Whitney Houston, superstar of records, films, dies

[boston bean]

146. Takes nothing away from the moment or how she sang the song.

It was her singing and she wasn't lip syncing using someone elses voice.

Did you know this:

"The Star Spangled Banner" is a charity single recorded by American singer Whitney Houston to raise funds for soldiers and families of those involved in the Persian Gulf War. Written by Francis Scott Key, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The musical arrangement for Whitney Houston's rendition was by conductor John Clayton. The recording was produced by music coordinator Rickey Minor, along with Houston herself.

Traditionally performed at sports games in the U.S., "The Star Spangled Banner" was performed by Houston at Super Bowl XXV in 1991. Houston donated her portion of the proceeds.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Arista Records re-released Houston's "The Star Spangled Banner". She once again donated her share of the royalties, as did Arista Records, towards the firefighters and victims of the terrorist attacks. This time the single peaked at #6 on the US Hot 100, and was certified platinum by the RIAA. It also surprisingly peaked at #5 on the Canadian Singles Chart. This made Houston the first musical act to take the national anthem Top 10 in the US, and have it certified platinum. In 2001, the song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100, which was Houston's last Top 10 entry on the chart.

In December 1990, when Whitney Houston was announced as the performer of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV, Houston knew instantly how she wanted to interpret the tune there—with jazz chords and soulful gospel rhythms. So, Rickey Minor, her longtime musical director, suggested taking the song out of standard, waltz tempo—three quarters time—and add an extra beat per measure, which would allow Houston to open up her lungs and 'breathe'. Two week before the Super Bowl, Houston heard the arrangement, played by The Florida Orchestra and recorded at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center earlier in January, for the first time. And about ten days later, she recorded a breathtaking game-day master at a California studio. Minor recalled that she truly embraced the song. But not everybody agreed. Some National Football League (NFL) officials feared the rendition was too flamboyant for wartime. Minor told USA Today that "They thought the harmonies were too different, that it was sacrilegious." Bob Best, the Super Bowl's pregame show producer since the early 1980s, added that "Their hang-up was that it wasn't easy to sing to. I disagreed wholeheartedly." Four days before the game, NFL officials ordered Best to phone Houston's father, John, and ask if she would record another version. The answer was no. Best said that "I held that phone so far away from my ear." Yet, when Houston stepped onto the field, Minor was filled with anxiety: "I thought, 'What if everybody boos?'" Two weeks later, the single was a big hit on the Billboard charts.[1][2]

ETA forgot link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_Spangled_Banner_(Whitney_Houston_song)