So good, it would bring a tear to a bald eagle’s eye.
There’s nothing quite like our nation’s anthem. The playing of “The Star Spangled Banner” before sporting events is one of my favorite parts about attending games in person. Nothing beats rising up with your fellow Americans, placing your hand over your heart, and taking in the national anthem as a collective group. For those couple of minutes, there aren’t fans of this team and that team… there’s only one team: America.
Gives me chills every time.
And I only bring up sporting events because that’s traditionally one of the only places you’ll hear the “Star Spangled Banner” live. That being said, the song is sometimes performed elsewhere, and today, I’m directing your attention to one of those elsewheres. It’s a tradition in my home state of Kentucky that I never get tired of.
Every year around January or February, the Kentucky Music Educators get together for a convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Most of the convention’s attendees stay at the Louisville Hyatt, which is a hotel arranged in a way where the middle of the building is entirely open, and all of the rooms are positioned on the perimeter of the hotel.
I only mention that because it makes for a) the perfect place for singers to stand near the railing on each floor and b) makes for some wonderful acoustics. There’s a good chance you’ve seen one of these videos before, and if you have, that’s okay… just enjoy it again. Basically, all of the singers (and there’s a lot because it’s a Kentucky Music Educators convention) organize a time to get together and sing a song that fills up the entirety of the hotel.
What song do they go with? Well, in terms of songs that everyone knows the words to, the “Star Spangled Banner” is probably the most well-known (maybe besides Garth’s “Friends in Low Places”). So they go with that one, they all gather on the balconies of the Louisville Hyatt, and they lay down an a cappella rendition of America’s national anthem that is almost certain to give you some patriotic chills.
It sounds amazing through video… and I can only imagine how goose-bump-inducing it must be to witness the performance in person when all of the singers get going:
“Thousands of high school students attending the Kentucky Music Educators convention in Louisville perform the National Anthem. It’s a nightly tradition at the Louisville Hyatt that moves spectators each year.”
@wdrb_news Towering tribute to America! Thousands of high school students attending the Kentucky Music Educators convention in Louisville perform the National Anthem. It’s a nightly tradition at the Louisville Hyatt that moves spectators each year. #america #nationalanthem #kentuckymusicedcators #patriotism #usa ♬ original sound – WDRB News
If that doesn’t make you proud to be an American, I’m not sure what will.
