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Rene Marie, a soulful, beautiful, black woman is under attack. WHY? Because she substituted the words to the Star Spangled Banner with "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

I must say it was the most beautiful rendition of that song that I have ever heard (although I must confess I have always disliked that song for its hypocrisy and its glorification of bombs and war.

I applaud her loudly for her courage and her convictions to stand up and to sing our truth.

To hear her rendition please go to:

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The woman whose parents had once detonated tumult within the status quo by daring to eat at a segregated lunch counter stood before the microphone, nervous, resolute and about to detonate some tumult of her own.
And although she had a pretty good idea that when she was done there would be "some eyebrows raised," what Rene Marie didn't know was that when you start making substitutions for "bombs bursting in air," you just might ignite a firestorm all your own.

Which is why the heralded 52-year-old Denver jazz singer's decision Tuesday to blend the words of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" — the "Black National Anthem" — to the music of the "Star-Spangled Banner" has landed her at ground zero of a controversy in which her patriotism and love of country are being questioned.

Perhaps unfairly.

"I love living in this country," she told the Rocky Mountain News on Tuesday, hours after she had performed, but a day before the story exploded. "I'm so attached to it."

Friends and admirers of Marie are attached to her and have expressed support.
"Rene Marie is a kind, intelligent, loving person. The lyrics she sang are beautiful, patriotic and heartfelt," said local singer Lannie Garrett.

Incendiary aftermath

Although she wonders if Marie shouldn't have alerted city officials about her intentions. Garrett says of the incendiary aftermath, "I think as fellow citizens and human beings we need to show one another more kindness, love and understanding ... there are so many more important things to become outraged about — like hatred and intolerance."

Echoing Garrett is Susan Gatschet Reese, a friend and assistant program director at jazz radio station KUVO, who believes Marie meant no disrespect.

"She's caring, she's outspoken, she's honest, she cares about the community, and she speaks out on issues that are important to her," says Gatschet Reese.

"She's a very warm person," says Norman Provizer, professor of political science at Metropolitan State College and Rocky jazz critic. "People shouldn't get the impression that she's some bitter, hateful, revenge-seeking-through-the-arts kind of person. She's quite the opposite."

Provizer also says, "I know Rene reasonably well, and I don't think she planned this in order to cause a stir, this is the first time anything like this has happened to her, and it can be overwhelming when you become the food in the media chase. I think it's accurate to say she's surprised at the tons of (angry) e-mails and phone messages she's gotten. "

'I didn't tell anybody'

The angry response has not been limited to private citizens. Mayor John Hickenlooper said he felt "deceived" by Marie, a reaction that could not have entirely surprised her. As she told the Rocky on Tuesday, "I knew my rendition of the national anthem was not the typical rendition, but I didn't tell anybody ... and I deliberately did not because I don't think it is necessary for artists to ask permission to express themselves artistically."

From Marie's point of view, "My experience is when you have to ask permission, most likely you're gonna get shot down. And some of the most important things that have happened in this country wouldn't have happened if the person who did it had asked permission first."

She went on to say, "There have been times when I've composed music that has made some people very uncomfortable, but that never stopped me before."

Although she knew that singing at a city function was different from singing on a stage, she was prepared to take that risk because "when you're an artist, taking a risk is what it's all about."

Attraction to risk

There seems to be a magnetic attraction between Marie and risk. When her career was just taking off, she ignored the owner of a prestigious Chicago jazz club when he ordered her to stop "insulting jazz" with her original songs and stick to the standards. And she recently walked away from a recording contract with a major independent jazz label because she wanted to have total artistic control over her CDs.

Taking risks is something her parents taught her when they were among a group that tried to desegregate a restaurant in Warrington, Va, Marie's hometown, in the 1960s. In fact, it was her parents' courage that enabled her to do what she did on Tuesday.

"Let me tell you, I was so scared before I sang that," she said.

But thinking of her parents and determined that "you can't let other people decide for you how you are going to express love for your country," she opened her mouth and sang.

Two minutes and six seconds later, the song was over, but the drama was just beginning.

Staff writer Daniel Chacon contributed to this story.

© Rocky Mountain News