Jazz singer opts to sing Black National Anthem

A Jazz singer stirred up controversy and emotions when she opted to sing the words to “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — aka the Black National Anthem, at the annual Denver, CO State of the City address.

From MyFoxColorado.com:

The city asked local jazz singer Rene Marie to sing the Star Spangled Banner before Tuesday’s speech.

But she performed a different version of the national anthem. She took the music from the Star Spangled Banner and sang lyrics from the Black National Anthem instead.

“If anyone has a right to be angry it is probably me,” says Mayor John Hickenlooper. “I guess what I feel most is deeply disappointed.” (Source)

The mayor said only Marie, her husband and a musical adviser knew what version of the anthem she was going to sing. He said Marie later apologized to him. “What she said was that she was very sorry, she did not mean any disrespect, that she was trying to make a creative expression for her love of the country.”

But other residents felt angry and disappointed. City Councilman Charlie Brown – who is white – said, “I was mad, I almost walked off the stage.”