Peter and NASA, I learned that Larry Cullen inspired the voice of Optimus Prime for Peter. When I got into video production for "Our Country," I just had to ask Peter to use that voice to open my video. Peter didn't hesitate to say yes! He is a great American, in my opinion. He didn't say yes in return for me dedicating the video to his brother; he said yes without any reciprocation required. I surprised him later with the dedication to Larry.

The veterans that you see in the video are regulars at a place called Richard's Coffee Shop & Military Museum (a national treasure to me) in Mooresville, North Carolina. Mooresville Mayor, Miles Atkins, introduced me to them. After meeting the vets for coffee, I wanted them in the video. That led to the Patriot Guard Riders getting involved. Talk about an AWESOME group! Learning about their work to protect & guard those who have fallen in the line of duty made including them in the video a very easy decision.

This is not your run of the mill music video. It is meant to raise awareness for children who have lost a parent in the line of duty, hence the scene in the cemetery. At a performance in Dallas, Texas, I met some folks who run Snowball Express, an American Airlines' organization dedicated to helping children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. The woman telling me about those kids broke down in tears as she talked about them. Hearing that, I decided to add in the cemetery scene and the portrayal of a little girl who had lost her dad. The ending speaks for itself ;).

In addition, I wrote this song to celebrate our heroes past and present; for those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and the freedom of others around the globe; for people that still love what our country stands for; for those who love what our founding fathers created for all of us to enjoy; and to remind all that we should be proud because This is OUR COUNTRY! The People's Country! We need to nurture it, to honor it, to stand proud for it!

In the end, this video represents what I hope every American can unify behind. I hope you enjoy it! Please rate, comment and share it with everyone you know! Video replies are also welcomed and encouraged.

--Ansel Brown

Lyrics for "Our Country"
Ansel Brown, Cliff Downs, David Poindexter
©2012 Ansel Brown, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

We walk in battle for fallen sons
And fight for freedom for everyone
We live and honor our heroes past
Our great foundation must always last

We must hope
we must dream
and be all we can be
We must live and believe
always fight to be free
United as one for the whole world to see

We stand as one
Celebrate all we've done
Across this land
We can stand proud once again
God bless the land of the free
This is our country

This grand tradition diverse and strong
Each man's ambition God we all belong

We must hope
we must dream
and be all we can be
We must live and believe
always fight to be free
United as one for the whole world to see

We stand as one
Celebrate all we've done
Across this land
We can stand proud once again
God bless the land of the free
This is our country

The flag and freedom
In God we trust again
We come together 
From sea to shining sea

We stand as one
Celebrate all we've done
Across this land
We can stand proud once again

God bless the land of the free
God bless the land of the free
God bless the land of the free
This is our country

And I Thank God every day
For the U...S...A...

©2012 Ansel Brown, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED