Jennifer Hudson To Sing “One Shining Moment”

This was already broken by Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, but I’ve finally received the press release from CBS Sports. Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has been tapped to sing the famous “One Shining Moment” song that has become the theme of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament since 1987. Hudson becomes the 4th person and the 1st woman to sing the song. Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass and “One Shining Moment” composer David Barrett were the others to sing the song.

Here’s the press release:

JENNIFER HUDSON BECOMES NEW VOICE FOR CBS SPORTS’ NCAA TOURNAMENT ANTHEM “ONE SHINING MOMENT”

Academy Award and Grammy Award-Winning Artist Is First Woman to Record Song

CBS Sports has announced that Academy Award and Grammy Award winning-artist Jennifer Hudson will lend her voice to “One Shining Moment,” a song that has become the anthem of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship.  Hudson becomes the first woman in the 24-year history of “One Shining Moment” to record the song.

“This is the biggest honor to be the first woman to record ‘One Shining Moment.’ I am so excited to be singing such a great song behind the likes of Luther Vandross and Teddy Pendergrass,” said Hudson. “The song inspires you.  It moves you. It motivates you and helps you reach that goal and that dream.”

“Jennifer’s rendition of ‘One Shining Moment’ gives the song a modern touch but holds on to the tradition of the song that college basketball fans have loved for years,” said Harold Bryant, Vice President Production, CBS Sports. “It is in the exclamation point to the NCAA Championship.”

On April 5^th nearly 40 million television viewers across the country and over 71,000 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium can hear Hudson’ rendition of “One Shining Moment” during the network’s annual video montage celebrating the Men’s NCAA tournament and the newly crowned Division I Men’s Basketball Champion. Hudson recorded the song in Los Angeles on February 13. “One Shining Moment” has previously been performed by its composer, David Barrett, Teddy Pendergrass, and most recently, Luther Vandross.

Hudson’s producer Harvey Mason, Jr. produced this year’s version of “One Shining Moment.” Mason, Jr.  produced his own shining moments as a member of the Arizona Wildcats who reached the NCAA Final Four in 1988.

Songwriter Barrett took all of 20 minutes to write the lyrics to “One Shining Moment,” which made its way to CBS Sports Creative Director Doug Towey in 1987. The song was originally scheduled to air once along with a highlight package during the Network’s broadcast of Super Bowl XXI. The piece never made air that January. In March, Towey was looking for a way to bring an emotional climax to CBS Sports’ coverage of March Madness®. “One Shining Moment” has aired every year since.

Here’s last year’s version.

The song is hokey, but I look forward to the montage every year. It’s always fitting and become such a tradition that the next rightsholder had better use it.