July 4th on the National Mall- 2011 and Retrospective

Steve Martin, Kelli O'Hara and Little Richard will perform in this year's A Capitol Fourth concert on the National Mall July 4. They join a long slate of accomplished stars who have entertained the nation on its birthday in decades past.

2011 Independence Day on the National Mall

There are two shows on the National Mall on Independence Day, one at the Washington Monument grounds and one on the west Capitol lawn.

The 6 p.m. show at the Washington Monument July 4, 2011 features U.S. Navy performing groups: Navy Concert Band; Sea Chanters chorus; rock/top 40 Cruisers; and jazz Commodores. The entertainment ends as the fireworks begin at 9:10 p.m.

The Capitol Fourth Concert on the west lawn of the Capitol spans the fireworks, beginning at 8 and ending at 9:30 p.m. This year's host is television actor Jimmy Smits who has served that role since 2008. Along with the National Symphony, several pop performers will entertain the crowd, including actor-musician Steve Martin appearing with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Josh Grobin, Matthew Morrison and Kelli O'Hara are scheduled to perform. So is Jordin Sparks, an American Idol winner, and Little Richard who will take to the stage with the "Million Dollar Quartet" cast.

Beach Boys Make Waves

Leading up to 1983, the July 4 festivities on the Mall had become an all-day affair with rock bands performing, picnickers frolicking, and alcohol flowing more or less freely. That's the year Secretary of the Interior James Watt banned the return of the Beach Boys and the Grass Roots, saying they attracted the "wrong element" to the Mall. He replaced them with Wayne Newton who faced a booing crowd. Even President Ronald Reagan distanced himself from Watt's entertainment coup.

The Beach Boys had performed from 1980 to 1982 and proven immensely popular and they returned in 1984 after the unpopular Watt resigned.

A Capitol Fourth Retrospective

Some of the performers from past July 4 concerts on the national Mall include:

Reba McEntire, Gladys Knight, and David Archuleta- 2010

Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow and the Sesame Street Muppets- 2009

Jerry Lee Lewis, soprano Harolyn Blackwell, Brian Stokes Mitchell- 2008

Host Tony Danza, Little Richard, Driks Bentley- 2007

Irish Tenors, Fifth Dimension, Pointer Sisters- 2001

Ray Charles -2000

Carl Perkins, Joe Louis Walker, Beausoleil- 1995

Irving Berlin appeared at a star-studded Capitol Fourth tribute celebrating his 100^th birthday, his last public performance; he died the following year- 1988