• Alum chosen to sing German anthem for audience of 300 million

    Eddie GaunttAt big American sporting events, it’s usually pop or rock stars who are selected to sing the National Anthem — singers like Billy Joel or Carrie Underwood.

    The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship (commonly called Euro 2008) wrapped up Saturday in Vienna as Germany faced Spain in the title match, which is roughly equivalent to an international Super Bowl of soccer. And who was selected to sing the German national anthem? Baylor grad Eddie Gauntt, a native of Clifton, Texas, who now sings opera in Karlsruhe, Germany.

    An estimated 300 million people worldwide tuned in to the game, and thus heard a Baylor grad singing. (Click here for video from ABC’s coverage, or here for the view from inside the stadium.) Gauntt graduated from Baylor in 1979 with a bachelor of music degree in voice. His wife, singer-composer Cae Cooley Gauntt, is also a Baylor music graduate (class of 1978).

    Sic ’em, Eddie!