Travis Airman sings anthem on 'Monday Night Football'

  • Published
  • By Nick DeCicco
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Was Airman 1st Class Michelle Doolittle nervous to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in front of 68,033 people plus millions more watching on television Nov. 9 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California?

Of course, she said.

"I like to think that I use all of those nerves and excitement and energy and put it into my singing," said the soprano vocalist with the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West at Travis Air Force Base, California.

Doolittle is no stranger to singing in front of millions, as she did during the "Monday Night Football" game between the San Diego Chargers and visiting Chicago Bears.
The performance was part of the Chargers' "Salute to Service" ahead of Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

Doolittle, who is a second cousin twice removed from late Air Force luminary Gen. James Doolittle, had the opportunity to sing "God Bless America" during Game 5 of the 2014 World Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California.

"Having that experience in my pocket definitely helped," she said. "Honestly, I don't even let myself think about the people that are watching on TV. It didn't even occur to me to think of that audience. I was just thinking of people that were in the stadium. ... Just focus on the people that you can see in front of you."

One distinct aspect of the "MNF" performance was the fact that the Chargers used pyrotechnics during Doolittle's performance, firing off red flares and small booms as she sang, "And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air."

As it was the second time Doolittle has sang the anthem for the Chargers, she was ready for the pyro. In fact, she said she doesn't even remember thinking about it.

"It takes a lot of focus to stay on track," she said. "I'm so focused on not only singing the right words, but singing in a big stadium. There's a big delay in the sound, so the sounds that are coming out of my mouth don't hit all the fans until a second or two later."

Doolittle also said she felt the weight of representing the Air Force well, too.

"(I) know the words and I know that it's in my heart," she said. "It's just a part of me as an American and as an Airman being in the Air Force. I'm out there to represent all of the men and women who are in the Air Force because they don't get to stand up and be seen that way."

In addition to performing the anthem and "God Bless America" at sporting events, the singer from Santa Cruz, California, also serves as the manager of the Band of the Golden West's Facebook account and as a vocalist in the rock band Galaxy.

That's closer to some of her personal favorites, which include Sia, Taylor Swift and, she confesses, Justin Bieber, who she calls a guilty pleasure.

When she's driving around Solano County, she said she's also not above singing to herself in the car.

"I love to listen to the country music stations," she said. "I sing at the top of my lungs. I love it."

It's fun compared to singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in front of millions, a song that Doolittle said presents a bit of a challenge.

"The anthem is a very difficult song to sing," she said. "The range is pretty wide, musically, in a short amount of time. 'God Bless America' you can finish it either way. You can have it go up and be real big and impressive, which is what I have chosen to do at those big games I have sung at, or you can just end it real simply."

Having performed both for millions, Doolittle admits that "God Bless America" is easier to sing, but that "the anthem brings out so much pride."

"I almost cry when I sing it sometimes," she said.