Have you ever been at an event and stood for the National Anthem, but became so struck by the performer’s talent that you forgot to focus on the actual song? The National Anthem is not something that just anyone can pull off – for someone to do it justice they need near-perfect pitch and an impressive vocal range.
Enter Deputy Mike Morgan, of Codington County, South Dakota.
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On September 1, 2018, Morgan posted a video on his Facebook page of himself singing the National Anthem. In the video, filmed by fellow Deputy Tyler Varns, Morgan said that he was off duty, the courthouse was closed, and that he had “wanted to do this for a very long time… because the acoustics in [there] are awesome.”
He was not wrong about those acoustics. Morgan’s voice reverberated beautifully off the walls of the building.
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The Deputy hit every note of the song (yes, even the difficult ones) and put in just enough of a country twang to make it his own while still honoring the original composition.
According to Varns, it sounded “way better in person.” Which is hard to believe.
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Morgan has been singing for a long time. He has a twin brother and the two of them would often sing accapella together. For them, it’s just been part of life, a “God-given talent.” He also said that, prior to the video, every time he walked into the courthouse he wanted to sing the National Anthem, because “it’s so beautiful in there.”
It’s no shock that the video has gone viral. In the days since Morgan posted it, it’s been viewed over 5 Million times.
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Morgan is such a big deal now, that he was asked to perform the National Anthem before President Trump’s rally in Sioux Falls on September 5 (which he, of course, nailed). While the attention is fun, Morgan’s love for the anthem runs deeper than fame. The Army veteran told a local news outlet:
“I felt like I did take a stand by singing the national anthem and showing my country how proud I am [of] everybody who is serving and keeping America free.”
Get ready for some goosebumps and watch the courthouse performance below! Don’t forget to share!
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