'The Star-Spangled Mystery' Will Be Solved At The Larchmont Library

LARCHMONT, NY — There are events in history that not only changed the lives of those who lived through them, but also changed the way we see the world we live in today.

Author and performer Marc Ferris brings a quirk of history to life in a way that is fascinating, entertaining and edifying. No spoilers here, but we promise an evening with the talented and knowledgeable musician will be time well spent and you might just discover a few surpises along the way.

Ferris will be performing his one-person flagship music program, "The Star-Spangled Mystery," at the Larchmont Library this Thursday, at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

The Star-Spangled Banner, written in 1814, is considered one of the most controversial songs in U.S. history and it continues to ignite passion. Ferris says that in his performance, he will deliver a musical history tour covering the strange story of our country's anthem along with other patriotic songs. Almost every American knows these tunes and people often sing along because it's fun.

Ferris told Patch that the program will cover the pivotal questions of why, of all the contenders, did "The Star-Spangled Banner" become our national anthem and why did it take so long for Congress to finally consecrate the song in 1931, more than a century after it was first written?

Ferris is the author of the book, "Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America's National Anthem." He has appeared on several media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and CBS This Morning. Ferris received his B.A. in History from Boston University and his M.A. in U.S. History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

This program, which highlights the role of veterans and the military, has received rave reviews across the East Coast:

• “I have put scores of scholars on stage and Marc Ferris stands out as one of the most distinctly entertaining of the bunch," Peter Schmidt, CEO of Profs & Pints series in Washington, D. C., said. "His discussion of The Star Spangled Banner combined thorough research, humor and impressive guitar skills in a way that had people thinking, laughing and tapping their toes."
• "I would love to recommend Star Spangled Mystery," Carmela Cautillo, Program Administrator at the Purchase Free Library, said. "His presentation was engaging, informative and his personality is extremely outgoing. He had the crowd singing with him and everyone raved about how much they enjoyed the presentation! I highly recommend him. His event went really well."
• "A seasoned raconteur with superbly honed narrative skills, Marc is a veritable walking encyclopedia," Dr. Varadachari Sadagopan, chair of Scarborough Manor Cultural Affairs Committee in Ossining, said." Very well received, he presented a seamless blend of musicology and fascinating features about the evolution of our national anthem."
• "Marc Ferris's presentation 'Star Spangled Mystery' goes far beyond expectations of a library lecture," Lois Skelly, Program Coordinator of the Croton Free Library, said. "Engaging from beginning to end, Marc punctuates his lecture with live musical examples, expertly sung and played by him. The music was lively and the lecture was just as entertaining - never a dull moment."

You can watch Ferris singing the original version of our national anthem here, which people contend is a difficult song to sing.

Ferris can be seen singing another song in his show here.