Pittsburgh Pirates seek National Anthem singers for spring games in Bradenton

BRADENTON -- It's one of those songs singers try to deliver perfectly, without a lyric or off-key slip-up, because the song is choked with colossal meaning.

But "The Star Spangled Banner" is so difficult musically due to the range of notes it demands that one Bradenton vocalist avoids eating any dairy products a week before she is going to perform the song to reduce phlegm.

Despite all this, 16 lucky, but nervous, amateurs will be chosen to sing America's National Anthem in front of up tp 7,000 people prior to Pittsburgh Pirates' Spring Training games at McKechnie Field.

The Pirates announced Monday that they will hold National Anthem auditions 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 30, at McKechnie Field.

"It's a very hard song," said Bradenton's Paul Villaluz, 40, a project engineer for Manatee County government who was picked by the Pirates the past three years. "It's very important to pick the right starting note otherwise you are reaching for the sky and risking range and exposing yourself to the audience."

By his very own very harsh self-analysis, Villaluz, who has had 10 years of voice training and is a second tenor baritone, has "only" nailed the National Anthem five of the six times he has sung it for the Pirates. His slate was marred by mixing up an "an" and a "the" in a performance before a Pirates vs. Houston Astros game.

He says he wants the song to be perfect because "it's bigger than all of us ­-- it's just like the flag."

"I remember when I was singing that I messed up the articles in the song," Villaluz said. "In my mind, I knew it wasn't perfect. No one in the crowd probably could tell but I knew."

Villaluz, who will be at the audition on Jan. 30, always frets about singing the tricky lyrics wrong, including, "twilight's last streaming" instead of gleaming and "gave proof through the fight" rather than "proof through the night."

Before he auditions on Jan. 30, Villaluz said he will sing the anthem 10 to 20 times at home and then 10 to 20 times at McKechnie Field.

Bradenton's Jessica Cary, a Publix Supermarket manager, was also picked by the Pirates to sing the anthem the past three Springs.

Cary doesn't have problems with lyrics, but range is always a worry, she said.

"I definitely have a routine I go through because of the difficulty of the song," said Cary, who also plans to audition again this year. "I don't eat dairy for a week straight to avoid mucus. I drink a tea for my throat right before so I can reach the high notes. 'Rockets red glare' is more difficult than the high note on 'free' at the end of the song."

"Every time I sing it I try to think of how important it is and why all eyes are on you," Cary added.

A total of 40 to 60 are expected to try-out Jan. 30 and veterans like Villaluz and Cary must win their spots all over again, said Nathan March, a Pirates' spokesman and the man who orchestrates the try-outs.

"We open it up every year," March said. "We encourage people to come out and try. Pirate baseball is iconic. This generates a lot of interest every spring."

March, Cary and Villaluz all point out that successful candidates must also be able to handle "reverb."

"You will hear the echo of your voice from the outfield speakers," March said.

Auditions will be conducted a cappella and must be no longer than two minutes in length, March said.

National Anthem auditions will be conducted for vocalists only, March said.

Contestants who wish to sing the Canadian national anthem before the Pirates games against Toronto on Thursday, March 3, are welcome to audition using that selection, March said.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.

This story was originally published January 11, 2016 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Pittsburgh Pirates seek National Anthem singers for spring games in Bradenton ."