Faith Hill reveals she forgot the lyrics to the national anthem before NFL playoff game

On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Tuesday night, five-time Grammy award-winning country singer Faith Hill shared the horrifying moment she forgot the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

With Super Bowl LVI right around the corner, Hill reminisced on the time she was asked to sing the national anthem in the year 2000. It was "the most extraordinary amount of pressure ever," shared the country singer.

Hill said, in order to prepare for her performance, she 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.

Hill shared with Colbert, "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, the singer did not have to pull out "Amazing Grace," as it all worked out in the end. 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.

Video Transcript

FAITH HILL: I walked from the public restroom out to the field and sang the National Anthem.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Were you afraid you would, like, forget the lyrics or something?

FAITH HILL: I have forgotten the lyrics.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Wow.

FAITH HILL: I have.

KYLIE MAR: Faith Hill appeared on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Tuesday night, where she shared the horrifying moment she forgot the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner."

FAITH HILL: 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?

KYLIE MAR: Hill sang the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in the year 2000, where she fortunately did not forget the words. But the country singer did forget them at a Dallas Cowboys playoff game towards the beginning of her career.

FAITH HILL: All I need is the first word, the "Oh."

STEPHEN COLBERT: Oh.

FAITH HILL: And she said, seriously? And I said-- and we're walking, like, hand in hand, and I said, I'm serious. I'm very serious.

KYLIE MAR: Hill said that, in that moment, she really couldn't figure out the first word to the National Anthem. But she had a backup plan in place.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Bailed on the National Anthem.

FAITH HILL: I did not. I did not. But I-- honest to God, I was going-- like, if I did-- when I hit that center and it went live, if I didn't have, "Oh, say," it was gonna be (SINGING) "amazing grace."

KYLIE MAR: Thankfully, Hill did not have to sing "Amazing Grace," as it all worked out in the end. And the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer has total faith in country star Mickey Guyton, who scored the big gig at this year's Super Bowl LVI.

FAITH HILL: Amazing artist. I have not met her, but I am such a huge fan and supporter. And she is going to slay it.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Mickey, the first word is "oh."

FAITH HILL: [LAUGHS] She's gonna slay it.