Wayne Messmer Showed Up at a Wedding and Sang the National Anthem

Jason Schwartz lives and breaths Chicagoland. A Niles North grad who now lives in Deerfield, Schwartz runs the popular “Chicago History” Twitter page, where images and relics of the city’s past make for “Chicken Soup” for Chicago’s soul.

So when he was planning an October wedding earlier this year with his then-fiance, Wendy, he knew one of only two singers would be fit to sing the “Star Spangled Banner.” Wayne Messmer, a Chicago legend and motivational speaker who often sings the Anthem for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Wolves; or Jim Cornelison, the famed Blackhawks’ singer at the United Center.

After reaching out to both months in advance, Messmer, a Glenview resident, agreed to do it. Although it has been Cornelison making more headlines as of late given the Blackhawks success, good Chicago sports fans remember it was Messmer who delivered perhaps the best version of the National Anthem ever before the 1991 NHL All-Star game while the United States was at war in the Middle East.

“Wayne showed up at my wedding, sang, and then sat down and talked to everyone who was there,” said Schwartz, who had numerous guests present for the big day. “He didn’t charge a thing. That’s unbelievable.”

Although they worked out the deal beforehand, Schwartz kept it a surprise for everyone other than Wendy. Wendy’s grandmother, who is 93 and described by Schwartz as “the biggest die-hard Cubs fan” he knows and who still screams at the television during games, completely lost it during the performance, which included another opera song Messmer had requested to sing himself.

“It was hard to keep the secret, but we coordinated it smoothly. It was amazing,” Schwartz said, calling Messmer “one of the nicest guys” he’s met, and that he would have even come to the reception had he not had to sing at the Chicago Wolves game that night.

Schwartz set up another neat surprise for the biggest night of his life. One that may never have happened had he timed a plan to attend a Twista concert correctly.

Earlier in the spring, Schwartz went alone to see the rapper play in Palatine and wanted to time it so he would only see Twista, and none of the opening acts. But as is the case at some concerts, there were more opening acts than anticipated, and he had to sit through one.

But that “opening act,” Mic One, a hip hop artist from Chicago, would immediately click with Schwartz when he pounded out a “grand mash” to Chicago, with a beat that captured all the good feelings of America’s best city.

“I was in awe of this song. He outdid Twista,” Schwartz said. “And I knew I wanted him at my wedding.”

So he was there, battling sickness, to introduce the bride and groom. As a surprise to everyone else, of course.