America the Beautiful
"America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song and Christian hymn which rivals the national anthem of the United States, "The Star Spangled Banner", in popularity.There was a movement during the John F. Kennedy administration to legally make "American the Beautiful" legal status as a national anthem equal with "The Star Spangled Banner", but this never succeeded in becoming national law. Some people prefer "America the Beautiful", saying it is easier to sing, more melodic, and more adaptable to new orchestrations while still remaining easily recognizable than is the "Star Spangled Banner".
The words are by Katharine Lee Bates to commemorate the Fourth of July. It was first composed in the summer of 1893 in Bates' hotel room where she reflected upon her visit to the top of Pikes Peak [1], with amended versions in 1904 and 1913. The traditional music is the hymn Materna, composed in 1882 by Samuel A. Ward.
Popularity of the song soared following the September 11, 2001 attacks; at some sporting events it was sung in addition to the traditional singing of the national anthem.