25 years later, singer is part of CFL folklore
It has brought Dennis Casey Park plenty of fame and notoriety and even led to him meeting his wife.
Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary of Park botching “O Canada” before the Las Vegas Posse’s first CFL home game July 16, 1994. Park definitely remembers his infamous performance but wasn’t aware this was the silver jubilee of his rendition — which was sang to the tune of “O Christmas Tree” — until approached by The Las Vegas Review-Journal, which published a story about it Monday.
“I had no idea because I’m ageless,” Park said during a telephone interview from Shanghai. “Yes, I screwed it up in the beginning, but it wasn’t a focal point in my life.
“I went back and made it right and I can’t thank everyone in Canada enough and tell them how much I appreciated their support. After I did it, I needed their support because it was a big deal to go back up there and make it right. I tell people the story, I’ve never hidden from it.”
The expansion Posse opened their first — and only — CFL season with a 32-26 road win over the Sacramento Gold Miners and were scheduled to play their home opener eight days later against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Moments before the opening kickoff, Park — who performed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics — took to centre field with superstar Dionne Warwick to perform the Canadian and American national anthems in 40 C conditions before just 12,213 spectators at 31,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium.
Las Vegas won the game 32-22 en route to a 5-13 finish that year. But the result was completely overshadowed by Park, a performer and producer in Asia who said he’d been approached by the Posse just the day before.
“I’d just returned the day before from Japan where I’d been performing for a few months,” Park said. “I got a call initially to sing the anthem and assumed it was “The Star Spangled Banner.”
“I was very tired ... and ended up saying yes. They called back a few hours later and I realized it was ‘O Canada’ and I said, ‘You know guys, I’m not familiar with ‘(O Canada).’ I’ve heard it a lot but never sung it.’ They said, ‘Oh, well, you agreed and we put it out in the press that you and Dionne Warwick (would perform national anthems at the game). Can you do it? Can you do it? Will you do it, please?’ ”
Undeterred, Park received a tape of the music and the words and got down to work.
“I had it down fairly well or I wouldn’t have gone out there,” he said.
But moments before Park was to perform, he saw the on-field director signal there was no music. Park knew immediately he was in trouble.
Predictably, Park’s performance caused a furor on both sides of the border.
The CFL was deluged with faxes and phone calls from irate Canadians and the office of Prime Minister Jean Chretien sent a letter to the Posse. Owner Nick Mileti responded with a written apology.
Less than two weeks later, Park earned a shot at redemption. On July 28, he performed “O Canada” perfectly in Hamilton prior to the Tiger-Cats’ game against Ottawa. Other flawless performances across the country followed.
“I was happy I was able to correct it,” Park said. “But it’s not a marker in my life.
“I’ve actually had many good experiences after that happened.” Like meeting his future wife. “About three years later I was in Shanghai for meetings to produce and direct a documentary,” he said. “I was with a friend and she asked me if she could take me to dinner and I said yes.
“So they sat us with another couple that we didn’t know. The guy kept staring at me but each time I looked at him he diverted his eyes.
“Finally I looked at him and he said, ’Excuse me, may I ask you a question?’ I said, ’Yes.’ He said, ‘Are you anthem man?’ I said, ’Get out of here. This is my first time in Shanghai, you’re Chinese, how do you know this?’ He never saw “O Christmas Tree,” he saw the good one (in Hamilton). He said, ‘My father works in Toronto and you were on all the TV shows, you’re very famous.’ I said, ‘Yes, I am.’ “
The next day, Park said he called the man about seeing more of Shanghai with him and his female companion. After failing to reach the man, Park contacted the woman, who revealed they weren’t together and she agreed to go out.
Park and Heng Xu became a couple in 2011 and were married 4 1/2 years ago.
“I would’ve never met her unless I screwed up ‘O Canada,’” he said. “But there are more stories.”
Like being approached by five Canadians in a taxi one night in Shanghai. Shortly after entering the vehicle to give the driver directions to a club, Park faced the question yet again: ‘Are you anthem man?’
“They were all sailors on a Canadian ship docked nearby,” he said. “They invited me on to the ship, I was there for like 16 hours.
“I sang ‘O Canada,’ they raised the flag, I had dinner with the captain. I took pictures and people called their relatives and I talked to them. A lot of stuff with ‘O Canada’ has happened in China, it’s very strange.”
to me and very supportive. I can never say how much I appreciate them.”