Lt. Dan Band brings down the house

  • Published
  • By By Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band rocked with hundreds of Airmen and their families during an outdoor performance Aug. 16 near the Malmstrom Fitness and Sports Center. Performing everything from the classics to the recent Bruno Mars smash hit "Uptown Funk," the show was the band's second and biggest show at the base to date.

The Lt. Dan Band, a cover band named after a wounded soldier Sinise portrayed in the film "Forrest Gump," has visited hundreds of military bases across the globe performing for military members.

The band's goal is to bring joy to the thousands of active duty military members and their families across the globe, and awareness to the public about the sacrifices these men and women make daily, said Sinise. 

"I have made it a particular mission to do what I can to draw attention to our military and first responder communities and to make sure they know they are remembered and appreciated," said Sinise in an appreciation letter on his band's website.

"Whether through performing with the band, supporting the military charity or visiting the war zones and hospitals to shake some hands and take some pictures, all of it helps them know there are people who are aware of and appreciate their sacrifices," said Sinise.

During the show, the band performed 24 songs for the more than 1,500 attendees. All the songs were covers of other musical groups spanning more than 30 years of music history.

"I'm not a songwriter," said Sinise before the show. "I'm just here to make sure that everyone is smiling and having a good time."

At one point during the show, Sinise brought children in the crowd on stage to sing along with him.

After more than two hours of performing, he and the band made a grand exit to spend some time relaxing before heading out on the road to do it all over again. 

"I get a lot of enjoyment out of performing with the band," said Sinise. "It's just a great reward to know that there's some way I can give back to our military members."