NBC LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT WITH MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BY SUPERSTAR MARTINA MCBRIDE, 'AMERICAN IDOL' WINNER JORDIN SPARKS, 'AMERICAN IDOL' CONTESTANTS BLAKE LEWIS AND MELINDA DOOLITTLE ON NBC'S ANNUAL 'MACY'S FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS® SPECTACULAR,' WEDNESDAY, JULY 4th (9-10 p.m. EST)

 

 Natalie Morales, NBC's "Today" National Correspondent and Tiki Barber, "Today" Correspondent and "Football Night in America" Studio Analyst Host the Live Telecast

NEW YORK - May 31, 2007 - NBC celebrates the nation's 231st birthday extravaganza with performances by superstar Martina McBride, 'American Idol' winner Jordin Sparks, American Idol contestants Blake Lewis and Melinda Doolittle on the live broadcast of the "Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks® Spectacular." Hosted by Natalie Morales, NBC's "Today" National Correspondent and Tiki Barber, "Today" Correspondent and "Football Night in America" Studio Analyst, the show will air on Wednesday, July 4th, 9-10 p.m. EST (all time zones).  

Multi-platinum recording artist and award winning entertainer Martina McBride will open this year's "Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks® Spectacular" with her hit single "Anyway" from her ninth studio album Waking Up Laughing.  McBride is currently headlining her national arena tour which recently sold out New York's Radio City Music Hall as well as other venues across the country. This marks NBC's eighth consecutive exclusive broadcast of the  "Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks® Spectacular."    
 
Season six 'American Idol' winner Jordin Sparks and fellow contestants Blake Lewis and Melinda Doolittle will all perform one song together as a tribute to the Nation's birthday.  They are kicking off their American Idol summer tour on July 6th, 2007 from Sunrise, Florida. 'American Idol' tour tickets are available for purchase at www.americanidol.com

The country's largest Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza will feature nearly 40,000 brilliant shells exploding over New York and New Jersey set to a sweeping original medley performed by The New York Pops will serve as the musical backdrop to the pyrotechnic splendor.  Over 1,000 pyrotechnic shells are fired every minute, the first shells explode and begin their choreographed pyrotechnic dance. Painting the sky this year will be new shells from around the globe, the highlight of the Macy's Fireworks is always the famed Golden Mile, a multi-layer explosion which stretches across the skyline filling it with a golden sparks from 1,200 feet in the air to the water's edge.

"Macy's Fireworks is always rated the #1 show in America by the American Pyrotechnic Association, and with the show we've got planned, 2007 will be no exception," said Robin Hall, Macy's Fireworks executive producer. "We'll be launching a show filled with eye-popping color, intense sound and breathtaking new effects." He continued, "Macy's Fireworks will again be the biggest fireworks show in the nation, a pyrotechnic marvel choreographed to a sweeping, heroic score brilliantly played by the New York Pops."

The backbone of every Macy's Fireworks show is the musical score that sets the framework for pyrotechnic art in the sky. 'In Our Children's Eyes', this year's score is performed by The New York Pops under the direction of Rob Fisher, and features patriotic works, iconic movie themes, and uniquely American popular songs. From 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' to 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame.'
 
The musical dance in the sky will also features new musical works composed by Macy's Creative Director, William Schermerhorn and Tony® Award-winning Broadway composer Stephen Flaherty and is performed by Tony® Award winners Andrew Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys), Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon), and Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls).

The magic in the sky begins with the group at Macy's events and the explosive family of Fireworks, the Souza's. Gary and James Souza, and the entire Sousa Fireworks team of Rialto, CA have helped create the Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks show for over 25 years. The show comes together after months of globetrotting in search of the newest, most unique firework shells, a year of design meetings and over a week of installation, all to set off the grandest show in America.

The 2007 Macy's Fourth of July Fireworksâ are sponsored in part by Anheuser-Busch, Ball Park®, Energizer, The Hershey Company and Planters®; and are presented in partnership with The City of New York, and The Downtown Alliance for New York.   

Macy's East is a division of Federated Department Stores (NYSE:fds), operating 93 Macy's stores throughout the Eastern United States in 11 states and Puerto Rico including: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Louisiana. World-renowned for their fashion and affordable luxury, Macy's is also known for its spectacular events including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ®, Macy's 4th of July Fireworks ® and Macy's Flower Show ®.
 
Morales, joined "Today" as a National Correspondent in February 2006. Prior to joining "Today", she was an anchor and correspondent at MSNBC since March 2002.  While working for "Today" and MSNBC, she has contributed to NBC News' coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino and the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, as well as several major breaking news stories including Hurricane Katrina and the recovery efforts; the Tsunami disaster; the death of Pope John Paul II; the Battle for White House in 2004; Operation Iraqi Freedom; and the Columbia Shuttle explosion. Hispanic Magazine named her one of the "Top Hispanics to Watch" in 2005 and one of the "Top Trendsetters" of 2003.

Barber, came to NBC in February 2007 and serves as a correspondent for NBC News' "Today" and an analyst for NBC's "Football Night in America." Barber started his broadcasting career prior to retiring from professional football, serving as a correspondent on Fox News Channel's morning show "Fox & Friends" and hosting a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio, "The National Sweep," which covered politics, news, sports and entertainment. Guests on the show ranged from Senator John McCain to Daniel Kurtzer, the former ambassador to both Israel and Egypt, to Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.

Multi-platinum recording artist Martina McBride released her ninth studio album Waking Up Laughing in April and is currently headlining her national arena tour which recently sold out New York's Radio City Music Hall as well as other venues across the country.  

Sparks, a 17-year-old high school student from Glendale, Arizona, is the Winner of 'American Idol' Season Six.  Awarded "Overall Spotlight Winner" for the Gospel Music Academy in 2004, Jordin is consistent in her mission of telling meaningful stories through songs.

Lewis, 25, grew up in Bothell, Washington and began singing at the age of 5. He first auditioned for 'American Idol' in Seattle having never seen an episode of the show. He is the first runner-up for Season Six of 'American Idol.'  

Doolittle, 29, grew up in Brentwood Tennessee and began singing in the seventh grade.  A music major from Belmont University in Nashville and a former back-up singer. Melinda was the second-runner up for season six of 'American Idol.'

The telecast is a production of NBC Universal Television Studio in association with Macy's East.  Bob Holmes is the executive producer.

 

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