The Super Bowl got some serious class on Sunday, when the NFL had four-time Grammy-winning opera singer Renée Fleming perform the national anthem. It was great and most importantly it was 1:53 seconds long — a full-minute shorter than Alicia Keyes never-ending performance last year.
It’s the first time an opera singer has done the anthem, but we all know that’s not why I’m writing. This also marked (I’m assuming) the first time a Washington Capitals anthem singer has performed at the big game.
Arlington native Bob McDonald, of the U.S. Army Chorus, was one of 32 background singers backing-up Fleming. Bob (and his sometimes partner Caleb Green) is an anthem-singing regular at Verizon Center. He is amazing.
Besides his booming voice, Bob is known for the fist-pumps that punctuate the end of his performances and his cameos in local wine commercials.
Go ahead and follow McDonald on Twitter at @BobinArlington and congratulate him. What an honor.
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