by Jim Shilliday, Philadelphia, PA

Before October 7, 1968, there was only one way to sing the National Anthem. On that day, at the beginning of Game 5 of the World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals, Jose Feliciano became the first artist to stylize the Anthem during a public performance. He received death threats, was accused of aiding and comforting the enemy (Vietnam, remember?), and one of the pitchers even blamed Jose for his own shaky performance on the mound. But Jose opened the gate — and Jimi Hendrix drove a screaming guitar through it the next summer at Woodstock. Since then, the National Anthem sports as many styles as there are artists willing to try to perform it. Conservatives still hate the whole idea, which is — just my opinion — a great reason to love it.