Gary Sinise became emotional when he shared how this year’s National Memorial Day Concert on Capitol Hill is more personal than ever due to the incredible honor being given to his late son, “Mac” McCanna Anthony Sinise.
Speaking to “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream, the 70-year-old actor revealed ahead of the event that one of the pieces of music at the Memorial Day concert on PBS is called “Rise” and it’s one of the pieces of music his late son, a composer, composed before he died in 2024 following a five year battle with a rare bone cancer. He was 33.
“It’s an incredible thing,” Sinise said when asked about getting to hear his late son’s music being played by the National Symphony Orchestra. “I had sent them a piece of music that Mac had written. It’s a piece called the ‘Rise.’”
WATCH: @ShannonBream catches up with actor @GarySinise– for a one-of-a-kind look at the incredible work his foundation is doing to help our men and women in uniform. pic.twitter.com/zSx0tXZuKp
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) May 25, 2025
Fox News then threw to a clip of it being performed, and just talking about how this moment is going to be, the actor got all choked up.
“And it’s a very patriotic kind of anthem, like … the music will be playing, the Veterans will be there, the audience will be applauding,” Sinise said. “It will be a powerful moment.”
“You know, for me, to be standing up there,” he added, trying to continue his thought when he became overwhelmed and just had to pause and put his head down. “It’ll be. Mac will be right there with us, and it will be a great moment.”
In the months following his son’s death, Sinise found music that his late son had composed. Working with friends, he was able to record two albums, “Resurrection & Revival: Parts 1 and 2.” Per Mac’s request, proceeds will go towards the Gary Sinise Foundation, which his father founded in 2011 to raise money to provide support to our veterans.
The actor’s participation in the Memorial Day concert is part of his foundation’s support of our military. As part of the foundation, he folded in his Lt. Dan Band, which has performed hundreds of shows for troops around the world.
He also shared a handful of pictures from the weekend-long events, which included a visit with our wounded service members at Walter Reed and the band’s first performance ever at Quantico.
“Honored to visit the patients at Walter Reed today and among them, one of our RISE Home recipients, Ryan Davis,” the post read. “Yesterday, I had the privilege of performing with my Lt. Dan Band at Quantico, and this morning we continued the mission by #ServingHeroes at Walter Reed. Memorial Day weekend is just beginning, and I’m honored to spend it alongside those who give so much. I am forever a #GratefulAmerican.”
This year marks 20 years since the “Forrest Gump” star has hosted the Memorial Day Concert. In a post on Instagram, he noted that his first concert was in 2005.
“As we prepare for Sunday night’s event, we’re proud to stand together in remembrance of the brave men and women who gave their lives for our country,” he wrote in a post on Instagram.
He later posted his speech from the evening with actor Esai Morales, which will have you standing up and shouting “USA, USA.”
“America began as an idea, a dream; the blood of those who placed duty before itself made that dream a reality,” Sinise said. “Our Armed Forces answered the call to service even before the United States became a nation.”
“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of our armed forces,” he added. “On April 19th, 1775, the shot heard round the world was fired on Lexington Green when militiamen from Massachusetts faced off against British forces. Two months later, the Congress authorized the establishment of a united fighting force drawn from across the colonies. George Washington was nominated to be its leader over eight arduous years of struggle with Great Britain. What emerged as the United States Army became the symbol around which 13 fractious colonies rallied and ultimately won their freedom.”
“The principles established at its founding remain unwavering. Always place the mission first, never accept defeat, and never quit … Our Armed Forces gave birth to our nation,” he continued later. “Today, they sustain that nation’s freedoms on land, sea, air, and in space. This Memorial Day, we salute their selfless devotion to an America made possible by their sacrifice.”
“Our Army, Navy, and Marines have always been proud to serve, and we, as a grateful nation, owe them our thanks,” Morales concluded. “More than that, we owe them our country.”
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