Singer from iconic Athens-born band to perform national anthem for UGA-Texas

ATHENS — John Bell, the lead singer and a guitarist for the band Widespread Panic, will be performing the U.S. national anthem before Georgia’s 7:30 p.m. game with Texas on Saturday night at Sanford Stadium, a UGA spokesperson confirmed.

Widespread Panic was formed in Athens in 1986, five years after Bell met former member Michael Houser in 1981 in their dorm at UGA, and played at fraternities and bars before signing a contract with Landslide Records in 1987.

The band rose to fame in the following years, with interest peaking when they held a CD release party concert in 1998, which drew an estimated 100,000 people to the streets of downtown Athens.

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart, a player with the Bulldogs at that time, referenced the night of the concert, comparing it to the celebration after UGA beat Alabama, 33-18, in the 2022 CFP Championship game.

“First thing I thought of was Widespread Panic in 1994 or whatever it was,” Smart said after seeing videos of the celebration of the Bulldogs first national championship in 40 years. “I was, like there’s people on signs. There’s people on poles. You can’t see the street. I didn’t even know where it was. But was pretty blown away. Hopefully everybody was safe.”

The 63-year-old Bell and the current members of Widespread Panic have three concert dates in Atlanta approaching, Dec. 29, Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 at the Fox Theatre.