Mark Wilson/Getty Images; Jason Merritt/Getty ImagesFace it, folks. A lot of live performances aren't so live sometimes, especially the ones that the whole world is watching that really need to go off without a hitch.
But it appears that Beyoncé's backing band at yesterday's presidential inauguration is now backing off a previous assertion that the pop-R&B star lip-synced the national anthem during Barack Obama's public swearing-in ceremony.
"The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) requested that the Marine Band accompany Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in the performance of the 'Star-Spangled Banner' at the 2013 Inaugural Ceremony," United States Marine Corps. media officer Capt. Gregory A. Wolf said in a statement today to E! News.
"However, there was no opportunity for Ms. Knowles-Carter to rehearse with the Marine Band before the Inauguration so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event. Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is prerecorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances.
"Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or prerecorded," Wolf concluded.
The director of the Marine Band, Col. Michael J. Colburn, had explained to NBC News they prerecord all of their music if there's a chance of inclement weather and that Beyoncé, not having time to rehearse with them, had opted for her prerecorded track of the "Star-Spangled Banner."
But, as new No. 1 Beyoncé fan Piers Morgan points out, she still sang the national anthem, and got the approving nod from first lady Michelle Obama all the same.
"Whether she lip-synched or not, #Beyonce still sang the American national anthem better than anyone I've ever heard. Fact," Morgan tweeted this afternoon. Facing a little backlash from the twitterverse, he reiterated, "Beyonce still SANG it, everyone. It was HER voice."
She just didn't sing it the way Kelly Clarkson sang "My Country Tis of Thee," that's all. (Her rep confirms to E! News that Clarkson performed live yesterday. Meanwhile, we don't want to speak for James Taylor, but...Has he ever been asked in his entire life about lip-syncing?)
"Whitney lip-synched her amazing '91 Superbowl anthem performance—who cares? It was still her voice, and still incredible," Morgan added.
But, just in case, he better be prepared to play a little more defense after Beyoncé's Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 3.
—Reporting by Holly Passalaqua