CHICAGO (AP) — “American Idol” winner Lee DeWyze will be performing at Sunday’s NFC championship game between Chicago and Green Bay. Just not the national anthem.
On Monday, DeWyze tweeted “National Anthem at home, yes. Go Bears.” DeWyze, who grew up in suburban Mount Prospect 25 miles away from Soldier Field, won last season’s “American Idol” contest and a week later sang the national anthem at Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Los Angeles.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday the league had recently booked DeWyze to perform the national anthem at the NFC championship game, regardless of location. He said “to accommodate the Bears and their fans,” DeWyze will instead perform at halftime and Jim Cornelison will perform the national anthem.
The classically trained Cornelison has drawn rave reviews after becoming a regular singing the anthem at home during Chicago Blachawks games.
