When actress, recording artist, and award-winning singer Mary Millben reflects on her life, she sees a blessed journey marked by what God has called her to do. With a rich coloratura voice that soars with dramatic verve, Mary has traveled the globe, bringing rousing emotion to her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” She has had the honor of performing for four consecutive U.S. presidents — and very likely in just a few weeks, a fifth one when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office for his second term.
“Of the blessings of God and the blessings of this country, my life is truly the American dream, as many of our lives are,” Mary said. “When we look, we see not only the hand of God over our lives, but we see also the blessings and the benefits that we’ve received by being an American citizen.”
Breitbart News Entertainment Editor Jerome Hudson recently sat down with Mary Millben — a self-described “Breitbart girl” — who spoke first and foremost about God and country, and how they are the prime inspirations in her life.
Few would believe that a woman who’s enchanted audiences from packed NFL stadiums in the U.S. to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, once suffered from stage fright. Indeed, Mary recalls being “very fearful to be on stage as a child, and certainly as a young teen.” She credits her “hero,” her mother, a retired music pastor, for forcing her on stages and places that were uncomfortable.
“We had to sing in choir and on praise teams and so I had to learn how to get over that stage fright rather quickly because that was never going away,” Mary said. “But I thank God for my mom because she was perhaps forcing me on stages and in places and spaces that were uncomfortable because she saw the call of God on my life.”
Mary’s Mother and Mary Millben following Mary’s performance at a Christmas Party at The White House during the Obama Administration. (Photo courtesy of Mary Millben)
It was through church that she encountered the version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that she sings for U.S. presidents today.
Mary Millben’s mother Reverend Althea Millben. (Photo courtesy Mary Millben)
“Our church would put on Broadway shows, almost — we had a very robust music and fine arts ministry and production team,” she said. For one July 4th performance, her mother wanted her to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” arrangement by Sandi Patty, which was memorably performed during the 1986 centenary of the Statue of Liberty.
“She wanted me to sing her arrangement, which is the arrangement that I actually sing now, for President Trump and for previous presidents, and it’s a very tough arrangement because of all the levels of octaves and high points.”
Mary Millben’s grandmother, Reverend Mercer V. Smith (L) and mother (R) Reverend Althea Millben. (Photo courtesy Mary Millben)
“I was excited about singing it,” she recalled, “but I didn’t at all know at the time that that would become a career, of singing the anthem. But I would say that that moment doing the anthem at that age, it started my love for patriotism.”
Her big introduction to politics came when she participated as a high schooler in Oklahoma Girls State and was then selected to attend Girls Nation in Washington D.C.
“It was my first time visiting the White House and it was the first president that I was blessed to meet at the time,” she recalled. “President Clinton was in the White House, and I remember we were all standing in line to go and meet the president.”
Under President George W. Bush, Millben served as a White House summer intern and then White House Presidential Appointee the last four years of the administration.
Music eventually became her life and she has since joined her musical gifts and sense of civic service by performing for Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden.
Mary was eager to express her excitement about President-elect Donald Trump’s historic presidential election and the prospects of being able to once again serve the country while working with his administration.
“I’m just happy that he and the first lady have been blessed with another opportunity to serve the country,” she said. “The policies of the four years of the president were best for America and the policies that are already in motion are going to be better.”
“He’s a different man because of what he experienced, the assassination attempts on his life,” Millben says of Trump. “I certainly see, firsthand, how it has made him a different man — he’s so much more bold to speak out about God and his faith and his journey of faith. It’s been really encouraging for me, and I know it has been for the country and your listeners, to see the president get up and admonish the Lord and his walk with God.”
Millben is hopeful to perform the national anthem at Trump’s inauguration, though her appearance has yet to be officially confirmed.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” holds a special place in Millben’s heart — she has performed it at numerous sports and political events — and she’s glad the cancel campaign against the anthem appears to be finally over.
“I was not only frustrated. I was moved to anger, which of course I had to repent to the Lord, in my anger, but I tell you, I was angry to see people who disrespected the anthem, disrespected the flag, disrespected our country,” she said.
“I feel now we have turned a corner, thankfully,” she later added, “and there is a reverence again for love of country and pride and putting your hand on your heart and singing the anthem or ‘God Bless America’ or those patriotic songs.”
Her recent performance at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally was a career highlight.
“Having a debut at Madison Square Garden was such a big deal for me personally, but then having a debut at Madison Square Garden in support of President Trump and it being right before election day was incredible,” she said, noting the venue was filled to capacity with people “from every walk of life and every culture, every age.”
“I’ve just been really lucky,” she later said. “The Lord dropped me into a music career singing the national anthem, patriotic music, songs that just reinforce everyday service, and that has been, I think, the greatest part of this life. It’s something that I genuinely love to do.”
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