When Christian singer Natalie Grant took the stage at a College Football Championship game, she silently prayed, “Let Jesus be glorified.” What followed next was a lovely, powerful version of our nation’s anthem.
Natalie Grant didn’t always want to be a famous singer. She began her studies to become a school teacher and thought her voice would only be heard on Sundays in church. Then she felt God pull her in another direction, and she began her singing career in 1999.
Grant has won the Female Vocalist of the year at the Dove Award three times. She has also garnered eight Grammy nominations. Her singles “Hurricane” and “Held” have achieved national acclaim.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key and set alongside music by John Stafford Smith. Over a century later, the song became the official national anthem in 1931.
Since the end of WWII, the national anthem has been played at the beginning of all football games and most other sports games, such as hockey, baseball, and soccer.
The anthem is notoriously difficult to sing. Many modern singers opt to lip-synch a pre-recorded performance rather than risk sounding off or not hitting the high notes.
Natalie Grant did sing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ live at the start of the College Championship Game. Grant feels God can work through everything she does, even singing at a football game.
