Watch the Foo Fighters Dedicate ‘Times Like These’ to the ‘Unshakeable’ Teachers of the U.S. in Inauguration Day’s ‘Celebrating America’

On Wednesday night, Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters took part in Celebrating America, the primetime special hosted by Tom Hanks and featuring a number of music icons performing from around the country that aired as part of Inauguration Day’s official programming.

The Foos‘ performance was especially personal for Grohl. Introduced by viral sensation/kindergarten teacher Mackenzie Adams and dedicating “Times Like These” to the teachers of America, Dave took the time to pay tribute to “another outstanding teacher, who holds a very special place in my heart. My mother, Virginia, who was a public school teacher for 35 years. Like Mackenzie, and Dr. Jill Biden, she was also a mentor to her students, remembered long after their graduation.

“This year, our teachers were faced with unprecedented challenges, but through dedication and creativity, they faced those challenges head on. So this next song is for Mackenzie, and all of our unshakeable teachers that continue to enlighten our nation’s kids everyday.”

To teachers everywhere, Thank You.
This is in your honor.#Inauguration2021 #CelebratingAmerica #TimesLikeThese pic.twitter.com/unGyGxpocp

— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) January 21, 2021

The Foo Fighters then played a powerful version of “Times Like These,” Grohl bathed in light and his band mates — Chris Shiflett, Taylor Hawkins, Pat Smear, Nate Mendel and Rami Jaffee — dressed to the nines for the occasion. Make note of Hawkins’s vest-but-that’s-it look behind the drum kit:

Watch the full Celebrating America primetime special below.

The Foo Fighters are gearing up to release their new album, Medicine at Midnight, due out on Feb. 5.

Click here to pre-order Medicine at Midnight from our Rock Cellar Store.

It’s been previewed thus far with three songs, the most recent being “Waiting on a War,” another song steeped in Grohl’s personal experiences. The song was premiered on Grohl’s 52nd birthday last week, and its music video premiered earlier this week:

Per a press release: “Produced by Greg Kurstin and Foo Fighters, engineered by Darrell Thorp and mixed by Mark “Spike” Stent, Medicine at Midnight packs the following nine songs into a tight-ass 37 minutes.”

Here’s Medicine at Midnight‘s track listing:

1. Making A Fire
2. Shame Shame
3. Cloudspotter
4. Waiting On A War
5. Medicine At Midnight
6. No Son Of Mine
7. Holding Poison
8. Chasing Birds
9. Love Dies Young