It was common, in those days, for the Morgan State University choir to assemble on short notice. In a time before widespread cellphones, the scattered vocalists had pagers — a 911 message from choir director Nathan Carter meant to get ready to perform quickly.
Thaddeus Price can’t remember the exact sequence that led him and the choir to Camden Yards on July 13, 1993. But, because it was between semesters, he remembers Carter was scrounging together all members in the Greater Baltimore area to perform the national anthem for the MLB All-Star Game.
It only struck Price, then an 18-year-old freshman, how significant this particular staging was when the lead performer strode onto the baseball diamond and began to speak.
No one has ever had a voice like James Earl Jones.
“You could be a child or yet to learn to read or write, but you’ll hear a voice and you’ll never forget it,” Price said this week. “That’s the magic and mystery of James Earl Jones. There’s something that penetrates the soul when you hear one of those voices. They will transport you.”
This 31-year-old moment is getting renewed attention after Jones died Monday at 93. It’s a singular rendition. Instead of singing the anthem, Jones recited the poem written by Francis Scott Key as the Morgan State choir hummed accompaniment a cappella.
Jones’ delivery — forceful, with an authority suited for the preacher’s pulpit — was instantly iconic to the people listening. For the other performers, it was hard not to be distracted.
“It’s a good thing we weren’t saying words, because we could have forgotten the words to the song,” Price said. “To understand what this meant to a young, all-African American choir, backing up the greatest African American orator of my lifetime — we were just in awe of his presence.”
Jones had that effect on a stage or screen. His voice, with its soulful depth and range between soothing and urgent, was arresting. He was the voice of Darth Vader in “Star Wars,” Mufasa in “The Lion King” and countless Shakespearean protagonists.
Among baseball fans, he is best remembered in “The Sandlot” or “Field of Dreams.” Jones narrated an introductory video at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, lending heft to the historical accomplishment of baseball stars who were overlooked in their time.
And yet each performance, including “The Star-Spangled Banner,” didn’t feel like any other.
“To be honest, those were back in the days where the quality of one’s voice meant much more, and it really made an impact,” said Eric Conway, the present-day conductor of the choir. “I don’t know whether that is the case anymore. He was the quintessential voice-over.”
Morgan State’s choir has long been a staple in Baltimore, an ambassador of the region’s musical talent on trips to Europe, Africa and other faraway locales. In January, the choir was featured for the national anthem at the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium — it typically performs for at least one Ravens home game per year.
In 1993, Carter would receive last-minute calls from figures like then-Gov. William Donald Schaefer, asking the choir to perform. Carter would send pages to all available singers, who would be expected to bring their robes at 6 a.m. to catch a bus. Sometimes, the choir members didn’t know where the bus was going until they got onboard.
Price can still imagine Carter, in his gravelly voice, making his pitch for these short-notice sessions.
“‘Where the voices at? Round the people up,’” Price recalled, imitating the longtime director, who helped build Morgan State’s acclaim as a choral powerhouse. “‘It’s a big game, almost like the World Series.’ He pulled us together, rehearsed really quick and told us, ‘Look sharp, put your robe on and let’s go do what we do.’”
On the one hand, Conway said, Jones’ death marks how long it has been since Baltimore hosted an MLB All-Star Game. The Orioles have said they hope to host in the coming years as stadium renovations take shape. Morgan State sang the anthem for opening day this season — Conway said “it would be great” to be invited to the Midsummer Classic again.
Jones crossed paths with the choir other times in later years, including at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in 2003. Jones’ warmth as they were preparing to perform made a lasting impression on Price.
“He was so kind,” Price remembered. “He was absolutely a gentle person. He was giving us positive words — it was inspiring.”
Price is 50, and he works at Morgan State in the Office of Student Success and Retention. After Jones died, Price spent the next few days exchanging emails and texts with former choir members, especially about the 1993 national anthem.
Aside from Jones’ humility and gentleness, he’ll remember the national anthem performance for how it spotlighted the power of Key’s verse that would become the national anthem.
“That was the first time, maybe the only time, that I got to appreciate the actual poem based on the Battle of Baltimore,” Price said. “You got to relive the poetic words that were so empowering and encapsulating.
“He took us back through history.”
