Country Music Artists Who Have Performed the National Anthem at the Super Bowl

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2 months ago

With the Super Bowl being the pinnacle of each football season, a moment that regularly draws more than 100 million viewers each year, it stands to reason that similarly, one of the loftiest aspirations — and nerve-wrecking challenges — for any musician is the opportunity to sing the national anthem during the Super Bowl pre-game. It’s a moment that less than 50 solo singers have experienced, given that many of the early renditions of the national anthem during a Super Bowl were handled by marching bands, choirs and instrumentalists. Written by Francis Scott Key, “The Star-Spangled Banner” was adopted as the U.S. national anthem in 1931.

Since the first Super Bowl was held in 1967, the national performance slot has grown in prominence, with numerous rock and pop artists such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and the Backstreet Boys handling national anthem duties over the decades.

Still, country music performers have had a strong showing over the years. Country music performer Charley Pride was the first solo country singer to perform the national anthem during a Super Bowl, in 1974.

While country performers’ national anthem slots have largely been interspersed with performers from other musical genres over the years, more have been stepping up to the mic on the stadium field to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner,” including Eric Church teaming with Jazmine Sullivan (2021), Mickey Guyton (2022), Chris Stapleton (2023) and Reba McEntire (2024).

Here, Billboard looks at country music artists who have performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl throughout the years.

Charley Pride

In 1974, the late Charley Pride became the first country artist to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl, just prior to the Miami Dolphins taking on the Minnesota Vikings for Super Bowl VIII at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The University of Texas Longhorn Band also performed during the halftime show.

The Dolphins triumphed over the Vikings, 24-7.
Garth Brooks

Image Credit: George Rose/GI

In 1993, while riding a hot streak of unprecedented sales success for a country artist (including his albums No Fences, Ropin’ The Wind, and The Chase), Garth Brooks did the honors of performing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

That year’s halftime show performer was Michael Jackson.

The Cowboys triumphed over the Bills, 52-17.
Faith Hill

In 2000, Faith Hill performed the national anthem prior to the kickoff for Super Bowl XXXIV, which featured the Tennessee Titans against the St. Louis Rams at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

In an interview with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last year, Hill recalled her Super Bowl performance, saying, “The most extraordinary amount of pressure, ever…singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl was terrifying. However, when I sang it, The Tennessee Titans happened to make it to the Super Bowl the same year, and I had accepted the honor…that calmed me because I was so proud of our team. I spent a lot of time int eh restroom, rehearsing with a boom box. I walked from the public restroom out to the field and sang the national anthem.”

That year’s halftime show featured several performers, including Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton and Enrique Iglesias.

The Rams triumphed over the Titans, 23-16.
The Chicks

In 2003, the Chicks (then known as the Dixie Chicks) performed the national anthem for Super Bowl XXXVII. That year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced off against the Oakland Raiders at Quaalcom Stadium in San Diego, California. The Buccaneers triumphed over the Raiders, 48-21.

That year’s music lineup offered a double-shot of country music, as the halftime show also featured Shania Twain, in addition to No Doubt and Sting.
Carrie Underwood

Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

In 2010, Carrie Underwood performed the national anthem prior to XLIV, as the New Orleans Saints faced off against the Indianapolis Colts at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. While Underwood performed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” rock icons The Who performed the halftime show.

The Saints were victorious over the Colts, 31-17.

Prior to her performance in 2010, Underwood told USA Today, “My biggest fear is the words…of course you know the words, but if you’re going to mess up, that’d be the time, right?
Luke Bryan

In 2017, Luke Bryan performed the national anthem to launch Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium in Houston, as the New England Patriots faced off against the Atlanta Falcons.

“I said, ‘Hell yes, I’ll do it!’” Bryan told People. “Is the anthem challenging? Yes. Is it nerve-wracking? Yes. But I moved to Nashville to follow my dreams and singing the national anthem on that stage doesn’t get any bigger.”

Original cast members from Hamilton: An American Musical performed “America the Beautiful.” Lady Gaga performed the Super Bowl halftime show in 2017.

The Patriots triumphed over the Falcons, 34-28.
Eric Church With Jazmine Sullivan

Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/GI for TW

In 2021, before the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida, Eric Church opened Super Bowl LV with a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” alongside Grammy-nominated R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan.

The pre-game show also featured H.E.R. performing “America the Beautiful,” and Alicia Keys performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” while the halftime show featured The Weeknd.

The Buccaneers triumphed over the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9.
Mickey Guyton

In 2022, Guyton performed the national anthem at Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, before the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20.

During the pre-show telecast, Jhené Aiko sang “America the Beautiful,” and Mary Mary sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” while the halftime show featured artists including Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J. Blige.
Chris Stapleton

In 2023, Stapleton performed the national anthem during Super Bowl LVII, just before the game launched in Glendale, Ariz., as the Kansas City Chiefs took on the Philadelphia Eagles; the Chiefs won 38-35. The country star’s simple, powerful rendering of “The Star-Spangled Banner” garnered so much acclaim that he released the audio from the performance to streaming platforms.
Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire is performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” during Super Bowl LVIII, as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 11. Her performance of the national anthem on a global stage in 2024 also marks a full-circle moment, as McEntire was “discovered” 50 years ago by actor-musician Russell “Red” Steagall when she sang the song at the 1974 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma.