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.”
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 I | Universities of Arizona & Michigan Bands | Super Bowl XXVII | Garth Brooks (Signed by Marlee Matlin) |
| Super Bowl II | Grambling University Band | Super Bowl XXVIII | Natalie Cole with Atlanta University Center Chorus (Signed by Courtney Keel Foley) |
| Super Bowl III | Anita Bryant (Pledge of Allegiance by Apollo Astronauts) | Super Bowl XXIX | Kathie Lee Gifford (Signed by Heather Whitestone) |
| Super Bowl IV | Al Hirt (Pledge of Allegiance by Astronauts) | Super Bowl XXX | Vanessa Williams (Signed by Mary Kim Titla) |
| Super Bowl V | Tommy Loy (trumpeter) | Super Bowl XXXI | Luther Vandross (Signed by Erika Schwarz) |
| Super Bowl VI | U.S. Air Force Academy Chorale | Super Bowl XXXII | Jewel (Signed by Phyllis Frelich) |
| Super Bowl VII | Andy Williams & Little Angels of Holy Angels Church (Chicago) Pledge of Allegiance by Apollo 17 crew | Super Bowl XXXIII | Cher (Signed by Speaking Hands) |
| Super Bowl VIII | Charlie Pride | Super Bowl XXXIV | Faith Hill (Signed by Briarlake Elementary School Signing Choir) |
| Super Bowl IX | Grambling University Band with Mardi Gras Chorus | Super Bowl XXXV | Backstreet Boys (Signed by Tom Cooney); “America The Beautiful” performed by Ray Charles |
| Super Bowl X | Tom Sullivan | Super Bowl XXXVI | Mariah Carey (Signed by Joe Narcisse); “America The Beautiful” performed by Mary J. Blige & Marc Anthony |
| Super Bowl XI | Vicki Carr (America the Beautiful) | Super Bowl XXXVII | Dixie Chicks (Signed by Janet Maxwell); “God Bless America” performed by Celine Dion |
| Super Bowl XII | Phyllis Kelly of NE Louisiana State University | Super Bowl XXXVIII | Beyoncé Knowles (Signed by Suzanna Christy) |
| Super Bowl XIII | Colgate University Thirteen | Super Bowl XXXIX | More than 100 representatives from the four branches of the military (Signed by Wesley Tallent) |
| Super Bowl XIV | Cheryl Ladd | Super Bowl XL | Aaron Neville and Dr. John with Aretha Franklin & Detroit based 150-member choir (Signed by Angela LaGuardia of Michigan School for Deaf). |
| Super Bowl XV | Helen O’Connell | Super Bowl XLI | Billy Joel (Signed by Marlee Matlin and Jason Hay-Southwell) |
| Super Bowl XVI | Diana Ross | Super Bowl XLII | Jordin Sparks (Signed by A Dreamer) |
| Super Bowl XVII | Leslie Easterbrook | Super Bowl XLIII | Jennifer Hudson (Signed by Kristen Santos) |
| Super Bowl XVIII | Barry Manilow | Super Bowl XLIV | Carrie Underwood (Signed by Kinesha Battles) |
| Super Bowl XIX | Children’s Choir of San Francisco | Super Bowl XLV | Christina Aguilera (Signed by Candice Villesca) |
| Super Bowl XX | Wynton Marsalis | Super Bowl XLVI | Kelly Clarkson (Signed by Rachel Mazique) |
| Super Bowl XXI | Neil Diamond | Super Bowl XLVII | Alicia Keys (Signed by John Maucere) |
| Super Bowl XXII | Herb Alpert | Super Bowl XLVIII | Renée Fleming (Signed by Amber Zion) |
| Super Bowl XXIII | Billy Joel | Super Bowl XLIX | Idina Menzel (Signed by Treshelle Edmond) |
| Super Bowl XXIV | Aaron Neville | Super Bowl 50 | Lady Gaga (Signed by Marlee Matlin) |
| Super Bowl XXV | Whitney Houston | Super Bowl LI | Luke Bryan (Signed by Kriston Pumphrey) |
| Super Bowl XXVI | Harry Connick, Jr. (Signed by Lori Hilary) | Super Bowl LII | P!NK (Signed by Alexandria Wailes) |
| Super Bowl LIII | Gladys Knight |
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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 14thStreet 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]
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