Most of music’s big stars have, at one time or another, been tapped to sing our national anthem at a sporting event. Now, a group of them — including Little Big Town and Kenny Rogers — are getting together to wish a happy 200th birthday to “The Star-Spangled Banner” in an upcoming PBS special.
The two-hour live broadcast, Star-Spangled Spectacular: Bicentennial of Our National Anthem, will air as part of the PBS series Great Performances September 13, starting at 8 p.m. ET. The show will originate from Baltimore, Maryland, presumably because it’s where Fort McHenry is located. In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the anthem after watching the fort being bombarded by the British during the War of 1812.
In addition to performing, Jordin Sparks will co-host the event with actor John Lithgow, and besides Little Big Town and Kenny, the special will include performances by pop act Train, Motown legend Smokey Robinson and actress Kristen Chenoweth.
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