Just as important as the game are the pregame ceremonies. The Boston Red Sox invited legend and heroes to take the field in Game 1. After Mary J. Blige gave it her all in her rendition to USA's national anthem, the Red Sox will rely on another artist with ties to the Bronx as the St. Louis Cardinals will be seeking revenge in Game 2 of the 2013 World Series. Who will sing the "Star Spangled Banner" in Thursday's Game 2 of the Fall Classic?
James Taylor
Pardon my ignorance, I am a late 80's baby, but some research had to be done in order to look up Taylor's accolades. The first piece of information found was written on Billboard.com. It relayed that Mr. Taylor was a lifelong New York Yankee fan. Blige, who performance on Wednesday, was born in the Bronx where the Yankees reside. It is a bit ironic that the Red Sox are bringing people with ties so close to New York. However, history is on their side.
According to Billboard, Taylor, who hails from Boston, sang the national anthem twice, both were in Game 2's and both games led to Red Sox victories. Almost exactly six years ago, on October 25, the Rockies and Sox hooked up for Game 2. The final score read 2-1 in favor of Boston as they took a 2-0 lead in the 2007 World Series. In 2004, exactly nine years ago against these Cardinals, the Red Sox won 6-2 with Curt Schilling on the mound once again.
It was Taylor singing the anthem in both of these Game 2's and he appears to be the Red Sox's lucky charm. As far as Taylor's career goes, he's been in the music industry since the late 1960's. He has five Grammy's to his name, the first coming in 1971 for Best Pop Vocal Performance for "You've Got a Friend." His latest came in 2003 for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for his contributions in "How's the World Treating You." He won his third Grammy in 1977 and it took him 20 years to win his fourth, but Taylor remained active in the music industry, recently recording a live concert and releasing it in a record titled "Live at the Troubadour."
