“It was kind of surreal, but it was exciting,” says Nightingale, who is the pastor of music and creative arts at Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City. “It was fun, really thrilling.”
Even more thrilling was being at his first NFL game and watching the 49ers upset the Seahawks 20-14 in a game that went down to the wire. The team also honored legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice during half time.
Nightingale says friends had repeatedly asked him whether he was nervous about forgetting the words, which he wasn’t – until a few seconds into the song. “In the middle of the first phrase, I thought, ‘Do I know the words?’ But then you’re on autopilot.”
Words echoing in such a large facility can be a problem for singers, but Nightingale says it didn’t affect him. He was just glad the team let him know that explosions would go off behind him when he sang “and the rockets’ red glare . . .”
Afterwards, Nightingale says, “It was a huge relief” to have made it through the song that has been the nemesis of many singers. “(Defensive end) Bryant Young ran over to shake my hand and said I did a good job,” Nightingale says. “He’s a great Christian guy.”
Nightingale was able to visit the press box following the game. “Everyone was so nice,” he says.
Nightingale earned the opportunity to sing the anthem when the 49ers held their second annual open auditions. He was one of eight singers chosen from hundreds of applications. Nightingale had to submit a recording of him singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” a cappella, along with a completed application form and a headshot photograph.
To read a previously published story as part of this online Covenant news report, please see Earned the Opportunity.
