Mickey Jetton and Jason Isbell helped open the first night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention on Monday, August 19.
Musicians provided entertainment for the night amid the usual flurry of speeches. Guyton performed her 2021 hit “All American,” and Isbell played “Something More Than Free,” the title track from his 2015 album. James Taylor was scheduled to close the night with “You’ve Got A Friend,” but his performance was cut short to accommodate President Joe Biden’s speech after applause for speakers throughout the night led to a time crunch.
In addition to the musical performances, the first night included a keynote address from President Joe Biden, as well as remarks from First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Alexandria Osaka-Cortez, Sen. Raphael J. Warnock, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I’m here tonight because America has a rare and precious opportunity,” New York Rep. Alexandria Osaka-Cortez said during an impassioned speech Monday night. “In Kamala Harris, we have an opportunity to elect a middle-class president because she is middle-class.”
Tony Goldwyn—one of the three hosts of the Democratic National Convention alongside Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling and Ana Navarro—also took the stage to deliver opening remarks. (Navarro will moderate the proceedings tomorrow, Kaling will lead on Wednesday, and Washington will help wrap things up on Thursday.)
For Guyton and Isbell, this was the first time they had performed at a political convention, though both have been outspoken about political issues throughout their careers. Isbell recorded a popular song Georgia Bluean album of covers of songs by Georgia artists after Biden won the state in 2020. Earlier that year, Guyton made a major statement with her song “Black Like Me,” which was released amid the Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd.
“You have to find a balance because our point here is not that we're trying to cause division, we just want people to see us, to get out of their world and see the rest of the world,” Jetton said. Rolling Stone At that time. “Because the rest of the world sees white people. We've been seeing white people our whole lives.”
Performances by artists and heartfelt speeches made the opening night of the Democratic National Convention a joyful one. At the end of the evening, Biden addressed the audience and praised Harris and her running mate Tim Walz: “Kamala and Tim understand that this country must remain a place of possibility, not just for some of us but for all of us.”
