Chris Stapleton performed The National Anthem at Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday (Feb. 12).
The 44-year-old Kentucky native delivered a soulful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” live during America’s most-watched sporting event.
All eyes were on the eight-time GRAMMY winner as he took to the State Farm Stadium Field to perform the patriotic tune.
Sans his signature cowboy hat, the Kentucky native was joined by Armed Forces color guard and “The President’s Own” United States Marine band. His National Anthem length clocked in at 02:02.79.
His beautiful performance of the National Anthem brought many audience members to tears, including Philadelphia Eagles’ coach Nick Sirianni and Eagles’ lineman Jason Kelce.
Many dubbed Stapleton’s National Anthem performance one of the “best of all time.”
The U.S. Navy conducted a flyover of State Farm Stadium as Stapleton sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The flyover was in support of 50 years of women flying in the Navy.
According to a press release, The formation was composed of an F-35C Lightning II from the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, two F/A-18F Super Hornets from the “Flying Eagles” of VFA-122, and an EA-18G Growler from the “Vikings” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129.
Prior to taking to the field to perform The National Anthem, Stapleton appeared in a Ram Trucks’ commercial.
Stapleton’s Super Bowl LVII performance came just days after his buzzed-about GRAMMYs appearance, where he shared the stage with music icons Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder.
In the midst of a busy February, Stapleton revealed plans to extend his All-American Road Show through 2023. The trek kicks off on April 26 at UTEP Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas and runs through late August.
Fans can also catch Stapleton on tour with George Strait on a run of six stadium shows throughout the summer.
Additionally, Super Bowl LVII also featured a performance from Babyface, a 12-time GRAMMY winner, who sang “America The Beautiful,” as well as Emmy-award winning actress, Sheryl Lee Ralph, who performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
The performers were joined by Academy Award-winner Troy Kotsur, who signed the National Anthem, “America The Beautiful,” “Life Every Voice and Sing,” and will sign the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in American Sign Language. Kotsur, who is only the second deaf person to win an Oscar, is an Arizona native known for his work in the film CODA.
Later in the show, RIHANNA will deliver the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, which is produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers, and Hamish Hamilton serving as director.
“Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” Jay-Z, Rihanna’s “Umbrella” collaborator and the founder of Roc Nation, previously said in a statement. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
In a recent interview with Billboard, Collins, who is the President of Jesse Collins Entertainment, shared that RIHANNA is “working hard.”
He went on to promise viewers that the “Stay” singer will perform “all” of her major hits and that the Apple Music Halftime Show will be “like none other.”
The performance will mark RIHANNA’s first performance in five years.
The 34-year-old pop star has mostly remained out of the spotlight in music over the last several years to focus on her Savage X Fenty lingerie and beauty line. In May of 2022, RIHANNA welcomed her first child with her boyfriend A$AP ROCKY.
“Oh, man. I’m just as excited as you guys, if not more. Yeah, I’m super excited. This is as huge. This is incredible. I’m so glad that my lady’s back making music again and whatnot, and getting back out there. It’s just incredible,” A$AP ROCKY recently told Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. ”Especially for both of us, it is a good year for both of us to be more active and be out there. But the Super Bowl is huge, and her being the creative she is she going to bring it, man. I’m excited. I’m more excited than everybody else, honestly.”
The worldwide phenomenon later released two new songs, “Lift Me Up” and “Born Again,” which marked her first new music since 2016’s Anti. Both tunes appear as part of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
The chart-topping superstar recently scored her first-ever Oscar nomination at the 95th Academy Awards for Best Original Song for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever single, “Lift Me Up,” which is also her first solo single in six years.
RIHANNA follows previous Super Bowl halftime performers Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, The Weeknd, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, and many more.
Super Bowl LVII, which will find the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles, will take place on Sunday (Feb. 12) at 6:30 p.m. EST on FOX.
