Faith Hill relives horrifying moment she forgot the national anthem lyrics before NFL playoff game

Kylie Mar
·Host & Producer, Yahoo Entertainment
·2 min read
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Five-time Grammy-winning country singer Faith Hill appeared Tuesday on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, where she shared the horrifying moment she forgot the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

With Super Bowl LVI approaching, Hill reminisced on the time she was asked to sing the national anthem at the game in 2000. It was "the most extraordinary amount of pressure ever," explained the singer.

"Singing the national anthem for the Super Bowl was terrifying. However, when I sang it, the Tennessee Titans happened to make it to the Super Bowl that same year. And I had accepted the honor, I was asked, and I said, 'Oh, my gosh, yes.' And I was like what did I just do? It's terrifying."

To prepare for her performance, Hill took a boombox into the public restroom to rehearse. From there, she walked directly from the restroom out onto the field to sing the anthem, which prompted host Stephen Colbert to ask if she was afraid she was going to forget the lyrics.

While Hill, fortunately, did not forget the lyrics during the biggest televised event of the year, she did reminisce on the time she wasn't so lucky during an NFL playoff game early in her career.

"It's one of those songs you know so well and you think I'll never forget the lyrics. This happened to me before. It was at a playoff game many years prior. I was singing at a Dallas playoff game, the beginning of my career, and I was asked to sing the national anthem, playoff game. And I'm walking out to the center of the field with this very generous guard, this woman that was walking me out, and I say to her, and this is televised, 'Would you happen to know just the first word of the national anthem?'"

Of course, the first word of the anthem is just "Oh." However, Hill said that, in that moment, she really couldn't figure out that word, but had a backup plan in place.

Hill thought, "I'm just going to sing 'Amazing Grace,' because they'll forgive me for that."

Thankfully, in the end, Hill did not have to pull out her backup song as it all worked out.

As for country star Mickey Guyton, who has scored the big gig of singing the national anthem at this year's Super Bowl 56, Hill has total faith in her.

"Amazing artist. I have not met her. But I am such a huge fan and supporter, and she is going to slay it," said Hill.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.

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