Singing The National Anthem Is Hard, Y’all
I am not a singer. I have never sang live and I wouldn’t want to. Even if I was a singer, I’m not sure I’d ever want to try to tackle the national anthem of the United States of America. Not because I’m not patriotic, but because it’s not an easy task.
Everyone Seems To Be A National Anthem Expert
There’s probably not a more scrutinized performance in our country than the singing of our national anthem. And, the bigger the event, the bigger the scrutiny. I blame Whitney Houston. In my opinion, there was never and never will be a better performance than hers at Super Bowl XXV. She set the bar so high that she kinda ruined it for everyone else.
Ingrid Andress Had A Less Than Stellar Anthem Performance
Of course you know what I’m leading up to: Ingrid Andress’s performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby. She tanked it. There’s no way around it. Her performance has been compared to some of the worst we’ve had over the years and, to be honest, I feel bad for her. Performing is what she does. Like most of us in our own profession, she probably doesn’t need to be told that she screwed it up. But, ohhhhh, she’s hearing it.
I’d venture to guess that most people have never sang in front of a crowd, and, no, karaoke doesn’t count. I mean, REALLY singing. Of those people, I’d guess an even smaller number have sang the national anthem, much less sang it solo in front of millions of people. I’ve certainly never done it but, I’d imagine it brings on a bit of anxiety. So, I decided to ask someone who has.
When It Comes To The National Anthem, Jaycie Ward Is Very Experienced
Local singer & musician Jaycie Ward has been singing our national anthem at events for about 20 years. She’s said that, having sang it probably 1000 times, she still gets nervous about starting in the right key: “if you start too low or too high, it can get messy quick!” She also said that she once sang at a football stadium and said it was very difficult to get through with the way her voice was echoing back to her.
Even the most experienced singers can have trouble with the song, when you factor in nerves, unexpected echoes and, in Ingrid’s situation, a bunch of alcohol. Jaycie said that Luke Bryan even once got caught with the words to the anthem written on his hand.
Ingrid Apologizes For Her Anthem Performance
Ingrid, for her part, has apologized and confessed to being drunk when she performed. I can’t say I blame her. I have used booze to calm my nerves a time or two, myself. Not so much that I can’t perform and need rehab but, hey, I’m not one to judge. But, for what it’s worth, she says she’s seeking the help she needs to address an apparent problem.
Looking back over some of her previous live performances, she’s definitely got the voice and the skill to pull it off. Here’s hoping she bounces back.
