The years leading to the US Bicentennial (1976) saw a great flowering of artistic celebration, including the commissioning of American composers to write festive works for the occasion. The Nashville Symphony and its conductor Thor Johnson asked Adolphus Hailstork for such a work to premiere, and to distribute the music at no cost to high school orchestras around the United States. The present version for band followed as a natural offshoot of the infectiously exhilarating 3-minute work.