Country superstar Luke Bryan hit the field at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday afternoon to belt out the national anthem ahead of the New England Patriots-Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl showdown.
Bryan is the first country artist in quite a few years to do the honors, and offered the iconic song a country flare in his rendition. He’s also the first male artist to sing the national anthem since Billy Joel 10 years ago.
Bryan took the field shortly after the original Schuyler sisters on Broadway’s “Hamilton” — Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Jasmine Cephas Jones — sang “America the Beautiful” in front of TV’s biggest audience.
Last year, Lady Gaga, who will be performing the halftime show later on in the day, sang the national anthem. Other past performers include: Idina Menzel, Renée Fleming, Alicia Keys, Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, Whitney Houston, Harry Connick, Jr., Garth Brooks, Natalie Cole, and Vanessa Williams.
Bryan is best known for country hits like “Someone Else Calling You Baby” and “Country Girl (Shake It for Me).” Most recently, his single “Move,” off his album “Kill the Lights,” topped country charts. He won the Country Music Association’s entertainer of the year award in both 2014 and 2015.
Watch the performance below.
. @LukeBryanOnline performs the National Anthem prior to #SB51! https://t.co/xR5kEdBuDz
— NFL (@NFL) February 5, 2017
