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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Special: The Fourth In America. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired July 04, 2021 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:00:49]
DON LEMON, CNN, THE FOURTH IN AMERICA HOST: And welcome back, everyone. Look at the beautiful, oh glory day. Look at the flag. First, I want to take you to the west coast. We're going to go to the west coast. Ever been to stadium fireworks? Well this is historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Look at this. It's beautiful. It's amazing. Crowds are in the stands standing by for a really spectacular show.
Furthest out, though, San Diego is gearing up for its light show. It's called "The Big Bay Boom". We're going to see just how big these fireworks get. And then there is scenic San Francisco. Soon fireworks are going to be launched off the peer there, and we're going to have our cameras in the air looking for those and the Golden Gate Bridge as well. Dana, we've got a lot more to go.
DANA BASH, CNN, THE FOURTH IN AMERICA HOST: Absolutely, and I am really excited for the fireworks, but I am super excited about this hour's entertainers. It is time for 80s music. We've got Chicago. We've got the Bangles lead singer, Susanna Hoffs, and REO Speedwagon. And Don, I have to say I can't fight this feeling anymore. In fact, I might have to take it on the run.
(LAUGHTER)
It's kind of difficult to run dressed like this, so it might be time for me to fly. Are you ready for REO?
LEMON: Dana, I would like to say to you, yes, that you need to relax, don't do it when you want to sock it to it, but anyway I digress.
BASH: All right, we'll get - we'll get to more of this, but first we want to get to REO Speedwagon. They're playing at the Ozarks Amphitheater in Missouri.
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[23:05:00]
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KEVIN CRONIN, REO SPEEDWAGON LEAD VOCALIST: Oh you've been messing around up here in making (ph) the Ozarks, haven't you? (MUSIC)
[23:10:00
(MUSIC)
CRONIN: Oh the Fourth of July. Time for me to fly.
(MUSIC)
[23:15:00]
CRONIN: Happy Fourth of July, everybody!
BASH: Incredible. Bravo, REO Speedwagon. Bravo. Absolutely spectacular. And if you like REO Speedwagon - I know I did. I have to say I was in my mind back in some school dance doing that awkward dance with Ricky Fuller (ph), but anyway, we're going to hear a lot more of this kind of music. In fact, we're going to go to Chicago and we're going to hear some of their greatest hits, and we're going to actually see the light show in that very windy city. That is next on CNN. As we go to break, I want you to look at the beautiful fireworks coming from the city of music, Nashville, Tennessee.
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[23:20:25]
LEMON: And welcome, everyone, to CNN's FOURTH IN AMERICA. Look at this. This is Chicago. This is my own home city. I miss it. Chicago held its celebration last night, but we didn't want the windy city to miss out on our very special CNN coverage tonight, and what better way to accompany this spectacle than the rock band Chicago? Get it? Chicago, and we're going to start with the legend, Robert Lamm, and Saturday in the park. I think it was the Fourth of July.
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[23:25:00]
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[23:30:00]
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LEMON: So beautiful. Hold on, everybody. Our 80s power hour not over yet, not nearly over yet. We've got REO Speedwagon's finale and the best hits from the Bangles with lead singer Susanna Hoffs. And we're going to Texas for fireworks in Austin and Houston. Don't go anywhere.
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[23:34:24]
BASH: Welcome back to THE FOURTH IN AMERICA. This is Austin, Texas, and what a show. We have music from Nelly coming up, but first it is time to return to REO Speedwagon. How tremendous were they? They were so great that we're going to hear more. "Keep On Loving You".
(MUSIC)
[23:35:00]
CRONIN: "Keep On Loving You", Missouri. Come on. Two, three.
(MUSIC)
Now everybody - I'm talking about everybody over here all getting excited (ph)! You're going to keep on loving! Everybody upper upper roofs and side (ph), are you going to keep on loving? Everybody way back in the back, right on down the middle, are you going to keep on rolling with the changes? Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Keep on loving, Missouri! What do you say?
LEMON: REO Speedwagon - REO Speedwagon just took me back to the 80s. I'm drinking Coors Light riding in the back of my friends Monte Carlo SS or maybe it was his IROC-Z28. Who knows? It was a great time. REO Speedwagon not missing a beat. Kevin Cronin, you sound amazing. The entire band, so congratulations. Thank you for doing that. Thank you for uplifting us. We have much more to come.
[23:45:00]
It is coming up on midnight on the east coast, and the celebration really just getting started. We are counting down the fireworks in Las Vegas and in California, and after this break we're going to hear from the Bangles biggest hits, right, some of their biggest hits, lead singer Susanna Hoffs on the way.
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[23:49:00]
BASH: It's time for Houston's firework spectacular, and while we listen - while we do that, we're going to listen to music from the co- founder of the Bangles, a woman I'm proud to call my friend, the very talented Susanna Hoffs.
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[23:50:00]
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[23:55:00]
BASH: Absolutely gorgeous.
LEMON: What a great song.
BASH: Gorgeous. Do you have your glass? Are we going to toast, Don Lemon? There we go. (LAUGHTER)
So offers bought (ph). Let's toast Susanna Hoffs -
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Of course I have my glass.
BASH: -- because that was amazing.
LEMON: OK.
BASH: I have all the feels. I'm sure you do, too. Just beautifully done.
LEMON: Yes.
BASH: I want to toast you, Don Lemon -
LEMON: Soothe (ph).
BASH: -- for a great five hours and to America and to scientists and to everybody who has made this moment in time possible, bringing us back from the horror of the last year. We have a long way to go, but we have come a very long way. And thank you to everybody in the control room, everybody operating all the cameras, everything, everything. We're not done with our coverage. Just you and I, Don, are signing off.
LEMON: Yes. I know. It's not goodbye, but I want to toast your red, white, and blue fingernails - fabulous - to being able to spend time with my family. I haven't seen them in two years.
BASH: Yes.
LEMON: Every single person who performed, every single band, but I do have to say -
(CROSSTALK)
BASH: Everyone.
LEMON: -- don't get mad at me, all the other bands. REO Speedwagon I think won my heart and won the night. Took me back to high school in the 80s, college in the 80s. I loved all of it. I love you. I love you, America. Thanks, everyone. We're not done yet! Cheers! Cheers, Dana!
BASH: OK, well CNN's FOURTH IN AMERICA turns to California. The fireworks are seconds away from starting, and Nelly is going to get the crowds moving. Ana Cabrera and Victor Blackwell continue our coverage next.
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