Keith Urband asked to sing “Star Spangled Banner” for first time and arena falls silent
In the world of spectator sports, athletic talents are not the only things that shine.
Singing the national anthem started as a nationalistic ritual during the war, but now, it is one of the biggest honors a sports organization can give to an artist.
When it’s sung, everyone pays attention.
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We’ve seen and anticipated stars singing the anthem at the Superbowl. Some of them sing during the Olympics.
It is a way for artists to show their prowess to a bigger audience. Keith Urban was given the honor by the NHL
And he didn’t waste the opportunity.
It was Game 3 of the 2017 Western Conference final and the Bridgestone Arena was packed with fans.
Urban walked into the rink sporting a jersey from the Nashville Predators.
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The Nashville Predators are known for bringing in big music stars to sing the anthem.
Urban joins that list with Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Sheryl Crow, and Kelly Clarkson.
The crowd roared out to Urban in welcome chee.
Some stars perform flamboyant versions of the anthem to show off their vocal range. Not Urban, though.
The four-time Grammy award winner stuck with a solemn tone.
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He easily hushed the crowd as he sang in clear notes and an endearing tune. But singing the anthem without embellishment doesn’t mean it won’t allow Urban to show his talent.
Through various points in his performance, the country singer hit all the right notes all at the right tempo.
As he ended his performance, the crowd burst into louder cheering.
After his performance, he spoke with Jon Morosi from the NHL to talk about his experience.
He said the performance meant a lot to him.
“I’ve lived in America for 25 years, and I’ve never been asked to sing the national anthem. It was such an honor to do it here in Nashville for the Preds.”
He said in the interview.
He also said that singing the national anthem was a “nerve-wracking experience” but was a “huge honor” at the same time.
He also said that it was one of his proudest moments as an artist.
People were quick to voice their appreciation.
“Nice rendition without all the fancy embellishments! Great job!” said one comment.
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“That was beautiful, Keith. Your sincerity and passion really come across, as in everything you sing. You have a real connection with your audience.” Said another.
It’s also worth noting that Urban is not originally from the United States.
He was born in New Zealand and moved to Australia when he was two.
He started to have an affinity for music early on as he picked up various instruments before he got to the age of 10.
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His career took off in 1990.
When he released his self-titled debut album in Australia. Two years after, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee where stars are born.
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He also became a judge in the reality talent TV show The Voice Australia and American Idol.
He is married to renowned Australian Actress Nicole Kidman.
Watch Keith Urban’s powerhouse performance of the national anthem in the video below!
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Source: YouTube – Sportsnet, NHL, Twitter – @NHLNetwork, Instagram – @keithurban