worst national anthem singers, alexis normand national anthem

worst national anthem singers, alexis normand national anthem

Alexis Normand, Canadian Jazz singer, has become a member of the select club of performers who have botched a public performance of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Ms. Normand tweeted an apology for her gaffe in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at the beginning of a Memorial Cup hockey game, blaming on a last minute request to sing the anthem and nerves.
Fans Help Canadian Jazz Singer Finish Botched “Star Spangled Banner”

The trouble began when she could not decide if we hailed the “broad stripes and bright stars” from the twilight’s first or last gleaming, and it disintegrated from there. At points during the remainder of the song, her words became so garbled, it was difficult to understand what words she was singing.

For the most part, the crowd’s reaction was first puzzled, as heads that had been bowed reverently were raised to send questioning glances in Ms. Norman’s direction. The questioning turned to humor; some had the grace to hide their smirks behind their hands or turn away. Finally, human kindness took control and the fans, Canadian and American alike, helped her finish the song. In her tweet, the singer thanked them for their help.

In fairness, the U.S national anthem has a reputation for being a challenging song to remember and sing. Many celebrities, including Steven Tyler, Christina Aguilera, and Roseanne Barr have offered up their own faulty rendition of the tricky ballad.

On The Web

Star-Mangled Banner: How Canadian sports teams avoid anthem gaffes

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/05/canadian-singer-alexis-normand-bombs-on-national-anthem/

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/01/6-people-who-should-have-lip-synced-the-national-anthem/