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Chris Stapleton’s soulful, sad rendition of the national anthem draws players to tears on the field

February 13, 2023
Chris Stapleton's soulful, sad rendition of the national anthem draws players to tears on the field
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Chris Stapleton’s turn to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl LVII represents the third consecutive year that a country artist has performed the pre-game song in full or in part, following Eric Church in a duet with Mickey Guyton and R&B star in 2022. Sung some parts. Jazmine Sullivan years ago. But Stapleton confirms what many of her fans already know—that she’s at least as much a classic blues singer as she is a country stylist.

Stapleton is the last singer to ever milk a song for sentimentality, but it was because of or in spite of her unusually gritty take on “The Star-Spangled Banner” that the cameras were able to cut to reaction shots of her openly crying. Were. Game participants. These included Eagles lineman Jason Kelce, who appeared to be fighting back tears, and coach Nick Siriani, who was saving the fight for the battlefield just going into full spigot mode.

The sight of Stapleton standing alone in center field with a Fender Telecaster, a tiny mic-aid amp, and a few monitors was emblematic of American individualism, just before a game (and perhaps Rihanna’s performance) much devoted to. Teamwork idea. As many of the better anthems have been delivered over the years, Stapleton’s delivery is somewhat harsh and interior, making for an inspired contrast to the Sturm und Drang with which it is so often delivered.

The other two musical performances before kickoff provided a real study in contrasts. Babyface was less showy than Stapleton, if also less rugged, accompanying himself on guitar – albeit a flag-emblazoned acoustic, accompanied by a full, pre-recorded backing track – as he ” America the” at least belt-y version. Beautiful” in memory, going for a calm-storm approach to patriotism.

Sherrill Lee Ralph, for her part, was no slouch in her highly demonstrative retreat on “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, which also featured her marching at times as she led what became known as the Black Nationals. Was. Anthem. While Stapleton and Babyface wore black for the occasion, Ralph was one of the most elegant and colorful performers in recent Super Bowl history, on a white stage with a red train behind him, possibly leading the way. was not meant to intentionally express any bias towards

This marked the third year in a row that “Lift Every Voice” has been added to the pre-bowl lineup for the musical triple play, although it had been a part of some NFL games for years prior to that. By now, it’s a solid, accepted tradition, though its appearance may have come as a shock to some right-wing voices, who may have begun to pay more attention because the game was on Fox — and to use the black national anthem as a was being played as Dispute by network’s website.

Conservative Gedrich Kevin Sorbo called the performance of the song “racist” against white people, while Lauren Boebert tweeted, “America only has one national anthem. Why is the NFL trying to divide us by playing multiple!? Do football.” , not awareness. Perhaps Boebert holds as much animosity against “America the Beautiful” as a distraction from the work of Frances Scott Key and hasn’t yet been ready to hate on it.

Whatever the review of Rihanna’s halftime performance, the pregame music came out as a triumph for most non-troll America — not least because Stapleton is a uniter, not a divider, even when she’s singing the national anthem. Making sounds like it was born of a great American black music artform.

And for anyone who wonders where the guitar ever went on the pop landscape… Eric Church and H.E.R. between the performances of Babyface and Stapleton in recent times and now, it seems, against all odds, they are destined to keep heading to the Super Bowl every year.

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