Beyonce lip-syncing furor: She wouldn't be the first

Beyonce's musical performance at President Obama's second inauguration on Monday has caused a stir in the press, with speculation that she lip-synced "The Star Spangled Banner."

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Beyonce sings national anthem at inauguration 2013

A source very familiar with the situation tells CBS News that Beyonce performed the National Anthem live, but she pre-recorded a track of the song to sing over. The source said this is a standard performing practice. And the musical accompaniment by the Marine Band? A recording.

Beyonce lip-synced national anthem at inauguration, Marine Band says

There has been no comment by Beyonce's publicist. However, pictures and video of her performance is prominent on the artist's website.

If it is true that Beyonce did lip-sync at Monday's inauguration, she wouldn't be the first artist to perform that way at a major national event. Here are a few examples:

There were even reports that speculated Madonna was lip-syncing during her appearance at the 2012 Super Bowl half-time show. "The only thing Madonna proved during the Super Bowl 46 show is her irrelevance; the halftime show was so obviously lip synced that it was painful," wrote SBNation's JP Starkey.

As for Beyonce, a statement released by the Marine Band to CBS News on Tuesday said that "there was no opportunity for Ms. Knowles-Carter to rehearse with the Marine Band before the Inauguration so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event. Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances. Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."

CBS News has confirmed that James Taylor, who also performed "America The Beautiful" at President Obama's second inauguration, did not perform to pre-recorded music and that everything was live, according to the artist's representative.

A representative for singer Kelly Clarkson, who had sang "My Country, 'Tis Of Thee" at also at the inauguration Monday, told The Associated Press, that her performance was live.

[marychgo]

Trying again....

Talk about a tempest in a teapot! It sounded good. I frankly don't care whether what sounded good was a version of the anthem Beyonce recorded in advance or a version of the anthem Beyonce sang at the inauguration ceremony. Don't we have more significant issues to worry about?

[ReasonableVoicesAmongUs]

Maybe she's not the first, but that's not an excuse. Disgraceful. She should have declined the invitation if she couldn't perform properly.

[littleredtop]

I don't understand, aren't there any real, genuinely talented singers left?

[Barry-been-inhalin]

Yep, Kelly Clarkson apparently.

[Pamela127]

Beyonce did an excellent job. She made America look good. The people who are critiscising her are just plain jealous and mean-spirited.She was not in a competition with anyone. It was not the Tour de France. If she lip synced any at all it was to ensure the program ran smoothly. If she had started coughing you same mean-spirited people would now be saying that she should have lip-synced it. Be nice.

[voxpopulus]

"The people who are criticising her are just plain jealous and mean-spirited"

You mean "Republicans".

[Barry-been-inhalin]

She made America look good? Read some of the publications from overseas and the readers comments. The comments are much harsher than here.

[Guy1239]

Quite frankly, it must be a REALLY slow news day. Was anyone hurt? Did it sound bad? Is this even REMOTELY important -- to anyone? C'mon guys, there was at least one murder of a young black man in Chicago today -- is lip sync'ing more important than that human being?

[brasileira2]

You cannot find people with talented voices anymore. It's either pretty faces, or naked bodies. That's what they call "singers" nowadays. When in reality, they are just entertainers and nothing else.

[brasileira2]

She cannot sing, unless she is in a studio, TV, or any other place she can get help with the voice.
Come on now, lets face it... She only became famous because of her body exposure and ONE HELL of a good manager that knows how to sell her.

Bottom line: She does not have voice enough to be a singer.

[gabe97]

And you are who to give that 'professional' opinion? sounds to me like jealousy sucks huh? she recorded her OWN voice, no one else did it for her...so there you go.

[voxpopulus]

Wrong. Beyonce sings very well live, and this recording, if it was a recording, would have been done unsweetened.

[camp17]

The fact that so many people are making this an issue is ridiculous. It is what it is. Move on people.

[voxpopulus]

Look at the bright side. It's all they have.

[jgg000010]

no big deal, apparently milli vanelli weren't available.

[greennnnnn-2009]

Course not, since half of Milli Vanilli is not around any more.

[amiller1814]

The difference is lip syncing ruined Milli Vanilli.

Apparently now people aren't afraid to be fakes!

[Daniel41910]

Comparing Madonna who at 54, professionally dances for two hours in a concert performance to a woman in her prime who is just standing at a mic is just plain unfair. Madonna's Superbowl performance was breathtaking and universally praised and it certainly was NOT an historical event like a Presidental inauguration. The Black Eyed Peas Superbowl performace of 2011 was terrible: totally unwatchable. We will see what Beyonce does with her Superbowl halftime show now that she is experiencing this lip-synching backlash.

[amiller1814]

Madonna does not professionally dance.
It is more of a twitching or siezure like movement.
Also lots of groping boys 1/3 her age.

GROSS

[PickyWill]

I am in the music industry.
There is a sound backlash that people get in certain venues which makes it easier for musicians and artist to perform with pre-recorded audio. It happens at every major arena or stadium venue. The ear piece helps (the best that it can for the artist to hear what the viewing audience at home or in the audience is hearing.) the bounce back or Delay that the artist experiences makes it extremely difficult to stay on the right rhythm due to that echo effect from speakers placed in the crown (in this case a few feet to speakers places miles away). Call your land line from your cell phone and talk...you will experience the same "digital delay that they get when transmitting for live tv. Singing to a pre recorded track is very normal under these circumstances.