Award-winning country singer-songwriter Darius Rucker, accompanied by the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts “Jazz Singers,” will perform the national anthem at the NCAA’s National Championship game on Monday, April 7, at AT&T Stadium. Also performing at the Men’s Final Four for the semifinal games on Saturday, April 5 will be multi-platinum recording artist Chris Daughtry, accompanied by the Fort McHenry drum and fife corps in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner.
The tip-off time for Saturday night’s first national semifinal is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. EST, with the second game scheduled to begin 40 minutes following the conclusion of Game 1. For the first time ever, both semifinal games will be shown on TBS. Monday’s national championship game is set to begin at 9:10 p.m. EST on CBS. The national anthem, which will be played before the first semifinal game and prior to the national title game, will be broadcast around the world to millions of viewers as part of the Turner/CBS telecast of the Men’s Final Four, CBS and Turner’s online coverage via March Madness® Live, and globally through ESPN International.
“The NCAA and North Texas Local Organizing Committee are excited to announce both Final Four game day opening ceremonies,” said NCAA Vice President of Men’s Basketball Championships Dan Gavitt. “Each presentation will be uniquely memorable for our student-athletes, coaches and fans for years to come.”
Rucker, who hails from South Carolina, formed the band Hootie & The Blowfish in 1986, and broke into the mainstream music scene with the album Cracked Rear View in 1994. The album topped the Billboard charts, selling more than 16 million copies and earning two GRAMMY Awards, a Billboard Music Award, two People’s Choice Awards, and an MTV Music Award. Two decades later, the album is still the 12th best-selling album in history. The band went on to sell an additional six albums, and has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
In 2007 Rucker signed with Capitol Nashville and most recently released his third country album, True Believers in May 2013. The album is the third consecutive album to top the Billboard Country albums chart and features the Platinum-certified, ACM and CMA nominated, GRAMMY award-winning two week No. 1 single “Wagon Wheel.” Rucker’s first two country albums, Learn To Live and Charleston, SC 1966 produced five No. 1 singles including “Come Back Song,” “This,” “Alright,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.” In 2009 Rucker was named New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards. He achieved a personal goal and childhood dream when he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on October 16, 2012. Rucker is currently on tour headlining his True Believers Tour.
"My family, friends, and fans know much I love sports, so when I received the invitation to perform at one of the biggest sporting events of the year, I was honored to accept," shares Rucker who is an avid fan himself.
Rucker will be joined by the Jazz Singers vocal ensemble from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (BTWHSPVA) in Dallas, Texas. The “Jazz Singers” ensemble from BTWHSPVA is a nationally recognized vocal group. They were the winners of the prestigious NextGen Jazz Festival in California and were featured performers at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 2013. The 31 singers in this group continue the legacy of musical excellence at BTWHSPVA, joining notable alumni such as Erykah Badu, Edie Brickell, Roy Hargrove, and Norah Jones.
The principal of BTWHSPVA, Dr. Scott Rudes, highlighted the significance of this opportunity for these young musicians. “As one of the top performing arts schools in the nation, our students are honored to represent both the city of Dallas and the state of Texas. Our school has cultivated young talent since 1976, and we are pleased to highlight the artistic focus of our community while paying tribute to our country.”
Daughtry and the Fort McHenry drum and fife corps kick off the Final Four games with the national anthem on Saturday.
Multi-platinum recording artist Chris Daughtry and his band have scored four No. 1 hits, garnered four Grammy nominations, won four American Music Awards, sold over 8 million albums and 18 million singles worldwide, and sold out concerts around the world. Daughtry's self-titled debut was the fastest-selling rock debut in Soundscan history and its follow up, Leave This Town, marked the quintet's second consecutive No. 1 album. Daughtry's third album, Break The Spell, was certified gold within four weeks of its release. Daughtry's latest single "Waiting For Superman," from the band's new album Baptized, is Top 15 at AC. Daughtry will hit the road in June with the Goo Goo Dolls for an extensive summer tour. In addition to recording and touring the globe, frontman Chris Daughtry is also dedicated to using his position to raise awareness about a number of charitable causes including an ambassadorship with DC Comics and its We Can Be Heroes campaign.
"I am honored to sing the national anthem at such an exciting event as NCAA's Final Four this Saturday," said Chris Daughtry. "To do it at the AT&T Stadium will be a thrill of a lifetime."
The Fort McHenry Guard is a group of specially trained staff and volunteers organized by the National Park Service. Dressed in the uniforms of the soldiers and sailors who defended Fort McHenry from British attack in 1814, they provide a touchstone to the past. The Fort Henry Guard is “on duty” every weekend during the summer conducting cannon-firings, fife and drum concerts, flag talks and other period activities.
The Fort McHenry Fife and Drum Corps is the musical ambassador for Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. The Fife and Drum Corps has performed at other National Park site such as Gettysburg National Battlefield Park, Arlington House on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery and the Baltimore National Heritage Area. Reproduction instruments are meticulously made like the originals from the hickory wood used in the drums to the special key of “C” in the fifes. Members of the Fife and Drum Corps have researched each piece played from original music found in archives and libraries.
"The National Park Service at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is honored to bring the Star-Spangled Banner to the NCAA,” said Chief of Interpretation Vince Vaise. “Our national anthem has always been linked to national sport and we are proud to bring the flag and fife and drum corps from the birthplace of our country's song."
