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The history of the Star-Spangled Banner

Author Steve Vogel discusses 'Through the Perilous Fight'
Steve Vogel's "Through the Perilous Fight"
The cover of Steve Vogel's "Through the Perilous Fight"
Courtesy of Random House

Throughout the day and night of Sept. 13, 1814, attorney Francis Scott Key was trapped on a boat - both a safe and awful place to be. The British had burned most of the federal buildings in Washington and were bombing the city of Baltimore.

Key had thought it was insane to fight a war with Britain, and now he thought he might witness his own country's demise. But by the morning of Sept. 14, the American flag was still there and Key had penned our national anthem.

Author Steve Vogel has written a fascinating new account our country's most important musical tradition, the Star-Spangled Banner. He spoke with Performance Today host Fred Child about the circumstances that led to the creation of our national anthem.

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