Grand Spectacle Coming For 4th Of July Fireworks On Hudson River

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Plans are set for the 37th Annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks, and organizers said quite a spectacle is in order.

As 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported, "passionate and patriotic" is how fireworks designer Gary Souza described this year's fireworks show in the sky over the Hudson River.

He said there will be 40,000 effects, including a jellyfish with tentacles and a smiley face.

"It's not just going to be the smiling face that everybody sees, but it's going to have a winking eye," he said.

Of course, you can't have fireworks without a musical score, and for that, executive producer Amy Kule said she hired Usher.

"It's a 25-minute soundtrack that includes everything from classical music to old standards. Of course, there's going to be four Usher songs, and a beautiful moment that's going to come together with Sam Cooke singing," she said.

The musical program begins with a recording of the National Anthem performed by Jimi Hendrix in 1969, followed by material by Kanye West, Rihanna and Kid Cudi; Avicii; Swedish House Mafia; Kelly Clarkson; and a version of Rihanna's "Shine Bright Like a Diamond" that leads into Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come."

"America the Beautiful," "God Bless America," and a medley of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" and Alicia Keys and Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" will close out the performance

The four barges with the fireworks will be in the Hudson River from about 24th Street to 40th Street.

1010 WINS is the official radio station for the fireworks show, and will be broadcasting the music soundtrack.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories