WASHINGTON — Her signature song, “God Bless America,” has been considered America’s unofficial national anthem. Today, Kate Smith, America’s “Song Bird of the South,” took center stage on a U.S. postage stamp as one of the nation’s most popular female singers. The stamp goes on sale nationwide today.

In a career that spanned almost five decades, Smith, a native of Washington, DC, recorded nearly 600 songs. At least 20 of her records sold more than a million copies, including three religious albums.

“Kate Smith and ‘God Bless America’ are forever intertwined and now, this legendary singer, entertainer, humanitarian and American icon, will be forever commemorated with a stamp in her honor,” said Postmaster General John Potter, during a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial. “From this day forward, this wonderful, vivid image of Kate Smith in full 1960s performance mode, with an American flag added in the background, will travel quickly, easily and affordably on letters and packages throughout the nation.”

“We are a nation at war and everyone knows someone who is either deployed, returned from deployment or is preparing to deploy. They are our war heroes but we need those people who are the morale heroes, the ones who lift us up, bring us together, and unite us under a common purpose. Kate Smith did that for this country through music,” said Under Secretary of the Army Dr. Joseph Westphal.

Smith started the first significant daytime television show in 1950 with the Kate Smith Hour, which was similar in nature to her radio show. She also hosted, in 1951 and 1952, the Kate Smith Evening Hour, which aired in prime time. She later appeared numerous times on The Ed Sullivan Show and was a guest on shows hosted by Andy Williams, Dean Martin, Jack Paar and the Smothers Brothers.

In 1973, toward the end of her career, Smith was invited to sing “God Bless America” at the opening of the Philadelphia Flyers’ hockey season. Players and fans considered her a good-luck charm, as the Flyers won many big games, including two Stanley Cups (1974 and 1975), when she sang. The team later built a bronze statue of her outside the Spectrum arena.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan presented Smith with the Medal of Freedom. She died in Raleigh, NC, on June 17, 1986, at age 79, after suffering for many years from diabetes. Smith was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1999.

The stamp art duplicates artwork created for the cover of a CD titled, “Kate Smith: The Songbird of the South.” The artwork was based on a photograph of Smith taken in the 1960s.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at local Post Offices, at The Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others, and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Kate Smith Stamp
Special Cancellations
P.O. Box 92282
Washington, DC 20090-2281

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by July 27, 2010.

How to Order First-Day Covers

Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic Catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:

Information Fulfillment
Dept. 6270
U.S. Postal Service
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products

There are four philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

• 464861, First-Day Cover, $0.82
• 464865, Digital Color Postmark, $1.50
• 464891, Ceremony Program, $6.95
• 464899, Digital Color Postmark w/Full Pane Keepsake, $10.95

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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