In 1993, there was a close call with Garth Brooks considering not performing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. This incident ended up changing the expectations for future Super Bowl performers.
Brooks is not the sole country artist who has been chosen to perform the national anthem. Other notable stars like Charley Pride, Faith Hill, the Dixie Chicks, Kelly Clarkson, and Carrie Underwood have also had the privilege of singing it throughout the years. However, when Brooks allegedly backed out of the show at the last minute, it led to a change in policy that has now become a significant aspect of the event's tradition.
Don Weiss, a former executive director of the NFL, revealed in his book "The Making of the Super Bowl: The Inside Story of the World's Greatest Sporting Event" that Garth Brooks had plans to premiere his music video for the song "We Shall Be Free" during the broadcast on January 31, 1993. The song was written as a response to the riots in Los Angeles that occurred after the Rodney King verdict in 1992. The video included footage of the KKK, riots, wars, and burnings of crosses and flags. However, the network considered the content of the video too controversial, which led Brooks to leave the stadium just 45 minutes before kickoff.
There
Brooks refused the network's proposal to pre-record his performance, causing producers to frantically search for a replacement at the last minute. Jon Bon Jovi happened to be present at the game and was kept on standby while the producers negotiated with Brooks. Eventually, Brooks emerged victorious, resulting in the first-ever delay of America's biggest sports event to showcase his video. With a mullet and complete facial hair resembling Cyrus, Brooks then stepped onto the field to perform. Accompanying him was Marlee Matlin, an Academy Award-winning actress who is hearing impaired, providing a sign language interpretation.
After Brooks' departure, the NFL has now mandated that all performances of the national anthem at the Super Bowl must be pre-recorded, as stated by Ricky Minor, a former Super Bowl Music Director.
He affirms that doing it that way is correct. He believes that there are too many factors to consider before going live. He would never suggest any artist to go live because even a small error could greatly impact the performance.
Here are 15 country artists who are well-prepared to be the main performers at a Super Bowl halftime show. The credit for this gallery
Additional content from Taste of Country can be found here. For more updates and information