Singer Kelly Clarkson will get a huge honor Monday when she sings "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at President Barack Obama's second inauguration. It's pretty clear now why she got the invite. "I love Kelly Clarkson," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Friday during a HuffPost Live appearance. Schumer is the chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies , responsible for organizing the main inaugural event every four years. "And I felt very good about myself, because I listened to her and I said, 'I really like her,' and then only later did I learn she had won 'American Idol,'" Schumer said. "So I was very glad that my tastes were the same as most of America's." His favorite Clarkson song? "I never walk too far from the sidewalk, what's that called?" (It's "Because of You....

Beyonce will again perform at inauguration ceremonies on Monday. In 2008, she was a surprise guest at the first inauguration of President Barack Obama. The Associated Press NEW YORK Kelly Clarkson is a multiple nominee at next month's Grammy Awards, but what she's really excited about is another event where she'll be joined by Beyonce , Katy Perry, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys , Mana, Usher and Brad Paisley. Oh, and the president. President Barack Obama's inauguration is shaping up to be an event as star-studded as any red carpet, with dozens of heavy hitters lining up to perform and the promise of a few key surprises to liven up the weekend. "I think it's going to be the coolest thing ever to look back with my grandkids and go: 'I was a part of that and I'm proud of that. I'm not ashamed of that,'" Clarkson said in a recent interview. Clarkson once said she was a fan of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, but she says she vo...

President Barack Obama s second inauguration next week will combine the star power of Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor with a lineup that reflects social values Obama will champion in his new term. Their music is often at the heart of the American story and speaks to folks across the country, Obama said in a statement announcing the inaugural performers. Obamas second-term inauguration on Jan. 21 will be a smaller and less elaborate affair than his swearing-in as Americas first black president in 2009, with officials saying they expect fewer than half of the 1.8 million people who attended that year. Second inaugurations have historically been smaller than a presidents first, and planners were mindful of the nations struggling economy when organizing celebrations, Presidential Inaugural Committee spokesman Cameron French said. The performance lineup is full of big names. Beyonce , the winner of 16 Grammy awards whos famous for hit songs such as Single Ladies and Halo, will si...

Getty Images Beyonce accepts the award for Best Female R&B Artist onstage during the 2012 BET Awards, and Kelly Clarkson performs onstage during "VH1 Divas" 2012. By Lauren Sullivan, TODAY With Inauguration Day just around the corner, its time for the events lineup of musical heavyweights to start warming up their vocal chords. Beyonc, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor are set to sing patriotic tunes The Star-Spangled Banner, My Country, Tis of Thee and America the Beautiful during the Jan. 21 ceremony, entertaining viewers in between oaths of office and President Barack Obama'sinaugural address. During other weekend events, like the Kids Inaugural concert on Friday and the inaugural balls set to follow the ceremony on Monday evening, a bevy of vocal powerhouses will entertain in the nations capital. Set to take the stage are Brad Paisley, Katy Perry, Usher, the cast of Glee, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marc Anthony, John Legend, fun. and Mindless Behavior. To get y...

Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) January 17, 2013 Singer and American Idol icon, Kelly Clarkson, is amidst wedding plans but is making it known that she is not enjoying the experience. While other little girls were dreaming about their future weddings to their respective Prince Charmings, Kelly Clarkson, on the other hand, was not. Clarkson now has to make decisions about different aspects of her wedding, from invitations to flowers and more. She says wedding planning is difficult, even admitting she was unaware of what save-the-dates were until now. No official date has been set yet, and people are already asking her about having kids. Clarkson sums up her wedding planning experience as hell ( http://www.countryweekly.com/news/kelly-clarkson-says-planning-her-wedding-hell ). Planning a wedding can be overwhelming for any bride, let alone for someone who had no interest in making imaginary plans while growing up, said Brett Reynolds, CEO of Wedding.com. In spite of it all, Kelly Clarkson wil...

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Click photo to enlarge This undated handout photo provided by the University of Pittsburgh Press shows Richard Blanco. Blanco, 44, the son of Cuban exiles, is the 2013 inaugural poet, joining the ranks of Maya Angelou and Robert Frost, and will be the youngest-ever inaugural poet and the first Hispanic or gay to recite a poem at the ceremonial swearing-in. WASHINGTONPresident Barack Obama can expect some sweet serenades at his inauguration ceremony, with hit-makers Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor on tap to perform some of the country's most patriotic songs. From Hollywood to Music Row, celebrities have been a staple of Obama's candidacy and presidency, so it was with little surprise that some of the biggest names in entertainment are helping him celebrate his Jan. 21 swearing-in. Planners said Wednesday that Obama picked Beyonce to sing the national anthem, Clarkson to perform "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and Taylor to sing "America the Beautiful."...