Garth Brooks Almost Left The 1993 Super Bowl An Hour Before His Performance. Here's Why

Being called upon to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl is, undoubtedly, a unique honor. As TODAY reported, the incomparable Whitney Houston performed the beloved song at the 1991 Super Bowl. One of the most glorious takes on the song in living memory, this was The Voice at the peak of her powers, and she absolutely delivered.

Houston's musical director, Rickey Minor, told the outlet in February 2021, "She was vocally at her best for sure, because we were working all the time. So that muscle was being used, but she had it innate." Decades later, the performance is still absolutely spellbinding to listen to, a highlight of Houston's remarkable legacy. Two years later, Garth Brooks lent his own dulcet tones to "The Star-Spangled Banner," another momentous performance. This one, however, became memorable for a very different reason: Brooks, after a dispute with organizers, went to leave the stadium and had to be convinced to return and perform in short order.

The year before, Brooks released the song "We Shall Be Free" about inequality and unfairness. Per Whiskey Riff, the song was written by Stephanie Davis, and it was one of Brooks' favorites. As he himself put it in the materials for his album "The Hits" (via Whiskey Riff), he considers it "easily the most controversial song I have ever done. A song of love, a song of tolerance ... I never thought there would be any problems with this song."

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunB9kHFvam9oZLSivtOhZJuqn6S4tHnApaSoq6Riuaay02aroZ1dZoZ6f4ysrKmdomKvsMPLZpinZZikwrN5wZ6dqKqVYrWqv4ypnKuen6e6orrCnmShnaKawG7Dx7Jm