Oh, Say Can You Sing?

Given that we are at the beginning of the NFL football season I'm making a point to speak out on behalf of all America's sports fans concerning an issue of grave importance. That issue being the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and other sports leagues' inability to select capable singers and/or musicians who can open their events without completely murdering the National Anthem of this country.

I took a little time a few years back to try and find out why these professionals brought in by our beloved sports leagues are unable to properly perform the National Anthem. I couldn't believe how many times I read, or heard (one performer spoke on the radio), that the song itself was very difficult to perform, and some performers change it so that it's easier for them.

It's taken me a while, a few years to be exact, to understand the plight of our professional performers, and form an opinion on what sports leagues should do about the situation where they bring in these great talents, probably at great cost, who purposely murder the National Anthem, because they don't have the requisite talent to perform it correctly.

During this time, I've kept an ear out during sporting and other events to determine what, if any, criteria sports leagues could use to help guide them in choosing more capable performers. And recently I've hit upon a gold mine, a veritable plethora of capable individuals who can perform the National Anthem absolutely perfectly – every time. I share two examples below...

I was in North Carolina at the Lake Toxaway Community Center for an observance of Memorial Day. There were about 175 people in the community center audience, and maybe 20 or so on stage with the Honor Guard. Everyone stood as one and sang the National Anthem flawlessly.
I thought to myself:
"Wow. Here we have almost 200 people who can properly perform the National Anthem.
I wonder if these people understand just how hard this song is to perform?"

I found myself in another gathering just the other day and listened as three individuals stood up before a small crowd and sang the National Anthem in perfect harmony.
* No accompaniment.
* No tuning up.
* No practice.
They just stood up and sang the song because someone had requested it.
I thought to myself: "I wonder what these people are doing that all of these professionals do not seem capable of to perform this song?"

I'm only sharing the two experiences above for brevity's sake, but I have many many more experiences like the two above. And I've pondered a great many hours over what all of my positive experiences with people who can perform the National Anthem have in common.

Then, suddenly, it ocurred to me. The common thread hit me like a bolt of lighting, right out of the blue clear sky! These people who can perform the National Anthem had something very unique in common. They could not only perform the National Anthem perfectly, they could also perform another type of song just as well, just as clear, and just as meaningfully as they could perform the National Anthem.

All the sports leagues have to do is to find these people who can perform this other type of song so well, and they'll be guaranteed to have capable individuals or groups who can perform the National Anthem properly!

No more murdering the National Anthem!!

The "other type" of song that these groups and individuals perform so well are commonly known as Hymns. Sports leagues interested in having capable performers for our National Anthem simply need to go to church!

Praise the Lord!!

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