Havre singing family seeks big leagues

Courtesy photo

Liz Handy sings the National Anthem at the Great Northern Fair Rodeo July 2010.

Teri Jacobson and her daughter Liz Handy have been singing for years, but this weekend they begin their pursuit of the big time.

The two will be singing the National Anthem at the Professional Bull Riders national tour stop in Billings this weekend, at the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational at the MetraPark.

Teri said Flint Rasmussen, family friend and famous rodeo clown, invited the duo to try out for the PBR event.

"He asked if Liz and I would be interested in singing the National Anthem at the PBR, and of course we said yes, " Teri said.

They have been singing at rodeos all over Montana for years. Liz said she remembers singing at her first rodeo when she was 7 or 8 years old.

"The reason I like doing it for rodeos is because it's something I care about, " Liz said. "Rodeo's always been a part of my life. It's kind of my way of being a part of the rodeo world. "

The pair are hoping the Billings gig goes well enough that they will make an impression and possibly earn a subsequent visit to the PBR finals in Las Vegas this fall.

They have ambitions beyond the world of rodeo, though.

"What we want to do is just expand ourselves, do pro baseball, football, even basketball, " Teri said, "just explore and sing. "

She said they've already assembled an introductory packet to send to the Chicago Cubs for a shot at singing the anthem in Wrigley Field next year.

"Not very many major stadiums let people sing, " Liz said. "They have contracts with famous people. Wrigley is one of the very few stadiums in the U. S. open to hearing others sing. I don't know how soon that might happen, but we definitely would like to do that. "

It's not all about singing the bigger venues for the mother-daughter team. They appreciate the act of singing itself, the joy of singing together and their source material, Teri said.

"I love singing the National Anthem because, after being in Europe, we're very fortunate to be in America. It's like gospel, when you sing and you move people, people cry."