The Super Bowl Halftime Show has been must-see TV since at least 1993. To further the big game's global audience, the halftime show's sponsors book surefire draws. Typically, they turn to pop vocalists (Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars) and rock legends (Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Paul McCartney).
When the big game first came to Atlanta in 1994 for Super Bowl XXVIII, music associated with (and existing well beyond) the South and the victorious Dallas Cowboys' home state rode a wave of popularity. Georgia-bornTravis Tritt enjoyed the respect and fame needed for such a high-profile local gig. He joined Clint Black, Tanya Tucker and Wynonna, who pulled double-duty because of a surprise Judds reunion, for the Rockin' Country Sunday halftime show.
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 30: Clint Black preforms during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXVIII between the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills on January 30, 1994 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The Cowboys won the Super Bowl 30 -13. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Singers Travis Tritt and Tanya Tucker get interviewed before Super Bowl XXVIII between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The Cowboys won the game, 30-13. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsp
Black started the festivities with "Tuckered Out," a cut off his hit album No Time to Kill. Tucker followed up with a rocking rendition of "It's a Little Too Late," which led into Tritt's equally high-octane take on "T-R-O-U-B-L-E." Wynonna's best pop-accessible cut "No One Else On Earth" dovetailed into a memorable Judds reunion. The mother and daughter duo sang a moving performance of "Love Can Build a Bridge." Wynonna and Naomi Judd were joined by song's end by a bevy of special guests, including Stevie Wonder, Charlie Daniels, the Georgia Satellites and, for no apparent reason, Joe Namath and Elijah Wood.
Country singer Tanya Tucker performs during the half-time show at the 1994 Atlanta, Georgia, Superbowl XXVII football game at the Georgia Dome. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 30: Travis Tritt preforms during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXVIII between the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills on January 30, 1994 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The Cowboys won the Super Bowl 30 -13. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Read More: Garth Brooks Nearly Walked Out on His 1993 National Anthem Gig at the Super Bowl
30 Jan 1994: Naomi and Wynonna Judd perform during the half-time show for Super Bowl XXVIII between the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The Cowboys won the game, 30-13. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allspo
A chorus group of dancers performs during the half-time show at the 1994 Atlanta, Georgia, Superbowl XXVII football game at the Georgia Dome. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)
Part of what makes this show seem so impressive nearly 30 years later is the timing. A year prior, Michael Jackson changed the Super Bowl halftime show forever when his performance positively impacted television ratings. Country stars getting the enviable call to build off Jackson's game-changing appearance speaks volumes about the mainstream respect for '90s country.
Such fads as line dancing helped legitimize the show, but these artists were hardly flashes in the pan. Tucker proved her talent at an extremely young age in the 1970's. Despite being in her 30s, she was a 20-year veteran of country music by 1994. Wynonna earned her spot with the Judds, an act legendary enough to warrant a reunion on such a grand stage. Black and Tritt built followings off the demand for traditional country. Both stars filled the still-fresh boot-prints of Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs and other like-minded performers.
The widespread popularity of "hat acts" and two-steps eventually waned. Since 1994, the only country star to land a halftime show appearance was Sting and No Doubt's 2003 co-star, Shania Twain. If you count Nashville resident Kid Rock as country, double that count because he was on hand the following year for Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction."
Nowadays, YouTube sensations and pop stars are more likely to get the nod than road-tested country singers. Even if someone like Chris Stapleton appears in the coming years, it won't be the same as having four country music acts as co-headliners on a global stage.
This article was originally published in January of 2018.
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