Kate Smith was Americas top songstress in 1938, and her weekly Kate Smith Hour
on CBS was heard by many millions of radio listeners that Thursday, November 10
when she sang Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” for the first time as the closing number of the show. The new anthem became so popular that Smith sang it on
nearly every broadcast through December 1940, after which there was a ban
on public performances of ASCAP songs. Kate Smith recorded “God Bless
America”  for RCA Victor on March 21, 1939, and that version has been
reissued countless times over the years.

 
                             (July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967)

Woody Guthrie was a singer-songwriter and folk musician who influenced many 
musicians including Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen. His musical 
legacy includes political, traditional and children’s songs. Guthrie’s best-known
song is “This Land is Your Land”. He is the father of musician Arlo Guthrie
(pictured below).

Arlo Guthrie

Woody Guthrie wrote this song in 1940 and recorded it in 1944. It was
not published until 1945.