Billy Ray Cyrus walked on stage and readied himself, the crowd of police officers, firefighters, council members and others reflected in his sunglasses.
"Love your country and live with pride. And don't forget those who died," he sang from "Some Gave All," his 1992 hit that would become newly poignant on Sept. 11, 2001.
Cyrus said the moment on stage was spiritual and sacred. He'd been filming for the show "Doc" in Toronto when the attacks happened.
"We knew right then the world had changed," he said.
The morning started slow and quiet in downtown Nashville, where Fridays often give way to revelry. Few tourists were on the streets but those who were paused to watch as Nashville Fire Department personnel unfurled an American flag and hoisted it above
Broadway.
Nine public safety officials, who worked in New York and Washington D.C. on that day, sat front row at Nashville's ceremony. A deep red rose was pinned to each of their shirts.
"These men and women answered the call during one of the darkest days in our nation's history," Nashville Fire Capt. Doug Pinkerton said. "They demonstrated extraordinary courage, selfless service and unwavering commitment to protecting others, often at great personal sacrifice."
Nearly 3,000 people died Sept. 11, 2001 when Al-Qaeda terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after the passengers fought the hijackers. Thousands more suffered the traumatizing aftermath living with the memories of that day, and the health impacts.
A quarter-century later, almost one in four Americans have no personal memory of that day.
"Based on how a young mind works, children younger than 10 likely don't have a fully formed memory of that day," Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said. "Those 10-year-old fourth graders in 2001 are now 35 years old, the youngest with truly living memory of that day. Unless the world loses it to time, it is up to us to remember and ensure the emotional resonance and human complexity of 9/11 lives on through our memory and the way we use the lessons of that day to inform our lives."
Fire Chief William Swann and Police Chief John Drake were among the officials who attended the ceremony.
"We have proven we can unite when the sirens are wailing. We have proven we can find each other in the dark," Swann said. "But the harder challenge is to remain united when the sirens are silent. Don't wait for the next disaster to act like a community."
"Each year on the anniversary it's likely someone will ask, 'Where were you?'"
Drake remembered there being a blue sky and that it was warm and a little humid that day.
"Kind of like today. It was a beautiful day," he said. "When the first plane flew into one of the towers, I thought it was a tragedy. Then came the second plane."
Drake wanted to hop on a plane and get to New York, he said.
"Instead, I went home numb, and the after effects have remained with me, and a lot of us," he said.
Cyrus recalled the surreal experience of being in Canada, filming a television episode about a Vietnam veteran, as New York came to resemble a war zone.
"We started hearing reports of a plane crash," he said. "We'd cut, then boom, back to the reality of the towers falling."
Other musicians on hand for the Sept. 11 event included a string ensemble from Hume-Fogg High School students and Gallatin's Lucas Leon, recently seen on "American Idol." He sang the National Anthem.
As the ceremony ended and Nashville Police Sgt. Rob Croteau played "Taps" on his trumpet, two helicopters thundered overhead. Everyone tipped their heads skyward and watched them fly into the distance.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Billy Ray Cyrus honors the fallen at Nashville 9/11 tribute
