WASHINGTON _ Just when you thought the American public was the hardest on politicians, country singer Wynonna Judd took the cake.
"Loosen up your ties," the singer said. "Come on, big babies."
Judd invited the roughly 60 members in attendance at the annual Grammys on the Hill Awards to sing with her on Wednesday.
"Congress needs more cowbell," she said.
When the dozens finally walked up, she gave them all grief for not knowing the words to her songs.
She kicked Rhode Island Democrat David Cicilline out from the front and pulled up Democrats Katherine M. Clark of Massachusetts and Cheri Bustos of Illinois because the two knew the words to her song, "No One Else on Earth."
Once the song was over, she told Cicilline, "Google me, I'm actually really famous."
The Recording Academy's Grammys on the Hill is an event to push representation and compensation for music creators ahead of a lobbying day on Capitol Hill on Thursday.
This year, the lobbyists will also focus on advocating for maintaining government support for the arts.
New Mexico Democrat Tom Udall and Maine Republican Susan Collins were awarded for their support of music programs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
"As a boy, I totally failed my piano lessons. I couldn't compose a song if it saved my life, and I'm here getting a Grammy," Udall said.
He then took the opportunity to push against President Donald Trump's proposed cuts to arts programs.
"The purpose of the government is to provide for the public good. The arts are a public good," he said.
He added that the National Endowment for the Arts is "under attack" by Trump.
Trump's cuts are "to send a message to the American people on what he thinks is important," he said to applause from the audience. "Support for the arts isn't red or blue. It's right where we need to be."
When Collins received her award, she also said she took piano lessons from age 4 to 18.
"But don't ask me to go over to that keyboard now," she said.
She touted her love of music.
"A tradition in my family is on Christmas Eve, we always sing all the Christmas carols," Collins said. "I just can't imagine life without the music that you produce."
She added, "I want to thank you so much for all that you do to enrich our lives, as well as our economy."
Country music singer Keith Urban received the Recording Artists' Coalition Award for his music and work on music education programs. He had the final performance of the evening and sang his hit songs "Blue" and "Wasted Time."
"Music has a profound need and requirement in kids' lives ... to take that out (of schools), for musicians, is like taking reading out," Urban said when he received his award.
John Popper of Blues Traveler joined him on stage and played the harmonica to wrap up the evening. But, he apparently broke the instrument during the duet and threw it down to Florida Democrat Ted Deutch.
The host of the evening was country music singer Martina McBride and Popper played the national anthem.
At one point, McBride told the audience about the Beto O'Rourke and Will Hurd bipartisan road trip from their state of Texas to the Capitol in March. She mentioned how important music was on their trip, which is accurate, and played a clip of them listening to Johnny Cash.
"These congressmen may have different voting records for the issue of the day, but when it comes to the man in black, there can be no argument," McBride said.
Jonathan Wollf, television show composer, who was the brains behind the "Seinfeld" and "Will and Grace" opening theme songs, shared his experiences them. He said he was seated next to Rep. Anna G. Eshoo during the dinner portion, but kept pronouncing her name as "Congresswoman Shoo" in his story to the audience.
Other members in attendance were Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Leader Kevin McCarthy, Sen. Jim Risch and Reps. Diane Black, Lois Frankel, Cheri Bustos, Joseph Crowley, Scott Tipton, among others.
