Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and “Empress of Soul” GLADYS KNIGHT will sing the National Anthem as part of Super Bowl LIII pregame festivities at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, February 3, the NFL and CBS announced today. The performance will be televised live on CBS prior to kickoff.
“I am proud to use my voice to unite and represent our country in my hometown of Atlanta,” said GLADYS KNIGHT. “The NFL recently announced their new social justice platform Inspire Change, and I am honored to be a part of its inaugural year.”
In addition, on behalf of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), performer and deaf activist AARRON LOGGINS will sign in American Sign Language both the National Anthem and “America The Beautiful”.
ABOUT GLADYS KNIGHT:
Gladys Knight’s career started when at 7 years old she came to prominence on Ted Mack’s The Original Amateur Hour TV show in 1952. Still performing over six decades in an ever-changing industry, she provides inspiration to those in and out of the arts both on and off the stage. Few have matched her unassailable artistry. The seven-time Grammy winner has had #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R & B and Adult Contemporary while excelling in film, television and live performances. She has won the NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Gospel Album” and recorded over 38 albums over her career including four solo albums over the past decade. In addition to her musical endeavors and performing accomplishments, Gladys was honored in 2015 when a portion of Atlanta’s State Route 9 from Peachtree Streetto 14th Street was named Gladys Knight Highway. In 2017, she and her husband, William McDowell, founded the Reynolds High School Community Foundation to benefit the renovation of the former high school into a community center for the Canton, NC community.
ABOUT AARRON LOGGINS:
Aarron Loggins is an accomplished dancer, performer, advocate, and actor. He is currently performing on series including The C-Word and Shock Nation, and can be seen in a short film, Warriors of the Red Ribbon. He was the Mister Deaf International of 2014 and was profiled on Fashion News Live. He has danced with performance groups as the Wild Zappers and Da Jump Back, and has performed with the National Theater of the Deaf. In addition, he has acted in several theater productions including Who’s Tommy, and Sense-Able. His talent includes creating visually compelling American Sign Language (ASL) performances of music.
