He’s been a professional musician since he was 12 — nearly 50 years. He’s produced more than two dozen albums and racked up a long list of awards, from Country Music Association honors to a Grammy, but country singer Lee Greenwood will always, always be remembered for one song, “God Bless the U.S.A.”

“I got pretty lucky in writing it,” Greenwood said by phone from his home in Tennessee. “It’s a generic song, and it stands the test of time.”

Indeed.

When Greenwood wrote the song in 1985 it was a time of relative peace, and the country was healing from the psychic wounds of the Vietnam War.

Greenwood, 60, didn’t serve in Vietnam nor the military, but he felt for the servicemen who did, and wanted to support them the only way he knew how — in song.

Perhaps what makes the song stand out is that instead of being a peace song, it defiantly defends the right to be “proud to be an American,” something the nation was lacking following the defeat in Vietnam.

“I stepped up, like Francis Scott Key,” he said, comparing himself to the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

As an established performer Greenwood had a ready-made audience for his patriotic message.

The song struck a chord with audiences across the country, went platinum and garnered awards for Song of the Year and Male Concert Artist of the Year (Country Music Association), and Single of the Year (Music City News Award).

Who could resist the patriotic urge with this chorus:

And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.

And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.

‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.

The song regained popularity during the first Gulf War, and again after 9/11 and the advent of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. He has sung it many times since then, including at the World Trade Center Memorial and at a Vietnam Veteran’s Day ceremony at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. No matter how many times he’s sung it, it’s never just another song.

Greenwood said with every performance he remembers those who died.

“It rips your heart out,” he said. “There are so many heroic stories, they go through my mind like a movie.”

From the firefighters at the Twin Towers to the troops on the ground, they are all there with Greenwood when he sings.

Greenwood performs May 19 at the Admiral Theatre in Bremerton, then on Saturday he joins the Armed Forces Day Parade as Celebrity Grand Marshal.

The last time he was grand marshal of a parade was in 1985 at Disneyland, the year “that song” came out.

Long before that, Greenwood began his music career as a teenager in Sacramento. He missed his high school graduation because he had a show that night at a casino in Reno.

He performed for many years in Las Vegas, then in 1978 moved to Nashville where he honed his country sound. It proved to be a good move. His first three albums went gold and his greatest hits went platinum.

Following the Gulf War he toured with the United Service Organization, better known as the USO, performing for troops. He also performed at a variety of high profile charity events.

In 1995 he took a break to start a family with his wife Kim, a former Miss Tennessee, and built his own performance theater in the Smoky Mountains. They have two young sons, Dalton, 11 and Parker Reid, 7.

Prophetically, Greenwood began touring again in the spring of 2001.

You couldn’t ask for a more perfect performer to kick off the Armed Forces Day celebrations in Bremerton, or to be a part of the parade, and you can bet on hearing those familiar words, “I’m proud to be an American … .”

Lee Greenwood performs 8 p.m. May 19 at the Admiral Theatre, 515 Pacific Ave., Bremerton.

Tickets are $40 main floor and loge, $30 balcony, all seats reserved. Main floor dinner tickets are $71, reservations required. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, or by phone at (360) 373-6743.