The first note was enough to make the entire room fall silent. There are countless performances of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” but every now and then, one comes along that reminds us why this song continues to mean so much. Carly Pearce, joined by the National Symphony Orchestra, delivered a rendition filled with grace, strength, and genuine emotion.

Carly Pearce called it an “honor” to open the Capitol Fourth celebration with the National Symphony Orchestra.

On Friday, July 3rd, thousands gathered at the U.S. Capitol to kick off Independence Day weekend and to celebrate 250 years of the United States. The annual celebration was larger than ever to commemorate the milestone anniversary.

The star-studded event was hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and was broadcast live for a national audience. The evening was filled with memorable performances: Trace Adkins debuted his new song, “American Made,” Carly Pearce performed the National Anthem, and Alan Jackson shared a previously-recorded performance of “America the Beautiful.”

Additional special moments included tributes to the U.S. Military, the Artemis II Crew, and the Team U.S.A 2026 Winter Olympians and Paralympians.

If you missed it, the full event can be streamed here.

Watch Carly Pearce’s National Anthem Performance

Carly Pearce was accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra for her delivery of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” As she performed, members of the military Color Guard stood alongside her, presenting the American Flag and flags representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The 36-year-old vocalist shared a series of photos from the event and reflected:

“It was an honor to be asked to perform the National Anthem with the National Symphony Orchestra for PBS’s A Capitol Fourth as part of America’s 250th!

Happy 4th of July and thank you for such an amazing experience!”

Watch Carly Pearce perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Capitol Fourth below!

Carly Pearce Meets The Artemis II Crew

While in Washington D.C., Carly had the opportunity to meet the crew of Artemis II, who completed a historic 10-day mission around the moon earlier this year. The group is composed of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.

Carly shared a photo alongside the four astronauts and wrote:

“I had the incredible honor of meeting the Artemis II crew today. Thank you for your kindness and for inspiring us all!”