Meat Loaf gave a masterclass on performing the national anthem

Born Marvin Lee Aday on September 27, 1947, in Dallas, Texas, Meat Loaf was destined for great things. His raw talent and determination to succeed seemed to be the key to rising to stardom.

Although he’s best known for his music, it was film that helped him make a name for himself back in the day. In 1973, he landed a role in the original production of The Rocky Horror Show and later starred in the film.

In 1977, after signing with Cleveland International Records, Meat Loaf released the hit You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth. “I have the patience of a cat,” he told NME, as quoted by The Guardian. “I’ll sit tight and wait until everything is right.”

That same year, Meat Loaf’s first album was released, Bat Out of Hell, which remains until this very day one of the top-10 selling albums of all time.

One of the songs which became a huge hit and went platinum was the everlasting I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).

His performances were always amazingly beautiful.

On July 13, 1994, the Grammy Award-winning vocalist delivered an epic rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner for the 65th MLB All-Star Game at the Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Meat Loaf delivered the national anthem in a way no one has ever done it before. He elevated it to a whole new level, teaching a masterclass on how this song should be performed.

In every section of the stadium, people sang along, with their hands on their hearts.

Meat Loaf was accompanied by his pianist, which added to the beauty of the performance.

Needless to say, it was a day when the musician gained a lot more fans.

If you haven’t seen the video of this iconic performance of the national anthem, you can see it below.

The comments under the video speak volumes of how respected Meat Loaf was by his fans. It also says a lot about how powerful his vocals were.

“This is how the national anthem should be sung. No fancy vocal customization. Just power, emotion and respect,” one person commented. “The best national anthem I’ve ever seen performed by a male singer. the ultimate power, the ultimate passion, the ultimate truth,” another person added. “There is no prouder moment in “sports history” than Meatloaf singing The Star Spangled Banner. This still brings tears to my eyes after all these years,” a third commented.

Sadly, Meat Loaf passed away on January 20, 2022, due to complications from COVID-19.

He will forever be missed.