When you go to a sporting event, you’re looking for a great game. Some amazing competition. Two teams that are evenly matched and then at the end your favorite one emerges victorious. You don’t often attend a game for the national anthem. But when it comes to the chosen few, the opening song ends up being better than the game itself.
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Here below, we wanted to explore three such examples. A trio of national anthem performances that give chills as much as they inspire. Three offerings that will get the hair on the back of your neck standing up and make you want to put your hand over your heart and feel as patriotic as you ever have. Indeed, these are three incredible national anthem performances.
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Whitney Houston (1991)
When you’re nicknamed “The Voice,” you know you have something good going on. And Whitney Houston earned her moniker yet again in 1991 when performing the national anthem in front of 750 million fans worldwide ahead of the Super Bowl. Her rich, full voice had every note, every word, every syllable singing and soaring. Backed by the Florida Orchestra, she made the nearly 74,000 fans in the stadium applaud and the three-quarters of a billion watching around the globe shiver with joy.
Marvin Gaye (1983)
Count on Motown star Marvin Gaye to do something different. In 1983 ahead of the NBA All-Star game, the “What’s Going On” singer performed the National Anthem with his pitch-perfect, honey-dew voice. But he did so over a unique, nontraditional beat. It wasn’t the normal sweeping and soaring rendition. It was crisp, almost staccato. The offering of a master at his craft. Few could pull off something like this with as much style and grace, but Gaye did it and it will be remembered forever.
Chris Stapleton (2023)
When it comes to country music, Chris Stapleton has the Platonic ideal of a singing voice. Raspy, twangy, and rich, Stapleton could sing the phone book and it would be compelling. But when he used it to perform the national anthem, it was chef’s kiss. Stapleton could be the permanent singer of the song ahead of every big game and no one would be upset. He’s simply that good. Add a little electric guitar to it and it’s gold all around.
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