Whitney Houston performs at the 1991 Super Bowl.

Did you know that Whitney Houston lip-synced “The Star Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Super Bowl?

Houston’s rendition of the US national anthem at the Super Bowl is widely regarded as the standard but what many people don’t know is that it was lip-synced. Yet, why did a diva who could have easily performed the song live choose to mime the treasured tune? The show’s music director, Rickey Minor, explains:

Of course, to ensure that her ability to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” was never questioned, Houston and Minor arranged a performance for the Welcome Home Heroes special, which I personally prefer. Compare the lip-synced Super Bowl show to the live version below:

Super Bowl

Welcome Home Heroes 

Now you know!