Article Last Updated: Monday, August 11, 2003 - 11:40:39 AM EST For one singer, "The Star Spangled Banner" is a test of perseverance, confidence and patriotism By Nancy V. Burns Sun Correspondent One of the things in life that many of us take for granted is that somebody will show up to sing the national anthem at major sporting events. But how do the venues find these people? And why would anybody want to do that? OK, I'll 'fess up. Having loved singing all my life, over the years I developed a yearning to give the anthem a try. But the first time I had the chance, I nearly blew it. My son's Pop Warner football team made the playoffs two years ago, and some late-season games in the league were using anthem singers. It didn't dawn on me until the 11th hour that I could be enlisted for our final home game, which was two days away. Nancy Burns sings the National Anthem before the home crowd at a recent Lowell Spinners game at LeLacheur Park. Sun photo by Julia Malakie I'll admit to being scared out of my socks. But it helped that the Pop Warner gig had so many safeguards. The big event was in less than 48 hours, so the time to chicken out was limited. I'd be alone in a press box, where nobody could watch me sweat. I even wrote out a "cheat sheet" in case I forgot the lyrics. Even so, my nerves were jangling by game time. What if I opened my mouth and nothing good came out? But that's when the magic happened. Unbeknownst to me, sitting on the bleachers directly in front of the press box, was "Gusto George" Seddon. George had seen combat in World War II, while his wife Phyllis served in the Navy with the WAVES. Married 55 years next month and facing their 80th birthdays, George and Phyllis are loved by many for the "gusto" they provide as volunteers for Westford sporting events. To the Seddons, the anthem really means something. From my first faltering note, I could clearly hear George's strong tenor, booming right along with me. That little gift worked wonders. It's easier to pull out the stops when somebody else really "digs it" and sings along. That first experience ratcheted up my inner rock star as I considered bigger venues. What about the Lowell Spinners? Approaching our Red Sox farm team felt ambitious, and their singers have to submit demo recordings, usually by March. To pass muster, I wanted all the help I could get. My producer-friend Jordan let me record at his fancy Boston studio. It was a humbling experience. Recording the national anthem in a tiny padded booth given the vocal gymnastics "The Star-Spangled Banner" requires offers no place to hide. Every sour note counts. First, you need time to warm up. And there's no way to cheat on readiness. Professional singers are like athletes, maintaining strenuous practice routines to keep their voices in shape. Finally there's the matter of talent. As a singer, well, I'm a pretty good writer. But I love to sing, so I gave it my best shot. When I entered the sound booth, I grabbed the wrong set of earphones the ones that weren't hooked up to the audio and started recording. Not only couldn't I hear myself record, the earphones further muffled the sound, so I had no clue whether I was on pitch. (I wasn't.) After a few takes, which included some fumbling around for the right key, we gave it a listen. Jordan politely encouraged me by saying, "I can tell you've had training." But the takes were godawful. By the time we discovered the earphone problem and repeated the process, I had warmed up sufficiently. We actually got a series of pretty decent takes. The next hurdle was to make the CD look respectable. You need a kid for that. Luckily, my teenage son can burn CD copies and create covers for them like nobody's business. After the package was in the mail, it was a matter of waiting. That's when the lyrics took on special meaning. America was suddenly facing the prospect of war with Iraq. The events of 9-11 flashed to mind with renewed poignancy. To my amazement, in early April I got a call from the Spinners office with a go-ahead. How about Aug. 4, exactly four months away? Just show up at the stadium an hour before, and bring earplugs for the three-second delay. Yes, and it's a cappella. Earplugs? Three-second delay? With no rehearsals? In front of their typical sellout crowd of 5,000 people? This must be somebody's idea of a joke. I felt that my best preparation was to sing at every opportunity. Church is a nice place to start, because the congregation never throws tomatoes. Yet uncomfortable thoughts began to accumulate: What if my voice cracks? What if the sound system conks out? What if I forget the words? What if there's a nuclear explosion that blows up the city of Lowell and kills us all? These fears were offset in a duet at church, a week before the Big Day. As the tenor and I stepped up to the microphone, a sensation washed over me that came from out of nowhere: "This is a wonderful song, with the best accompaniment, in front of the nicest people. What a thrill!" Our best music poured out effortlessly. Game day arrived with soaking downpours, and a rescheduled start that meant my husband couldn't be there to join us. As my son and I arrived, most of the Spinners' staff was casting furrowed glances skyward in hopes of a dry evening. Still, the staff needed to test the sound system, in case there was a game that night. I was invited to sing "anything but the national anthem." I gladly offered the first verse of "America the Beautiful." That one minute to test the echo and get in the mood made all the difference in my comfort level. Eventually we were escorted near the dugout to await the first pitch. That would be my cue to walk over to home plate, microphone in hand, face the flag, and sing the anthem. While we waited, I couldn't help noticing the eager young boys who were jostling past each other to get autographs from their favorite baseball players. That's when it clicked: This is America's game, and this song tonight is about all these people who braved the rain to be here. That freed me up to cut loose with the National Anthem like I'd never sung it before, easily soaring through the high notes. What an incredible honor this was! And yes, four months of nerves were worth it. The next day I was in for the shock of my life, with an unexpected call from the Spinners. "We have one more opening this season for the anthem, which is Sunday at 5 p.m. You did such a great job for us last night, could you sing it again this weekend?" After gasping "yes" and hanging up, I nearly fell over. Here we go again! Homepage | Look at a Video | Listen to a Voice Sample | All Content and Artwork Copyright 2007/Nancy Burns. Site Designed by Wisman Cronin Creative