Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready Plays National Anthem at MLB Game

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready opened Tuesday’s (Oct. 4) MLB doubleheader in Seattle between his hometown Seattle Mariners and the visiting Detroit Tigers by performing a blistering guitar rendition of the National Anthem with his trusty Fender Stratocaster.

It was a great start for the Mariners, who went on to beat the Detroit team in both games (9–6, 7–6). As Major League Baseball heads into the playoffs, the Mariners are currently ranked the No. 2 team in the American League West, behind only the Houston Astros and they’re set to make their first playoffs appearance since 2001.

See video down toward the bottom of this post.

McCready has blazed “The Star-Spangled Banner” on guitar at sporting events before, often in support of the teams in his home state. He played it at a 2019 University of Washington football game, as well as at a 2014 Seattle Sounders soccer game.

The U.S. National Anthem, made a famous guitar instrumental by Jimi Hendrix, has been tackled by many other shredders including members of Metallica, Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea, Tool’s Adam Jones and Zakk Wylde.

McCready also lends his guitar talent to a tune on metal legend Ozzy Osbourne‘s latest album, Patient Number 9. Interestingly enough, Osbourne just performed at an NFL game.

Earlier this year, Pearl Jam honored fallen rock icons Eddie Van Halen and Taylor Hawkins during a concert. It was then that McCready paid tribute to Van Halen with a rockin’ cover version of Van Halen‘s unmistakable guitar instrumental “Eruption.”

Pearl Jam’s latest album, Gigaton, came out in 2020. The rock band toured in support of it. Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder‘s Earthling is among Loudwire’s best rock album of the year so far.

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready Plays National Anthem at MLB Game – Oct. 4, 2022

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