Do you recall the time when Garth Brooks came close to not singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl? It is said that Garth Brooks almost decided not to perform at the Super Bowl in 1993, and in doing so, he changed the expectations for future Super Bowl performers.
Other country stars like Charley Pride, Faith Hill, the Dixie Chicks, Kelly Clarkson, and Carrie Underwood have also been chosen to sing the anthem in the past. However, when Brooks backed out of the performance at the last minute, it led to a policy change that has now become a tradition in the institution.
In his book, "The Making of the Super Bowl: The Inside Story of the World's Greatest Sporting Event," Don Weiss, a former NFL Executive Director, reveals that Garth Brooks had plans to premiere his music video for "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 music video included footage of the KKK, riots, wars, and acts of burning crosses and flags. However, the network found the video too controversial and as a result, Brooks supposedly left the stadium with only 45 minutes remaining until kickoff.
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Brooks refused the network's proposal to pre-record his performance, causing producers to search for a replacement at the last minute. Jon Bon Jovi was present at the game and was prepared to take over while producers debated with Brooks. Eventually, Brooks emerged victorious, resulting in the biggest sports event in America being delayed for the first time ever to showcase his video. With a hairdo reminiscent of Cyrus and a complete mustache and beard, Brooks stepped onto the field for his performance. Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin, who is deaf, provided a sign language interpretation alongside him.
After Brooks' departure, the NFL has implemented a rule that states all performances of the national anthem at the Super Bowl must be pre-recorded. This information was shared by Ricky Minor, a former Super Bowl Music Director.
According to him, doing it that way is correct. He believes that there are too many factors to consider before going live. He strongly advises against any artist going live because even a small issue could greatly impact the performance.
Here are 15 country artists who have the potential to be the main performers at a Super Bowl halftime show. This gallery is credited to Jess
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