EMPRESS OF SOUL GLADYS KNIGHT TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT SUPER BOWL LIII ON CBS Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and “Empress of Soul” GLADYS KNIGHT will sing the National Anthem as part of Super Bowl LIII pregame festivities at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, February 3, the NFL and CBS announced today. The performance will be televised live on CBS prior to kickoff. “I am proud to use my voice to unite and represent our country in my hometown of Atlanta,” said GLADYS KNIGHT. “The NFL recently announced their new social justice platform Inspire Change, and I am honored to be a part of its inaugural year.” Click HERE to watch an interview with Gladys Knight about her upcoming performance at Super Bowl LIII. Gladys Knight has enjoyed #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television and live performance. Knight has recorded two number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles ("Midnight Train to Georgia" and "That's What Friends Are For"), eleven number-one R&B singles, and six number-one R&B albums. She has won seven Grammy Awards and is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with The Pips. Fall of 2015 marked the release of Knight’s first mainstream dance record, “Just A Little” in nearly twenty years. The song serves as lead single from her twelfth studio album that she is currently on. The year of 2011 was a year of much recognition as Knight was both honoring and being honored, first at a Michael Jackson tribute concert, and then at the 2011 Soul Train Awards. Gladys Knight joins the ranks of many great performers who have sung the Super Bowl National Anthem including: Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Mariah Carey, Cher, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick, Jr., Neil Diamond, Aretha Franklin, Lady Gaga, Faith Hill, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Wynton Marsalis, Idina Menzel, Aaron Neville, P!NK, Jordin Sparks, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, and many more. (A complete list of National Anthem performers from past Super Bowls is listed below.) In addition, on behalf of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), performer and deaf activist AARRON LOGGINS will sign in American Sign Language both the National Anthem and "America The Beautiful". The pregame and halftime shows are an NFL NETWORK PRODUCTION and will be executive produced by RICKY KIRSHNER.
SUPER BOWL NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMERS
Super Bowl Performer Super Bowl Performer
Super Bowl Universities of Arizona & Super Bowl Garth Brooks (Signed by Marlee Matlin) I Michigan Bands XXVII
Super Bowl Grambling University Band Super Bowl Natalie Cole with Atlanta University Center II XXVIII Chorus (Signed by Courtney Keel Foley)
Super Bowl Anita Bryant (Pledge of Super Bowl XXIX Kathie Lee Gifford (Signed by Heather III Allegiance by Apollo Astronauts) Whitestone)
Super Bowl Al Hirt (Pledge of Allegiance by Super Bowl XXX Vanessa Williams (Signed by Mary Kim IV Astronauts) Titla)
Super Bowl Tommy Loy (trumpeter) Super Bowl XXXI Luther Vandross (Signed by Erika Schwarz) V
Super Bowl U.S. Air Force Academy Chorale Super Bowl Jewel (Signed by Phyllis Frelich) VI XXXII
Super Bowl Andy Williams & Little Angels of Super Bowl Cher (Signed by Speaking Hands) VII Holy Angels Church (Chicago) XXXIII Pledge of Allegiance by Apollo 17 crew
Super Bowl Charlie Pride Super Bowl Faith Hill (Signed by Briarlake Elementary VIII XXXIV School Signing Choir)
Super Bowl Grambling University Band with Super Bowl Backstreet Boys (Signed by Tom Cooney); IX Mardi Gras Chorus XXXV "America The Beautiful" performed by Ray Charles
Super Bowl Tom Sullivan Super Bowl Mariah Carey (Signed by Joe Narcisse); X XXXVI "America The Beautiful" performed by Mary J. Blige & Marc Anthony
Super Bowl Vicki Carr (America the Super Bowl Dixie Chicks (Signed by Janet Maxwell); XI Beautiful) XXXVII "God Bless America" performed by Celine Dion
Super Bowl Phyllis Kelly of NE Louisiana Super Bowl Beyoncé Knowles (Signed by Suzanna XII State University XXXVIII Christy)
Super Bowl Colgate University Thirteen Super More than 100 representatives from the four XIII Bowl XXXIX branches of the military (Signed by Wesley Tallent)
Super Bowl Cheryl Ladd Super Bowl XL Aaron Neville and Dr. John with Aretha XIV Franklin & Detroit based 150-member choir (Signed by Angela LaGuardia of Michigan School for Deaf).
Super Bowl Helen O'Connell Super Bowl XLI Billy Joel (Signed by Marlee Matlin and XV Jason Hay-Southwell) Super Bowl Diana Ross Super Bowl XLII Jordin Sparks (Signed by A Dreamer) XVI
Super Bowl Leslie Easterbrook Super Bowl XLIII Jennifer Hudson (Signed by Kristen Santos) XVII
Super Bowl Barry Manilow Super Bowl XLIV Carrie Underwood (Signed by Kinesha XVIII Battles)
Super Bowl Children's Choir of San Super Bowl XLV Christina Aguilera (Signed by Candice XIX Francisco Villesca)
Super Bowl Wynton Marsalis Super Bowl XLVI Kelly Clarkson (Signed by Rachel Mazique) XX
Super Bowl Neil Diamond Super Bowl Alicia Keys (Signed by John Maucere) XXI XLVII
Super Bowl Herb Alpert Super Bowl Renée Fleming (Signed by Amber Zion) XXII XLVIII
Super Bowl Billy Joel Super Bowl XLIX Idina Menzel (Signed by Treshelle Edmond) XXIII
Super Bowl Aaron Neville Super Bowl 50 Lady Gaga (Signed by Marlee Matlin) XXIV
Super Bowl Whitney Houston Super Bowl LI Luke Bryan (Signed by Kriston Pumphrey) XXV
Super Bowl Harry Connick, Jr. (Signed by Super Bowl LII P!NK (Signed by Alexandria Wailes) XXVI Lori Hilary)
Super Bowl Gladys Knight LIII # # # ABOUT GLADYS KNIGHT:
Gladys Knight’s career started when at 7 years old she came to prominence on Ted Mack’s The Original Amateur Hour TV show in 1952. Still performing over six decades in an ever-changing industry, she provides inspiration to those in and out of the arts both on and off the stage. Few have matched her unassailable artistry. The seven-time Grammy winner has had #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R & B and Adult Contemporary while excelling in film, television and live performances. She has won the NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Gospel Album” and recorded over 38 albums over her career including four solo albums over the past decade. In addition to her musical endeavors and performing accomplishments, Gladys was honored in 2015 when a portion of Atlanta’s State Route 9 from Peachtree Street to 14th Street was named Gladys Knight Highway. In 2017, she and her husband, William McDowell, founded the Reynolds High School Community Foundation to benefit the renovation of the former high school into a community center for the Canton, NC community.
ABOUT AARRON LOGGINS: Aarron Loggins is an accomplished dancer, performer, advocate, and actor. He is currently performing on series including The C-Word and Shock Nation, and can be seen in a short film, Warriors of the Red Ribbon. He was the Mister Deaf International of 2014 and was profiled on Fashion News Live. He has danced with performance groups as the Wild Zappers and Da Jump Back, and has performed with the National Theater of the Deaf. In addition, he has acted in several theater productions including Who’s Tommy, and Sense-Able. His talent includes creating visually compelling American Sign Language (ASL) performances of music. CONTACTS: NFL: Elena Bakar, [email protected] CBS: Jen Sabatalle, [email protected] Gladys Knight: Laura Herlovich, [email protected]