Gene Scheer composer

Gene Scheer (born April 28, 1958) is an American songwriter, librettist and lyricist. Brother to Samuel Scheer, an English teacher at Windsor High School and part-time musician.
American Anthem, written by Scheer in 1998, was first performed by Denyce Graves for President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton at the Smithsonian Institution, launching President Clinton's “Save America's Treasures” initiative. The song was subsequently performed with the United States Army Band and Chorus at the opening ceremonies of the Millennium celebration on the Mall in Washington, D.C. Following 9/11, Denyce Graves performed American Anthem on The Oprah Winfrey Show and on Larry King Live. In June 2003, Patti Labelle and Take 6 performed a new arrangement of American Anthem at a concert in Philadelphia, later aired on PBS. The song was also performed by Denyce Graves at the January 20, 2005 inauguration of George W. Bush. In 2007, the documentary filmmaker Ken Burns featured American Anthem (sung by Norah Jones) in the Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary for PBS, The War. American Anthem's lyrics were referenced and recited by President Joe Biden in his Inaugural Address on January 20, 2021.

In 2003, Scheer was commissioned to write a choral version of his song Christmas Once More which was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. This work was later performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.