Actor Sinise and his Lieutenant Dan Band to perform at Camp Pendleton

Actor Sinise and his Lieutenant Dan Band to perform at Camp Pendleton Image

Camp Pendleton will host a special treat this Halloween as actor Gary Sinise and his The Lieutenant Dan Band perform for Marines and their families this Sunday.

Sinise, 55, who has starred in such blockbuster films as “Forrest Gump” (1994), “Appollo 13” (1995), “The Green Mile” (1999), and “Of Mice and Men” (1992), is a seasoned musician with a heart for those in service.

In 1997, while working on a stage production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Sinise began a musical partnership with the famed guitarist and vocalist Kimo Williams. with Sinise on bass, the two jammed around the Chicago area and in 2003 formed The Lienenant Dan Band.

The band got its name from "Lieutenant Dan," the character Sinise portrayed in “Forrest Gump,” (the role earned Sinise an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor), but the moniker came about by accident: as Sinise began visiting troops around the world, people would recognize him as Lieutenant Dan and the name just stuck.

Apparently, the USO liked the military connection. Following one of his overseas trips visiting servicemen and women, Sinise asked the USO if it would allow him to take the band on tour.

The USO agreed. in February 2004 the band hit the road on a USO tour that included Korea, Singapore and Diego Garcia.

Since those early days, Sinise and the band have played an average of 30-40 shows per year with approximately 75 percent of the performances for USO, charities or benefits.

The Lieutenant Dan Band covers everything from Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix classics to contemporary songs by Kelly Clarkson, Evanescence, Beyonce, Lonestar, and the Zac Brown Band.

Sinise will play for the troops on Sunday beginning at 4 p.m. The concert is private and free for troops and family members.

Toni McAllister is SWRNN’s lifestyles editor. She can be reached at toni.mcallister@yahoo.com. Follow her on Twitter at SWRNNaelife.

Tags: Camp Pendleton, Gary Sinise, SWRNN, The Lieutenant Dan Band

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