Numerous country artists have performed the national anthem for the Super Bowl, but few have done it as well as Chris Stapleton. The "Think I'm In Love With You" singer sang the challenging song for Super Bowl LVII in 2023, going down in history as one of the best renditions of the song of all time.
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Stapleton might have sung "The Star-Spangled Banner" better than most, but he admits he was nervous ahead of the game.
"The national anthem's a hard one for any singer. I don't care who you are," Stapleton says on the Today Show, adding that he had "exponentially" high nerves ahead of his performance.
Later, Stapleton revealed that he hadn't even watched the game, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Eagles.
"People were like, 'Oh. You made people cry,'" Stapleton recalls. "I was like, 'Oh, OK. Good, I'm gonna go watch the game.'"
Other Country Artists Who Sang At The Super Bowl
Stapleton is part of a long list of country artists who have performed the national anthem. Other artists who have performed the song for the Super Bowl include Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, the Dixie Chicks, Luke Bryan, Eric Church and more. In 2024, the honor went to Country Music Hall of Fame member, Reba McEntire.
"I've been singing the National Anthem in the shower [and] when we get in the car," McEntire tells Apple Music, adding that her boyfriend Rex Linn, was helping her practice. "He'll say, 'OK, sing it one more time.' I said, 'I think I know the words real good right now, so I'm alright.'"
McEntire was discovered singing the national anthem in 1974. So it's fitting that she sang the song again, 50 years later.
"It's not about me — I'm the representation of this song, and I'm just honored to get to sing it," McEntire says. "It's a good one. I've been doing it for 50 years, and I'm really proud to get to sing it."
This year's Super Bowl once again pits the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jon Batiste will sing the National anthem this year. The Super Bowl will air on Sunday, February 9, at 6:30 PM ET on FOX.
