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Thousands of people have written millions of words about the Super Bowl. I'm not going to bore you with my prediction (Colts 23, Bears 17) or brag about picking Indianapolis to defeat New England by four points in the AFC Championship game way back on September 9th.
Instead, let me bore you about the National Anthem. The most star-studded performance had to be before Super Bowl XXVII, in 1993. That year, Garth Brooks sang and Marlee Matlin signed. This Super Sunday, the honor belongs to Billy Joel.
With help from James Adler and About.com, here's the complete history:
I- Universities of Arizona & Michigan Bands (1967)
II - Grambling University Band (1968)
III - Anita Bryant (1969)
IV - Al Hirt (1970)
V - Tommy Loy (trumpeter) (1971)
VI - U.S. Air Force Academy Chorale (1972)
VII - Little Angels of Holy Angels Church (Chicago) (1973)
VIII - Charlie Pride (1974)
IX - Grambling University Band (1975)
X - Tom Sullivan (1976)
XI - Vicki Carr ("America the Beautiful") (1977)
XII - Phyllis Kelly of NE Louisiana State University (1978)
XIII - The Colgate Thirteen (1979)
XIV - Cheryl Ladd (1980)
XV - Helen O'Connell (1981)
XVI - Diana Ross (1982)
XVII - Leslie Esterbrook (1983)
XVIII - Barry Manilow (1984)
XIX - Children's Choir of San Francisco (1985)
XX - Wynton Marsalis (1986)
XXI - Neil Diamond (1987)
XXII - Herb Alpert (1988)
XXIII - Billy Joel (1989)
XXIV - Aaron Neville (1990)
XXV - Whitney Houston (1991)
XXVI - Harry Connick, Jr. (Signed by Lori Hilary) (1992)
XXVII - Garth Brooks (Signed by Marlee Matlin) (1993)
XXVIII - Natalie Cole (Signed by Courtney Keel Foley) (1994)
XXIX - Kathie Lee Gifford (Signed by Heather Whitestone) (1995)
XXX - Vanessa Williams (Signed by Mary Kim Titla) (1996)
XXXI - Luther Vandross (Signed by Erika Schwarz) (1997)
XXXII - Jewel (Signed by Phyllis Frelich) (1998)
XXXIII - Cher (Signed by Speaking Hands) (1999)
XXXIV - Faith Hill (Signed by Briarlake Elementary School Signing Choir) (2000)
XXXV - Backstreet Boys (Signed by Tom Cooney)
"America The Beautiful" performed by Ray Charles (2001)
XXXVI - Mariah Carey (Signed by Joe Narcisse) (2002)
XXXVII - Dixie Chicks (Signed by Janet Maxwell) (2003)
XXXVIII - Beyonce Knowles (Signed by Suzanna Christy) (2004)
XXXIX - Combined choirs of the U.S. Naval Academey, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Coast Guard Academy and U.S. Army Herald Trumpets.
XL - Aaron Neville, Aretha Franklin and Dr. John