I was talking to a guy about some of the worst vocals ever at sporting events.
He asked if I had ever heard a really performance or recording.
I'm pretty sure one country singer did a great job recently and I know there have been a few others.
Most singers only insult the flag by trying to add their own twists to the song.
Who in your opinion honors the flag best with a performance?

The Military bands!

Anyone who does not "stylize" the song.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Whitney Houston / Superbowl / 1991.
IMO, it'll never be topped.

Heard one done by the 9 year old daughter of a deployed Marine at a high school ballgame about a year ago. Before she started she asked all the veterans in the crowd to stand & thanked them with a quiver in her voice as she told the crowd that she thanked God for those who made it home & those who didn't & how much she looked forward to seeing her daddy again. Sang her little heart out & sounded like an angel. I'm a pretty tough skinned guy but things just got all blurry about 3 bars in.....

You have to listen to this one Les.

I don't know guys,I really don't mind stylizing. Faith Hill,Marvin Gaye,Carrie Underwood and Whitney Houston did some spectacular versions of those songs for Super Bowls and NBA Finals.

One of Nike's best ever commercials had Marvin Gaye's version of the NA in the background.

Those little 7-9 year old girls out of Houston did an awesome job as well,imo.

It's the disrespect for the Anthem which bothers me,like that Roseanne Barr bitch.

GOOSE BUMPS ! !

Beautifully performed by an appropriate choir.

Inspired, as we all should be.

Thanks for posting.

Best I've heard. I'm not one that like editorializing, dancing around, sighing or flapping of arms. Do it right, with respect.

Gave me a little more than good bumps.

This during the Persian Gulf war. There are YouTube versions which begin with military members expressing their gratitude for her efforts entertaining our troops. This is just the song version. Before her sad fall,she sure had some spectacular pipes.


[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YAa0bim8cBk[/video]

Most recently, the cadets from The Citadel performed flawlessly at the Charleston, SC debate.

Huey Lewis did a nice job at the Niners NFC playoffs a couple of weeks ago.

Beyond that Whitney's performance was outstanding and had just the right amount of style if there must be any at all.

Damn Yankees, the band the with Ted Nugent and Tommy Shaw, did a really good version back in the 90's before one of the baseball playoff games.

Military bands/soloists. Very well trained singers, singing it straight ahead....

Don't like stylized and I really don't like it anytime the performer makes the rendering more about him/herself than about the song.

+1000

There the best!

Without a doubt.

Kate Smith
Mark

I always liked these girls singing it. It's worth the click. (Couldn't find the img code to get it to show.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKCVS57j284

I place the blame for the recent dabacles regarding the performance of our national antherm squarely on the shoulders of the event organizers/promoters. It seems that some go out of their way to select those who would dishonor our anthem and our country by the way they butcher/stylize their performance. Performing the singing of our national anthem before a large audience is and honor and a privledge that should only be given those who would do so with dignity and respect.

There are many beautiful renditions by professionals, but somehow a little kid singing always means more to me.

#1-Military bands
#2-Trisha Yearwood

The thing I really don't like is the crowd and players not paying respects during the singing, regardless who's doing it. They can't just stand silent with a hand over the heart for a couple minutes...

And the singers who don't know the words.

Absolutely! It is disrespectful when they "make it their own", like the idiots on American Idol.

The worst I've ever heard was that crotch grabbing bitch Rosanne Barr. She should have been stoned for that performance.

Reba McIntyre does about as good as anybody.

Slightly off topic, one of the most moving "anthems" I have heard at a sporting event was also one of the worst sung.
That was at the 1990 Commonwealth games in Auckland, an Irish boxer won the gold but the sound system malfunctioned so the guy in charge of the sound system asked everyone to stand and join him. He then lead the crowd in singing "Danny Boy". I don't think there was a single person who didn't at least try to join in.

Yep. There's no place in the singing or our anthem for urban yodeling.

Agreed! Whitney sang it well that night.

Bless her crackheaded heart, Whitney did a fine job with the National Anthem that night.

Play a tape, let the crowd sing it, and then play the [bleep] game..

I really have no idea why some people feel it's vital to the nation's future, how the song is sung before the superbowl..

She nailed it.

Detroit's Fat Bob the Singing Plumber was THE best! Seriously.

Classically trained in opera, made a better living as a plumber.




"Fat Bob had the greatest of the anthem voices
By Leamington Post
Posted 1 year ago
Fat Bob Taylor was born in Leamington, and moved to the U.S. in that unforgettable year of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, 1941.

Bob then attended Wayne State for a year, and then joined the U.S. Air Force. After the war, Bob sung in various cabarets around Detroit, but singing jobs were scarce and he took a job with his father-in-law's plumbing firm and began to earn his Master's plumbers license.

Thus between that wonderful tenor voice and his huge size was the legend created, Fat Bob the Singing Plumber.

And fame was ready to come knocking. Bob then began training with the University of Michigan voice coach Millard Cates. Then came regional attention when he won the Metropolitan Opera auditions."

I love hearing the national anthem, some do better than other and most everyone above nailed it without too much individual stylizing.

Every artist is going to have their own individual style due to the simple fact that everyone is an individual with their own voice and style. The key is minimize the individual influence while still allowing some of it to show through. Otherwise they could just play a tape at every event.

I honestly, liked all of the renditions above. Every one gave me goose bumps listening to them. They key IMO is the respect showed by the artist. The message is the most important part, not the messenger.

I listened to a High School senior/cheerleader sing it at my nephew's basketball game the other night. Simply superb, the crowd went nuts. Absolutely fantastic, incredible voice, her style showed through and she didn't try to go over the top. My nephew knows her very well and stated after the game that she loves to perform it and feels it is not only an honour, but an obligation to her school.

I went up and thanked/congratulated her after the game.

Yep. Fact is, few of in the biz have the range to truly get it right the way it's written. "Stylizing" is often just masking range deficiency IMHO.

Jewel did a good job at the super bowl one time but I like the "Cactus Cuties" better. miles

Martina McBride did a great job on one post 9-11. IIRC...