The national anthem has been sung at every Super Bowl except one. Here's why
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As Super Bowl LVIII weekend begins, Texans may recall some of the more memorable games since the very first Super Bowl in 1967.
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It's hard to imagine America's national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" not being sung to kick off the big game. However, some may recall when that was the case at Super Bowl XI.
What happened at the 1977 Super Bowl?
On Jan. 9, 1977, the Oakland Raiders won their first NFL championship against the Minnesota Vikings. The game was played in the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California and ended with a score of 32-14.
For the only game in Super Bowl history, the national anthem was not performed. Instead, a Texan with the stage name "Vikki Carr" sang "America the Beautiful," The Sporting News reports.
Beginning with the 1968 Olympics, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was incorporated into protests against racial injustice, according to The Conversation. Black athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists during the national anthem, and others followed suit.
At the time, such protests were very controversial. However, the end of the Vietnam War softened some of these tensions, and the NFL received little backlash when it replaced "The Star-Spangled Banner" with "America the Beautiful" in Super Bowl XI.
Who is Vikki Carr?
Carr, now age 82, is an American vocalist. She was born Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona in El Paso, Texas.
She is best known for her ability to cover a variety of genres, including jazz, mainstream pop and country, and Latin America music. According to Carr's website, she has released more than 60 best‑selling recordings, won three Grammy Awards, and honored with a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Who's singing "America the Beautiful" at the Super Bowl?
Following the national anthem, rapper Post Malone, 28, will sing "America the Beautiful."
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Why do we play the national anthem before the Super Bowl?
With the exception of 1977, "The Star-Spangled Banner" has been performed at every Super Bowl starting in 1967 by the UCLA choir.
Amid World War II, the National Football League began playing the national anthem in the 1940s, USA TODAY Sports reports.
Before "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the national anthem in 1931, it was played during the seventh inning stretch in Game 1 of the 1918 World Series — which coincided with World War I.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texan Vikki Carr made history at the 1977 Super Bowl. Here's how
