Air shows tend to be patriotic events because they often feature military jet teams and skydivers. But there’s no civilian performer who can out-do Julie Clark and her red, white and blue pyrotechnic routine set to Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA.
Clark is a retired captain of Northwest Airlines and a 30-year veteran of the air show circuit, performing in 20 shows annually as Julie Clark’s American Aerobatics. She’s one of the industry’s most popular and respected performers, and among its leading innovators.
Clark was one of the first air show performers to introduce flying choreographed to music. “I was flying to St. Elmo’s Fire, Chariots of Fire and It’s a Wonderful World in the very early ‘80s,” she recalls.
Clark debuted as a solo performer in 1980 with a most unlikely airplane: a T-34.
“My plane seemed like it was in slow motion!” Clark says. “It was so big, bulky and slow... not an exciting plane at all. It’s just a re-built military trainer with a 125-hp engine!"
To jazz up her act, Julie painted her restored plane metallic silver and royal blue, according to the Air Force I color scheme. Then she handed the announcer a tape of pre-selected music so spectators would pay attention to her sweeping, graceful moves in the sky.
Air Acrobatics to USA Song by Lee Greenwood
The seed Clark planted in 1980 grew into an unexpected career direction three years later, when she first heard Lee Greenwood’s song, God Bless the USA. The song struck so many chords for Clark, it became her sole theme music for the next 25 years… and counting.
“I remember thinking that my act had a tempo that matched perfectly to this song. The high notes hit just as I executed my high-altitude hammerhead, then descended from there into lower notes and my vertical roll.
“And the lyrics practically told my life story, from my career as an airline pilot, my home base in Minnesota, me being a product of the Vietnam Era – who’s very aware that our boys did not receive their due honor when they came home – It was too perfect.”
The lyrics not only jibed with her aircraft’s patriotic theme, complete with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA emblazoned on the fuselage. but her own painful story of losing both parents when a teen, then living temporarily in Chile.
Clark’s mother died when Julie was 14. A year later in 1964, her father, an airline pilot, was gunned down mid-flight by a deranged passenger. The airliner crashed, killing all aboard.
Julie Clark's Personal Patriotism
Suddenly an orphan, Clark was encouraged to ‘start over’ as foreign exchange student in Chile. Living in an undemocratic regime made Clark recognize the tangible value of political and personal freedoms. “I came home a patriotic person. I started wearing red, white and blue. Neither Vietnam nor the current situation we’re in can shake my patriotism.”
After choreographing her routine to Greenwood’s song in 1984, Clark added red, white and blue smoke trails and fireworks to further complement her theme. She began talking to spectators from the cockpit while making her long climb to altitude. She now passes by the flightline after the show, waving her American flag. She added wingtip fireworks to her twilight show, and recently introduced her after-burner tail effect.
Clark continues to refresh her bedrock theme with new innovations. But there’s no question as to her message. She has created her own brand.
When venerable air show announcer Danny “SkyTalker” Clisham watched Clark’s act evolve, he told her, “Your act is entertainment, and when your wheels hit the ground after your show, people still want more.”
Until that effect fades away and spectators decide to grab a hot dog when she starts her show, Julie Clark will fly on proudly with God Bless the USA.
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